WorkSafe Queensland: what builders need to know

TL;DR

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) is the WHS regulator for Queensland, sitting inside the Office of Industrial Relations. It enforces the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) on every construction site in the state. If someone is killed, seriously injured, or a dangerous incident occurs, you must notify WHSQ immediately on 1300 362 128. Inspectors can issue improvement notices, prohibition notices, and on-the-spot infringement fines; prosecution for a Category 1 offence carries fines up to $3 million for a corporation or 5 years jail for an individual. The Electrical Safety Office (ESO), a separate branch inside the same Office of Industrial Relations, runs electrical licensing and enforcement under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld): for residential construction, this means your sparky must hold a valid Queensland electrical licence, and from 1 January 2025 workers are prohibited from entering a roof space of a domestic building unless the relevant electrical installations are de-energised.

In plain English

Queensland adopted the model WHS laws in 2011. The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) mirror the Safe Work Australia model framework, with Queensland retaining a small number of state-specific provisions (verified 2026-05-10, WorkSafe Queensland: work health and safety laws).

The primary duty falls on the PCBU: the person or entity conducting a business or undertaking. On a residential construction site, the builder is almost always the PCBU. If there is construction work, the builder is also typically the principal contractor and carries additional obligations specific to managing the site.

Office of Industrial Relations (OIR): The parent body. Houses both WHSQ and the Electrical Safety Office. The OIR reports to Queensland’s Minister for Industrial Relations.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ): The WHS inspectorate. Enforces the WHS Act 2011 and the WHS Regulation 2011. Runs compliance campaigns, investigates incidents, issues notices, and prosecutes (verified 2026-05-10, WorkSafe Queensland OIR page).

Electrical Safety Office (ESO): Runs electrical licensing, electrical safety compliance, and the enforcement framework under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld). Operates the Queensland Electrical Safety System (QESS), the state’s regime for licensed electrical workers and contractors. ESO publishes its own annual Compliance and Engagement Plan (2025-2026 edition current as at verified date) (verified 2026-05-10, ESO Compliance and Engagement Plan 2025-2026).

What it requires

Principal contractor duties (construction projects over $250,000)

Under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld), a construction project is any project with a total construction cost of $250,000 or more. The PCBU who commissions the work is the principal contractor by default; the commissioning party can appoint another PCBU as principal contractor by authorising them to have management and control of the workplace (verified 2026-05-10, WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) construction project definition).

Principal contractor obligations for projects over $250,000:

Obligation	Detail
WHS management plan	Prepare before work commences; keep accessible on site for all workers
Site signage	Display your name and contact details at the site entry
SWMS for all HRCW	Obtain a SWMS from each subcontractor before any high-risk construction work starts
Coordinate PCBUs	Take all reasonable steps to ensure subcontractors’ WHS obligations are met
Record keeping	Keep SWMS, induction records, incident records and plant maintenance logs

SWMS for high-risk construction work

SWMS are required for all high-risk construction work regardless of project value. The WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) s 299 requires a SWMS to be prepared before HRCW begins. The principal contractor must not allow HRCW to start until the SWMS has been provided (verified 2026-05-10, WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld) s 299).

Notifiable incidents

A notifiable incident is one that arises from the conduct of a business or undertaking and results in death, serious injury or illness, or a dangerous incident. Under WHS Act 2011 (Qld) s 38, the PCBU must notify WHSQ immediately after becoming aware of a notifiable incident, using the fastest possible means (verified 2026-05-10, Business Queensland: notifiable incidents).

Serious injury or illness that triggers immediate notification includes:

Any injury requiring in-patient hospital treatment
Amputation
Serious head or eye injury
Severe burns
Skin separation (degloving or scalping)
Spinal injury
Loss of a bodily function
Serious laceration
Medical treatment within 48 hours of exposure to a substance

Dangerous incidents include: uncontrolled release of substances, explosion, gas or steam escape, electric shock, uncontrolled fall from height, collapse of plant or structure, inrush of water or mud.

How to notify:

Method	Detail
Phone	1300 362 128 (WHSQ 24-hour line)
Online form	WorkCover Online System, incident registration
Written follow-up	Not required if you notify by phone; WHSQ provides written confirmation

After notification:

Preserve the incident scene: do not disturb the site until an inspector arrives or directs you otherwise, except to assist an injured person, make the area safe, or comply with a direction from a first responder
Keep a record of every notifiable incident for at least 5 years from the date of notification (WHS Act 2011 (Qld) s 38(7))

Electrical safety: the ESO and QESS

The Electrical Safety Office (ESO) enforces the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld) and the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 (Qld). For residential construction, the key obligations are:

Licensing: All electrical work on a residential building must be carried out by a licensed electrical worker holding a Queensland electrical licence. Electrical contractors must hold an electrical contractor licence issued by the ESO (verified 2026-05-10, Electrical contractor licences).

QBCC licence holders and incidental electrical work: Section 64 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 allows persons operating businesses licensed under the QBCC to carry out minor incidental electrical work without requiring a separate ESO electrical contractor licence. The individual workers must still hold the relevant restricted electrical work licence for the specific tasks performed (verified 2026-05-10, New electrical safety laws 2024).

