Skip to main content

A NSW Government website

COVID-19 (coronavirus)

Under NSW WHS laws, employers must have measures in place to eliminate or manage the risks arising from COVID-19.

Critical worker self-isolation exemption revised

The critical worker exemption under the Public Health (COVID-19 Self-Isolation) Order (No 4) 2021 has been revised. Find out more >

Due to ongoing changes in Public Health Orders and broader government strategy, from 1 November 2021 information on this page is not being updated.

Information relating to Public Health Orders and other advice can be found on the Service NSW website. Where Covid impacts directly on the delivery of functions or services provided by the Resources Regulator, stakeholders will be informed by direct email, and/or via Mine Safety News updates.

Your obligations

  • Under NSW WHS laws, employers must have measures in place to eliminate or manage the risks arising from COVID-19.
  • You will not be able to completely eliminate the risk of workers contracting COVID-19 while carrying out work. However, you must do all that is reasonably practicable to minimise that risk.
  • To do this, you should keep up to date with the latest COVID-19 information and advice to ensure that any action taken is appropriate. This includes closely monitoring the information provided by the NSW Health and the Australian Government.
  • A number of organisations have developed additional resources to assist the industry and identify key controls that are reasonably practicable for operators to implement. Where operators have not adopted these controls, the Regulator expects to see evidence of risk assessments being carried out and suitable alternative controls adopted.

Guidance for mine operators

Mine operators should review and adopt (where relevant) the following guidance material:

Regulatory obligations/compliance issues

  • We understand that as the COVID-19 situation progresses some operators may experience increasing difficulties in meeting some regulatory obligations.
  • If you are anticipating or experiencing issues with complying with your regulatory obligations, please contact us as soon as you become aware.
  • We will take a reasonable and pragmatic approach to issues as they arise - provided that worker safety is not compromised.

COVID-19 news updates

 COVID-19 compliance resources