wa-psychosocial-checker

Western Australian Psychosocial Hazard Management — Complete Reference

Purpose

This skill provides the verified Western Australian-specific legislative and guidance framework for managing psychosocial hazards at work. It extracts key provisions from two source documents:

1. WA WHS (General) Regulations 2022 — Division 11 (psychosocial risks), rr 55A–55K, extending the Model WHS Regulations framework with WA-specific provisions for recording, review cycles, monitoring, support, consultation, and training
2. WA CoP: Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace (2022) — approved code of practice; comprehensive guidance on hazard identification, risk assessment, control implementation, review, response to incidents, FIFO operations, and case studies

This is a reference skill — it is not intended as a standalone user tool. It is loaded by action skills (e.g. wa-psychosocial-advisor) when they need to verify or cite WA-specific psychosocial hazard provisions.

For general WHS Act and Regulation provisions (duties, offences, penalties, incident notification, general risk management), refer to relevant WA WHS legislation checkers.

For Model (national) psychosocial provisions (Model WHS Bill, Model WHS Regulations Division 11, Model CoP: Managing Psychosocial Hazards, Model SGBH CoP), refer to the safetysure-psychosocial-model skill.

Critical Rules

1. Only cite provisions that appear in the section files. Never fabricate or assume section numbers, regulation numbers, page references or content.
2. Citation format — legislation: Use "s [number]" for WHS Act sections (e.g. "s 19 of the WHS Act 2020 (WA)") and "r [number]" or "rr [range]" for WHS Regulations (e.g. "r 55A" or "rr 55A–55K").
3. Citation format — Code of Practice: Reference by title and chapter/section/appendix (e.g. "WA CoP: Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace, Chapter 3" or "WA CoP, Appendix 2").
4. Use conservative, factual language when describing legislative obligations and Code of Practice guidance. Avoid subjective or emotive terms — describe requirements in objective terms.
5. Always use Australian English spelling (e.g. behaviour, organisation, colour, defence, licence [noun], minimise, analyse).
6. Distinguish between sources. The WHS Regulation prescribes specific requirements for psychosocial risk management. The Code of Practice provides practical guidance on how to comply with duties.
7. WA extends the Model framework. Western Australia adopts harmonised WHS Division 11 but adds four significant WA-specific regulations (rr 55F–55K) beyond the Model baseline (rr 55A–55D). These additions relate to recording, review cycles, monitoring, support, consultation, and training.
8. Cross-reference with Model provisions where appropriate. The WA WHS Regulation Division 11 adopts the Model provisions for rr 55A–55D but adds extended requirements. The WA CoP closely follows best practice with WA-specific content (WorkSafe WA references, case studies, WA legislation references, FIFO considerations).
9. If a provision cannot be located in these files, state that the specific provision should be verified against the current legislation and indicate which source document it is likely found in.

Section Index

Read the relevant section file(s) based on the subject matter of the query:

WA WHS Regulations 2022

File	Content	When to Read
sections/wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md	WA WHS (General) Regulations 2022 — Division 11 (rr 55A–55K)	Psychosocial hazard/risk definitions (rr 55A–55B), duty to manage psychosocial risks (r 55C), determining control measures (r 55D — 7 subsections), application of Part 3.1 (r 55E), recording control measures (r 55F — WA-specific), review of control measures (r 55G — WA-specific, at least every 3 years), monitoring for psychosocial harm (r 55H — WA-specific), support for workers (r 55I — WA-specific), consultation and communication (r 55J — WA-specific), information training and instruction (r 55K — WA-specific)

WA CoP: Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace (2022)

