New resources help manage gender-based violence risk in construction

08 Apr 2026

Safe Work Australia has released a new set of resources to help employers identify, assess and manage the risks of gender-based violence in the construction industry. The resources include practical case studies, posters and infographics designed for use on construction worksites.

Gender-based violence is behaviour that humiliates, intimidates or threatens a person because of their sex, gender, sexual orientation or because they don’t conform to gender stereotypes. It includes physical violence, as well as sexual harassment, verbal abuse, bullying, and offensive languages and behaviours.

Gender‑based violence is a mental health (psychosocial) hazard that can occur in any workplace. However, certain workplace factors can increase the risk of it occurring if they are not effectively managed. In construction, these factors can include workforce characteristics such as a male‑dominated, young or transient workforce, work design such as high job demands, and organisational or environmental factors such as low job support or isolated work environments.

The new resources were developed by Safe Work Australia in collaboration with construction industry stakeholders to ensure they reflect specific WHS challenges experienced by women in the construction industry. They are designed to raise awareness of what gender-based violence can look like on construction sites, the impact of these harmful behaviours, and what employers must do to prevent them.

Access the new resources and take steps to keep construction worksites safe from gender-based violence.

• Case study: Managing the risk of gender-based violence in construction
• Case study: Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards in construction
• Guidance: Workplace violence in construction – Hazards and control measures
• Poster: What is gender-based violence?
• Poster: Your rights as a worker
• Poster: Employer responsibilities
• Poster: What to do as a bystander
• Poster: Keeping our worksite safe from gender-based violence
• Infographic: Why bad culture sticks around on site
• Infographic: If you let it slide, it will grow
• Infographic: Preventing gender-based violence starts with respect

Further advice

Safe Work Australia is not a regulator and cannot advise you about WHS issues in the workplace. If you need help, please contact your state or territory work health and safety authority.

Other laws may also apply and there are a range of additional avenues to address gender-based violence at work and to access support, including:

• The police - to report criminal conduct (e.g. attempted or actual sexual assault)
• Australian Human Rights Commission or your state or territory human rights agency
• Fair Work Commission
• Fair Work Ombudsman
• The National Mental Health Commission for a list of organisations providing mental health support
• 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732