From 1 December 2025, new Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations will take effect in Victoria, marking a major shift in how workplaces must manage psychological health and safety.

While employers have always had a duty of care to protect their employees’ physical and mental wellbeing, these new regulations introduce standalone requirements that focus solely on psychological health. This change reflects a growing need to address the rise in mental health claims and to ensure Victorian workplaces are safe, supportive, and mentally healthy.

A New Era for Workplace Wellbeing

Under the new regulations, employers must take proactive steps to identify and control psychosocial hazards, the social and organisational factors that can cause harm to an employee’s mental health.

These include risks such as:

• Aggression or violence
• Bullying or harassment
• High or low job demands
• Poor workplace relationships or support
• Exposure to traumatic events
• Lack of recognition or unclear roles

In other words, employers can no longer rely solely on policies, posters or one-off training sessions to meet their obligations. They must take a structured, preventative approach, one that looks at workplace culture, leadership capability, communication, and the way work is designed and managed.

What Employers Need to Do

To comply with the new regulations, employers will need to:

• Identify potential psychosocial hazards in their workplace
• Implement appropriate controls to reduce or eliminate these risks
• Review those controls regularly to ensure they remain effective

A new Psychological Health Compliance Code has also been released to guide employers. Although it’s not law, following the Code is considered evidence of compliance with legal duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004.

Failure to address psychosocial hazards could lead to enforcement action by WorkSafe Victoria, including improvement or prohibition notices, and in serious cases, prosecution and fines.

How To Help Your Organisation Prepare

These new requirements highlight the importance of building leadership confidence and awareness around mental health. That’s where St John’s Mental Health First Aid training can make a real difference.

Our two-day Mental Health First Aid course helps managers, supervisors and staff:

• Recognise early signs of psychological distress or harm
• Understand the causes and drivers of psychosocial risks
• Respond appropriately to employees showing signs of struggle
• Foster a more supportive and mentally healthy workplace culture

This aligns directly with Part 2 and Part 3 of the new Compliance Code, which recommend that employers provide training and support to leaders so they can identify psychosocial hazards and respond effectively.

“Effective leadership is associated with better health outcomes and improved work performance. Employers should provide supervisors and managers with appropriate training and support.” WorkSafe Victoria, Psychological Health Compliance Code 2025

By equipping your people with practical skills through Mental Health First Aid training, your organisation can meet its new legal obligations, and, more importantly, create a workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, and supported.

Take Action Now

The new Psychological Health Regulations come into effect on 1 December 2025, but the time to act is now.

Investing in mental health education today can help prevent risk, protect your people, and strengthen your organisation’s wellbeing culture for the long term.

Learn more about St John’s Mental Health First Aid courses and how they can help your organisation meet the new Psychological Health requirements.