SafeWork NSW is inviting workers, employers and industry associations to have their say on the state’s proposed regulatory priorities for the 2026-27 financial year, with several of the focus areas carrying direct relevance for the cleaning and facilities sector.
As the state’s work health and safety regulator, SafeWork NSW uses research, data and stakeholder consultation to direct its resources toward the industries and work practices carrying the highest risk of harm. Four priority areas have been proposed for the coming financial year, each of which will form part of SafeWork NSW’s 2026-27 Annual Regulatory Statement.
The proposed priorities are:
- working from heights
- managing psychosocial (mental health) risks
- Exposure to hazardous chemicals (including asbestos, crystalline silica and welding fumes), and
- (injury from mobile) plant, machinery and equipment.
For cleaning operators, the priorities around hazardous substance exposure and psychosocial risk management are particularly pertinent, given the sector’s routine contact with chemical products and the well-documented pressures facing frontline cleaning workforces.
Have your say before 31 May
SafeWork NSW is encouraging feedback from all corners of industry – workers, employers, unions and associations alike. Responses will inform how the regulator allocates its enforcement and education efforts across NSW workplaces in the year ahead. Take the survey today.
The full consultation paper sets out the rationale behind each proposed priority in detail.
The survey closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 31 May 2026. Cleaning businesses and workers in NSW are encouraged to participate and ensure the sector’s voice is reflected in the final priorities.
