whs-regulation-checker-nsw

New South Wales WHS Regulation 2025 — Complete Reference

Purpose

This skill provides the complete verified text of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW), extracted directly from the official New South Wales legislation (current as at 3 October 2025). It ensures Claude cites accurate clause numbers, provisions, and requirements when producing occupational hygiene reports, compliance analyses, and WHS documentation for NSW workplaces.

Critical Rules

1. Only cite provisions that appear in the chapter files. Never fabricate or assume clause numbers or content.
2. Citation format: Use "cl [number]" for individual clauses, e.g. "cl 49 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (NSW)" or "cll 57–59" for a range. Note: NSW uses "clause" (cl) not "regulation" (r) for subsidiary legislation numbering.
3. Use conservative, factual language when describing regulatory obligations. Avoid subjective terms — describe what the regulation requires in objective terms.
4. Always use Australian English spelling (e.g. behaviour, organisation, colour, defence, licence [noun]).
5. If a provision cannot be located in these files, state that the specific clause should be verified against the current legislation and indicate which chapter it is likely found in.
6. Standards references: Only cite Australian Standards that are explicitly referenced in the Regulation text. Do not assume or add standards from general knowledge.
7. Distinguish NSW from QLD. While the NSW and QLD WHS Regulations share a common model framework, the NSW Regulation 2025 has been remade (replacing the 2017 Regulation) and includes jurisdiction-specific provisions (e.g. psychosocial risks, food delivery riders, mines exclusion). Always specify "(NSW)" when citing this Regulation.

Chapter Index

Read the relevant chapter file(s) based on the regulatory domain of the query:

File	Chapter	Key Clauses	When to Read
chapters/ch01-preliminary.md	Ch 1 — Preliminary	cll 1–15	Definitions, application of regulation, incorporated documents, meaning of PCBU, meaning of supply
chapters/ch02-representation.md	Ch 2 — Representation and Participation	cll 16–31A	Work groups, HSR election, issue resolution, cessation of unsafe work, WHS entry permits, training authorisation
chapters/ch03-risk-management.md	Ch 3 — General Risk and Workplace Management	cll 32–55D	Hazard identification, hierarchy of control, PPE, first aid, emergency plans, workplace facilities, psychosocial risks (cll 55A–55D), falling objects, remote/isolated work, airborne contaminants, exposure standards
chapters/ch04-hazardous-work.md	Ch 4 — Hazardous Work	cll 56–184S	Noise (Pt 4.1, cll 56–59), manual tasks (Pt 4.2), confined spaces (Pt 4.3, cll 62–77), falls (Pt 4.4, cll 78–80), high risk work (Pt 4.5), demolition (Pt 4.6), electrical safety (Pt 4.7), diving work (Pt 4.8), traffic control work (Pt 4.9), food delivery riders (Pt 4.10)
chapters/ch05-plant-structures.md	Ch 5 — Plant and Structures	cll 185–288E	Plant duties, general duties for plant/structures, registered plant, plant design registration, plant item registration, registration process
chapters/ch06-construction.md	Ch 6 — Construction Work	cll 289–327	WHS management plans, principal contractor duties, high risk construction, excavation, general construction induction training
chapters/ch07-hazardous-chemicals.md	Ch 7 — Hazardous Chemicals	cll 328–418+	Workplace exposure standards, atmospheric monitoring, health monitoring, SDS, GHS, registers, storage, placarding, lead risk work
chapters/ch08-asbestos.md	Ch 8 — Asbestos	cll 419–526	Identification, registers, management plans, licensed removal, air monitoring, clearance, asbestos removal licences
chapters/ch08a-crystalline-silica.md	Ch 8A — Crystalline Silica	cll 527–529R	Silica definitions, crystalline silica substances, prohibited/restricted processes, engineered stone prohibition, silica risk management plans, air monitoring, health monitoring, RPE, silica worker register
chapters/ch09-major-hazard.md	Ch 9 — Major Hazard Facilities	cll 530–606+	MHF notification, safety cases, emergency plans, MHF licences
chapters/ch10-mines.md	Ch 10 — Mines	—	Not adopted in NSW. See the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Act 2013
chapters/ch11-general.md	Ch 11 — General	cll 676+	Reviewable decisions, fees, codes of practice, transitional provisions
chapters/schedules.md	Schedules 2–14	—	Schedule 2 (fees), Schedule 3 (high risk work licences), Schedule 4 (competency requirements), Schedule 5 (registration of plant), Schedule 6 (classification of mixtures), Schedule 7 (SDS), Schedule 8 (disclosure of ingredients), Schedule 9 (classification/packing/labelling), Schedule 11 (placard/manifest quantities), Schedule 12 (manifest requirements), Schedule 13 (placard requirements), Schedule 14 (health monitoring)

