Engaging stakeholders effectively allows WorkSafe to operate more efficiently. By tapping into external expertise, knowledge, and experience, we can make more informed decisions regarding our strategic directions, planning, policies, and operations. Effective stakeholder engagement benefits everyone involved. Stakeholders bring their expertise to policy and program development, ensuring their concerns are addressed and they have a voice in the decision-making process.

WorkSafe has the responsibility to improve health and safety outcomes in workplaces. We have a lot of information to share such as laws, policies, programs and decisions. Understanding what is most important to specific areas of our stakeholders and what information they seek will help better target our communication to what people need and want and help manage this volume.

What do we want to achieve?

To support and complement WorkSafe's strategic priorities, our communication objective is:

To educate and engage with our stakeholders by delivering engaging information and guidance materials that are effective, coordinated and timely to improve workplace health and safety outcomes. We will put our stakeholders at the centre of our communications.

We will:

• deliver targeted messaging to stakeholders informed by data and insights
• make user experiences with WorkSafe easy, integrated, coherent and consistent
• communicate in a way that is clear and easy to understand and accessible to everyone, including those hard-to-reach demographics such as geographically locations, culturally and linguistic diverse (CaLD) populations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and remote communities, vulnerable workers and others with accessibility limitations
• engage with stakeholders through digital channels to deliver sustained work health and safety information and guidance, listen and respond to questions and provide specific advice
• provide evidence-based information and guidance materials that meet user needs, influencing behaviour change
• act in a way that is ethical, transparent and be open to review and feedback.

We have a number of formal committees to support its stakeholder engagement. There are also standing committees and working groups formed for specific issues or projects.

Committees mandated by legislation

The Work Health and Safety Act 2020 provides for the establishment of:

• WorkSafe Commissioner 
• Chief Inspector of Mines
• Chief Inspector Petroleum Safety 
• Work Health and Safety Commission (WHSC) 
• Mining and Petroleum Advisory Committee (MAPAC) 
• Work Health and Safety Tribunal.

Work Health and Safety Commission

The Work Health and Safety Commission (previously known as the Commission for Occupational Safety and Health) consists of employers, employees and government representatives and people with expertise and knowledge in work health and safety matters. The Commission: 

• is the peak consultative forum on work health and safety in Western Australia
• liaises with WorkSafe, a division of the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety that administers and enforces work health and safety laws in Western Australia. 

The functions of the WHSC are outlined in section 18 of the WHS Act.

Mining and Petroleum Advisory Committee

The Mining and Petroleum Advisory Committee was established under the Act to provide advice to the Minister and to the WHS Commission. The MAPAC: 

• is a consultative forum for work safety and health matters affecting the mining and petroleum industries
• liaises with WorkSafe, a division of the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety that administers and enforces work health and safety laws in Western Australia.