OFSC (Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner)
The OFSC administers the WHS Accreditation Scheme for Commonwealth-funded building work over $4 million. Single dwelling houses are exempt regardless of value.
Ask Chalkline about this →The OFSC (Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner) is the federal body that administers the Work Health and Safety Accreditation Scheme for Commonwealth-funded building work, under the Federal Safety Commissioner Act 2022 (Cth) (verified 2026-05-08). The Scheme requires head contractors to hold accreditation before entering into head contracts for building work directly or indirectly funded by the Commonwealth where the contract value is at least $4 million (GST inclusive).
The OFSC conducts WHS audits, supports builders working toward accreditation, and can assist builders on Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF)-related projects with up to 40 hours of Federal Safety Officer assistance at no cost.
Single dwelling houses (Class 1a under the NCC) are explicitly exempt from the Scheme, regardless of contract value. The exemption also covers alterations and extensions to single dwelling houses that remain single dwelling houses after the work (verified 2026-05-08, OFSC: Exemption 2 - Single dwelling houses).
The OFSC sits within the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. Its website is fsc.gov.au.
Also known as: Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner, Federal Safety Commissioner
Category: Regulatory body
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Last updated: 2026-05-08. Verified: 2026-05-08. Quarterly review for currency.