Workflow

1. Identify the regulatory domain from the user's query
2. Read the relevant chapter file(s) using the view tool — read only what is needed, not all files
3. Cite provisions accurately from the extracted text
4. Cross-reference between chapters where appropriate (e.g. Ch 3 risk management process applies alongside Ch 4 noise requirements)
5. Flag any gaps — if the query requires provisions from the WHS Act 2011 (not covered in this skill) or from Codes of Practice, note this clearly

Common Query Routing

Query Topic	Primary Chapter(s)	Key Clauses
Noise assessment / hearing protection	Ch 4 (Pt 4.1) + Ch 3	cll 56–59, cll 32–38
Dust / silica survey	Ch 8A + Ch 3	cll 527–529R, cll 32–38, cll 49–50
Hazardous chemical exposure monitoring	Ch 7 + Ch 3	cll 49–50 (WES), cll 32–38
Asbestos identification / removal	Ch 8	cll 419–526
Confined space entry	Ch 4 (Pt 4.3) + Ch 3	cll 62–77, cll 32–38
Fall prevention	Ch 4 (Pt 4.4)	cll 78–80
Construction WHS management plan	Ch 6 + Ch 3	cll 289–327, cll 32–38
High risk work licensing	Ch 4 (Pt 4.5)	cll 81–141
PPE requirements	Ch 3 (Div 5)	cll 44–47
Plant registration	Ch 5	cll 185–288E
Health monitoring obligations	Ch 7 + Ch 8A	Ch 7 health monitoring, cll 529G–529J
Workplace facilities	Ch 3 (Div 2)	cll 40–41
Emergency plans	Ch 3 (Div 4)	cl 43
Psychosocial risks	Ch 3 (Div 11)	cll 55A–55D
Electrical safety	Ch 4 (Pt 4.7)	cll 144–166
Demolition work	Ch 4 (Pt 4.6)	cll 141A–142E
Diving work	Ch 4 (Pt 4.8)	cll 167–184
Traffic control work	Ch 4 (Pt 4.9)	cll 184A–184L
Food delivery riders	Ch 4 (Pt 4.10)	cll 184M–184S

NSW-Specific Provisions

The following provisions are specific to NSW or differ from the model WHS Regulation:

Feature	NSW Provision	Notes
Psychosocial risks	Ch 3 Div 11 (cll 55A–55D)	Explicit psychosocial hazard/risk definitions and control measures
Chapter 10 — Mines	Not adopted	NSW uses separate mines legislation (WHS (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Act 2013)
Food delivery riders	Ch 4 Pt 4.10 (cll 184M–184S)	NSW-specific provisions for food delivery booking providers and riders
Traffic control work	Ch 4 Pt 4.9 (cll 184A–184L)	NSW-specific licensing and training provisions
Crystalline silica	Ch 8A (cll 527–529R)	Includes engineered stone prohibition and silica worker register
Regulation year	2025	NSW remade its Regulation in 2025 (replacing 2017 version) — note different numbering from QLD Regulation 2011

Version Information

• WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW): Current as at 3 October 2025
• Staged repeal status: Currently due for automatic repeal under the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989 on 1 September 2030
• Source: NSW Legislation website, certified by the Parliamentary Counsel's Office
• Extraction method: Full text extracted from official PDF using PyMuPDF, with page headers/footers removed

Note: This skill covers the WHS Regulation only. For the WHS Act 2011 (NSW) — including primary duty of care (s 19), officer duties (s 27), incident notification (ss 35–39), and industrial manslaughter (ss 34B–34F) — consult the companion whs-act-checker-nsw skill. Legislation is subject to amendment; for critical compliance decisions, verify current provisions at https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/