Participating in the Australian Worker Exposure Survey

1.    What is this study about?

The Australian Worker Exposure Survey asks about the work you do and your experiences in the workplace. 

This research is important because it will provide a clear picture of how workers across Australia are exposed to different hazards on the job. The findings will help guide targeted actions to improve work health and safety.

2.    Who is collecting my information?

Safe Work Australia is using an external survey provider, the Social Research Centre, to undertake the survey. 

3.    Why am I being asked to participate in this study?

The survey provider may invite you to participate via an online survey if you are a member of the Life in Australia™ panel or the CINT online community research panel. If you are on the CINT panel and you have a child aged 15-17 who is in paid employment you may be asked for permission for your child to take part.

The survey provider is also conducting surveys via telephone, using random digit dialling. The survey provider is a social research company, exempt from the Australian Do Not Call Register.

4.    What will the study involve for me?

The survey provider will provide you a Participant Information and Privacy Collection Notice that tells you about the research study. 

If you decide to take part, you will ask you to complete a questionnaire. The questions will cover information about your:

• Demographics (such as age and gender)
• Health and wellbeing
• Occupation and work location
• Tasks you do at work and controls to keep you safe
• Hazards you may be exposed to at work.

The survey will take approximately 25- 30 minutes to complete. 

5.    How is my personal information kept safe?

The Privacy Act 1988, including the Australian Privacy Principles, applies to the survey. That Act governs how agencies like us, and the survey providers we use, handle your personal information. 

Under its contract with us, the survey provider is not allowed to access, use or disclose your personal information, except to conduct the survey. The provider must comply with the Australian Privacy Principles and Australian Government security requirements. 

At the end of the survey, the survey provider will send all of the survey information to us. They will not keep a copy. We will store the information in accordance with Australian record keeping laws and will not use it for any other purpose.

6.    How will my information be used?

The information you provide is used for research-only purposes. All data collected through the survey will be de-identified (so that a person cannot reasonably be identified). 

De-identified survey responses will be shared via a secure portal with a hazards exposure assessment provider (OccIDEAS). OccIDEAS will calculate individual exposure estimates and return these estimates to the Social Research Centre via a secure platform for inclusion in the data file to Safe Work Australia and as part of analysis and reporting. 

De-identified survey data may be used by Safe Work Australia for future research purposes, including further analysis of the responses provided. De-identified survey data may also be shared with approved researchers engaged by Safe Work Australia. 

We will publish the survey report and aggregate data on our interactive data website www.data.safeworkaustralia.gov.au. No information will be released that would reveal the identities of participants.

At the conclusion of the questionnaire, you will be asked if you consent to: 

• disclosure of personal information to Commonwealth and other entities for linking to other national datasets. Once your data has been shared for data linkage it will not be possible to withdraw consent for that handling.
• being contacted about participating in future research directly related to this survey such as follow-up interviews or participation in an online community to discuss the themes of the quantitative survey in greater detail and add to the quantitative reporting. 

Consenting to data linkage and participating in future research is voluntary and you do not have to agree.

7.    What happens if I refuse to complete the survey?

Participation in the survey is voluntary. There are no consequences for you if you do not complete the survey. You are free to stop the questionnaire at any time.

8.    Will SWA disclose my personal information overseas?

We will not disclose your personal information to anyone who is overseas, unless you consent.

Data on our websites may be accessed by people overseas, however, no information will be published that would reveal the identities of participants. We have strict processes to ensure that our websites do not include personal information.

9.    Is SWA authorised to collect my personal information?

We can collect personal information as part of the survey because this is necessary for us to perform our functions under the Safe Work Australia Act 2008. 

This project has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through the Bellberry Limited Human Research Ethics Committee (2025-05-861).

10.    How do I contact SWA about my personal information?

You can contact our Privacy Officer to ask for access to, or the correction of, records containing your personal information. You can also contact the Privacy Officer if you think we may have breached your privacy and would like to make a complaint. 

Our Privacy Officer can be contacted by: 

Email: privacy@swa.gov.au, or  
Post: Privacy Officer, Safe Work Australia, GPO Box 641, Canberra ACT 2601.

For more information about how we handle personal information, see our privacy policy. 

11.    When is the survey?

The survey will take place during December 2025 and January 2026. 

Results are expected to be published in 2026 on the Safe Work Australia data website.

12.    Who can I contact for more information?

For further information, please contact awes@swa.gov.au.