Domestic roof space rule (from 1 January 2025): Workers are prohibited from entering the roof space of a domestic building unless:

All relevant electrical installations in the roof space are de-energised before entry, or
An exempted circumstance applies (risk assessment completed, statement of work prepared, and record-keeping requirements met)

This applies to all trades, not just electricians. The builder as PCBU must manage this on site (verified 2026-05-10, Electrical Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2024).

ESO notifications for electrical incidents: Dangerous electrical incidents (electric shock, electrical explosion, electrical fire) are notifiable to the ESO via the same 1300 362 128 line or the online system. The ESO and WHSQ share the notification pathway.

What it doesn’t cover

WorkCover Queensland: A separate entity from WHSQ. WorkCover Queensland is the statutory workers’ compensation insurer. Incident notification to WHSQ and a WorkCover claim are separate obligations. Do not confuse the two.
QBCC licensing and building compliance: The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) handles contractor licensing, defect disputes, home warranty insurance, and building code compliance. WHSQ has no role in QBCC licensing matters.
Industrial relations and wages: The Fair Work Ombudsman and the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission handle employment disputes, underpayment, and unfair dismissal. These are outside WHSQ’s scope.

Practical implications

Enforcement tools available to inspectors

WHSQ inspectors have the following enforcement options on site:

Tool	When used
Verbal advice	Minor issue, resolved on the spot
Improvement notice	Contravention of the WHS Act or Regulation; directs the PCBU to remedy within a set timeframe. Non-compliance results in infringement notice or further action
Prohibition notice	Serious risk to health or safety; stops the specific activity immediately until the risk is controlled
Infringement notice (on-the-spot fine)	Issued under the State Penalties Enforcement Act 1999; currently more than 240 offence categories. Fine range: approximately $144 to $720 for individuals, $720 to $3,600 for businesses
Prosecution	Referred to Queensland Industrial Relations Commission or courts for serious breaches

Penalty structure

Maximum penalties under the WHS Act 2011 (Qld) (verified 2026-05-10, Business Queensland: WHS penalties):

Offence category	Conduct	Corporation	Individual (PCBU/officer)	Individual (worker)
Category 1	Reckless conduct exposing a person to risk of death or serious injury	$3,000,000	$600,000 or 5 years imprisonment	$300,000 or 5 years imprisonment
Category 2	Failure to comply with a duty, exposing a person to risk of death or serious injury	$1,500,000	$300,000	$150,000
Category 3	Failure to comply with a duty	$500,000	$100,000	$50,000

WHS penalty fines are not insurable in Queensland. You cannot take out a policy to cover WHS prosecution fines (verified 2026-05-10, WorkSafe QLD: prohibition on insurance covering WHS penalties).

Proactive compliance program 2024-2027

WHSQ runs a rolling statewide Proactive Compliance Program targeting construction. In early 2026, the focus shifted to falling objects: crane lifts, scaffolding, formwork, elevated work platforms, precast panels, and material storage. Inspectors attend sites unannounced as part of these campaigns. Having your SWMS, WHS management plan, site induction records, and signage in order before any campaign period is the cheapest way to avoid a prohibition notice (verified 2026-05-10, Falling objects compliance campaign 2026).

References

WorkSafe Queensland, Work health and safety laws. https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/work-health-and-safety-laws (verified 2026-05-10).
Business Queensland, Incidents that need to be reported to WHSQ. https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/whs/incident-reporting/whsq (verified 2026-05-10).
Business Queensland, Penalties for breaches to work health and safety law. https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/whs/whs-laws/penalties (verified 2026-05-10).
Queensland Parliament, Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), current to 29 March 2026. https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/pdf/inforce/current/act-2011-018 (verified 2026-05-10).
Queensland Parliament, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld), current to 29 March 2026. https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2011-0240 (verified 2026-05-10).
WorkSafe Queensland, Electrical Safety Office Compliance and Engagement Plan 2025-2026. https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/compliance-and-enforcement/our-approach/electrical-safety-office-compliance-and-engagement-plan-2025-2026 (verified 2026-05-10).
WorkSafe Queensland, New electrical safety laws protecting workers and the community. https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/news/2024/new-electrical-safety-laws-protecting-workers-and-the-community (verified 2026-05-10).
WorkSafe Queensland, Falling objects compliance campaign coming in 2026. https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/newsletters/esafe-newsletters/esafe-editions/esafe-construction/november-2025/falling-objects-compliance-campaign-coming-in-2026 (verified 2026-05-10).

SWMS: when it’s required and how to write one, SWMS is mandatory for all HRCW on Queensland sites; principal contractors must obtain these before work starts
High-risk construction work list, the full list of HRCW categories that trigger SWMS obligations under the WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld)
WHS duties when engaging subcontractors, how the PCBU duty chain flows down to subbies on a Queensland site
Asbestos identification on residential renos, asbestos disturbance is HRCW; notifiable incidents involving asbestos go to WHSQ
PCBU, person conducting a business or undertaking, the entity with primary WHS duty
SWMS, safe work method statement definition
HRCW, high-risk construction work definition