The Western Australia Mining Leader’s Practical Guide to the WHS Act

Today’s mining leaders face heightened accountability.

The WHS Act 2020 has fundamentally changed how responsibility for health and safety is applied in Western Australia’s mining sector. Directors, officers and senior leaders are now expected to demonstrate active due diligence — not just policy oversight.

Yet many organisations struggle with complex regulatory requirements, evolving expectations around psychosocial risk, and safety systems that exist on paper but fail in practice.

This practical guide cuts through the legal complexity to show what effective WHS leadership looks like — and how to translate regulatory duties into real-world action.

Inside the Guide

You’ll uncover:

• What the WHS Act means for leaders
  How accountability has shifted to directors and officers, and what “due diligence” looks like in practice for mining operations.

• How to move from compliance to capability
  Practical guidance on implementing and embedding a compliant, effective Mine Safety Management System (MSMS) that supports day-to-day operations.

• Managing psychosocial risk and culture
  How leadership visibility, trust and governance play a critical role in building psychological safety and proactive risk management.

• WHS, governance and ESG alignment
  How strong WHS performance supports broader governance and ESG obligations, strengthening investor, regulator and stakeholder confidence.

• Practical tools for immediate use
  Checklists and frameworks that help leaders translate regulatory duties into clear, actionable steps.