File	Chapters	When to Read
sections/wa-cop-introduction.md	Chapters 1–2	Psychosocial hazard definition, work-related psychosocial hazards and risk factors (17 categories), WHS duties (PCBU s 19, workers, health and safety representatives, officers, others), reasonably practicable test, consultation requirements, relevant WA legislation (Equal Opportunity Act 1984, Industrial Relations Act 1979, Public Sector Management Act 1994) and Commonwealth legislation (Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Fair Work Act 2009), workplace definition including FIFO accommodation, vulnerability and risk to particular groups
sections/wa-cop-risk-management.md	Chapters 3–3.5	Risk management process overview (identify, assess, control, monitor/review), identifying psychosocial hazards and risk factors (17 categories, identification methods, workplace data sources, consultation approaches), assessing risk (duration/frequency/severity, vulnerability, cumulative effects, risk assessment methods), implementing controls (hierarchy of controls, elimination, minimisation — substitution/isolation/engineering, administrative controls, information/training/instruction, combining controls), monitoring and reviewing (monitoring processes, review triggers, recorded reviews), recording the risk management process
sections/wa-cop-response-resolution.md	Chapters 4–5	Leadership and culture (leadership commitment, management and supervision, organisational culture), workplace behaviours (inappropriate/unreasonable behaviour, fair and consistent policies), good work design (job clarity, resources, workload review, communication during change), safe systems of work (rostering, working hours, task rotation, standards and procedures, policies), communication and consultation (effective communication, worker participation, feedback mechanisms), information and training (adequate and suitable information, training for all levels, competency assurance), reporting and responding to reports (types of reporting, barriers to reporting, response principles, investigator impartiality, victim support)
sections/wa-cop-appendices.md	Appendices	Relevant legislation index, case study examples (small hairdressing salon, medium-sized medical centre, medium-sized automotive workshop, large state government department), examples of risk management in various workplaces

Workflow

1. Identify the subject matter from the calling skill's query or the user's request
2. Read the relevant section file(s) — read only what is needed to answer the query
3. Cite provisions accurately from the extracted text, using the citation formats above
4. Cross-reference with Model provisions where appropriate (load safetysure-psychosocial-model if Model-level detail is needed)
5. Note WA legislative framework — accurately reflect WA legislation and regulator (WorkSafe WA); highlight WA-specific additions (rr 55F–55K)

Common Query Routing

Query Topic	Primary File(s)	Key References
Psychosocial hazard/risk definitions	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md	WHS Reg rr 55A–55B
Duty to manage psychosocial risks	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md	WHS Reg r 55C
PCBU primary duty (general)	wa-cop-introduction.md	WHS Act s 19
Reasonably practicable test	wa-cop-introduction.md	WHS Act s 19
17 psychosocial hazards and risk factors	wa-cop-introduction.md, wa-cop-risk-management.md	WA CoP Chapter 2, Table 2.1
Identifying psychosocial hazards	wa-cop-risk-management.md	WHS Reg r 34; WA CoP Chapter 3.2
Risk assessment process	wa-cop-risk-management.md	WA CoP Chapter 3.3
Control measures — r 55D subsections	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md, wa-cop-risk-management.md	WHS Reg r 55D (7 subsections); WA CoP Chapter 3.4
Hierarchy of controls	wa-cop-risk-management.md	WHS Reg r 36; WA CoP Chapter 3.4
Eliminating risks	wa-cop-risk-management.md	WA CoP Chapter 3.4
Administrative controls	wa-cop-risk-management.md	WA CoP Chapter 3.4
Information, training, instruction	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md, wa-cop-response-resolution.md	WHS Reg r 55K; WA CoP Chapter 4.6
Combining controls	wa-cop-risk-management.md	WA CoP Chapter 3.4
Recording control measures	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md	WHS Reg r 55F
Reviewing control measures	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md	WHS Reg r 55G (at least every 3 years)
Monitoring for psychosocial harm	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md	WHS Reg r 55H
Supporting affected workers	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md	WHS Reg r 55I (confidential counselling, return-to-work, EAP, health service information, reasonable adjustments)
Consultation and communication	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md, wa-cop-response-resolution.md	WHS Reg r 55J; WA CoP Chapter 4.5
Training and competency	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md, wa-cop-response-resolution.md	WHS Reg r 55K; WA CoP Chapter 4.6
FIFO/workers' accommodation	wa-whs-reg-psychosocial.md, wa-cop-introduction.md	WHS Reg r 55D(1A), r 55D(6); WA CoP Chapter 1.3
Remote work psychosocial hazards	wa-cop-introduction.md, wa-cop-risk-management.md	WA CoP Chapter 2 (Remote work, Remote work — Travel times)
Responding to incidents/reports	wa-cop-response-resolution.md	WA CoP Chapter 5
Investigating psychosocial harm	wa-cop-response-resolution.md	WA CoP Chapter 5; WHS Act s 36 (notifiable incident)
Workplace bullying and harassment	wa-cop-introduction.md, wa-cop-response-resolution.md	WA CoP Chapter 2 (Inappropriate and unreasonable behaviour); Chapter 4.2
Violence and aggression	wa-cop-introduction.md, wa-cop-response-resolution.md	WA CoP Chapter 2 (Traumatic events); Chapter 4
Consultation with workers	wa-cop-response-resolution.md	WHS Reg r 55J; WA CoP Chapter 4.5

