Work health and safety entry permits

Union officials need a work health and safety entry permit (WHS entry permit) to enter any kind of workplace.

Check someone’s permit

A list of current permit holders is available from the WorkSafe ACT website.

Reasons to enter

This permit allows a union official to enter a workplace to:

• talk to workers about work health and safety concerns or a suspected contravention
• read employee records or other documents that are directly relevant to a suspected work health and safety contravention.

Entering the workplace

To enter a workplace a union official must:

• hold a current WHS entry permit issued by WorkSafe ACT under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cwlth)
• give notice of entry as required
• enter during the usual working hours of the workplace
• not enter any part of a workplace that is used solely as a residence.

At the workplace

At the workplace a WHS entry permit holder must:

• comply with any visitor requirements that are reasonable or required by law (for example, do a site induction, use protective equipment)
• only visit the area where the relevant workers work, or that directly affects the health or safety of those workers
• show their WHS entry permit and photo identification if asked
• not intentionally and unreasonably delay, hinder or obstruct any person or disrupt work
• not act in an improper way (for example, by not giving notice)
• not contravene a condition imposed on their WHS entry permit.

A WHS entry permit holder does not need to tell the business the name of any worker. If they want to give the name of any worker, they must have the consent of that worker.

Apply for a WHS entry permit

To apply for WHS entry a permit, a union must:

1. Get a Fair Work entry permit from the Fair Work Commission
2. Sign a declaration confirming the delegate/s seeking the permit are officials of the union.
   Declaration by union delegate to nominate a union official to hold a WHS entry permit (DOC 379KB) or (PDF 330KB)
3. Complete the online form for the delegate and upload the signed declaration form.

Work health and safety entry permit application (Online).

Please allow up to 6 weeks for the permit to be issued.

Fees

Application fee for a WHS entry permit, current from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024:

• $106 per WHS entry permit.

Read more about rights and obligations of permit holders

Read the WorkSafeACT documents below for more detailed information.

• Guide to workplace right of entry by work health and safety entry permit holders (DOC 392KB) or (PDF 348KB)
• Entry permit holders - Rights and responsibilities (DOC 75KB) or (PDF 685KB)
• Entry permit holders - Obligations (DOC 101KB) or (PDF 252KB)

Work health and safety information and advice

For more information and advice on work health and safety contact WorkSafeACT.

Report a workplace issue

You can report workplace concerns to WorkSafeACT using the form below.

Report a workplace concern or issue.

Replacement work health and safety permit card

To get a replacement WHS entry permit card, use the online form below:

Construction and workplace licensing application for a replacement card (Online)

Fees

Replacement card fees current from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024:

• $53 per replacement card.