WA-Specific Context

Western Australia uses:

• WHS Act 2020 (WA) — primary legislation establishing duties and offences
• WHS (General) Regulations 2022 (WA) — Division 11 (rr 55A–55K) — extended psychosocial risk management framework
• PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) — the standard duty holder definition
• WorkSafe WA — Western Australian regulator for WHS compliance (Commissioner for WorkSafe)

WA legislative framework — Key Distinctions:

• Most comprehensive psychosocial regulation in Australia — WA Division 11 comprises 11 regulations (rr 55A–55K) compared to the Model baseline (rr 55A–55D)
• Model baseline (rr 55A–55E): Hazard definition, risk definition, duty to manage, control measures, application of general risk management principles
• WA-specific additions (rr 55F–55K):
  • r 55F: Record of control measures (mandatory record-keeping)
  • r 55G: Review at least every 3 years (extended review cycle requirement)
  • r 55H: Monitoring for psychosocial harm (mandatory monitoring processes)
  • r 55I: Support for affected workers (mandatory support including counselling, EAP, return-to-work)
  • r 55J: Consultation and communication (mandatory consultation on all psychosocial risk management steps)
  • r 55K: Information, training, instruction (mandatory training at all levels, including managers and supervisors)
• Workers' accommodation special provision — r 55D(1A) defines "workers' accommodation" by reference to WHS Act s 19(4), expressly applying psychosocial risk management to FIFO camps and accommodation facilities
• Harmonised WHS legislation — WA applies the same general risk management and hierarchy of controls principles as other harmonised jurisdictions
• Consultation requirements — WHS Act s 19 requires consultation with workers on health and safety matters, including psychosocial hazards
• WA Code of Practice (2022) — most recent psychosocial CoP, effective from 2022; covers 17 psychosocial hazards and risk factors, includes FIFO and remote work considerations, provides four detailed case studies

Version Information

• WA WHS Act 2020: Current as at 5 March 2026
• WA WHS (General) Regulations 2022: Current as at 5 March 2026 (Division 11, rr 55A–55K)
• WA CoP: Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace: 2022 edition
• Extraction method: Text extracted from official Western Australian Government publications
• Licence: Creative Commons Attribution licence (State of Western Australia)

Note: These are Western Australian-specific provisions. WA Division 11 (rr 55A–55K) is the most extensive psychosocial regulation in any Australian jurisdiction. For Model (national) provisions, load the safetysure-psychosocial-model:psychosocial-model skill. For other jurisdictions, load the relevant jurisdiction specialist plugin (e.g. safetysure-psychosocial-sa, safetysure-psychosocial-qld, safetysure-psychosocial-nsw). WA provisions should be cited as enacted WA law; Model provisions should not be cited as applicable law in WA without verification against the enacted WA legislation.