Safe Work Australia leads the development of national policy to improve work health and safety and workers’
compensation arrangements across Australia. Each state has its own government agency responsible for the
administration of the occupational safety and health.
Under the separate acts, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace.
Get Australia Standing is keen to support Australian companies on this journey.
Safe Work Australia’s Emerging Issues Programme is conducting a 3-stage process to identify, prioritise
and systematically consider emerging work health and safety (WHS) issues of national importance.
As part of this programme Safe Work Australia commissioned a team of experts to examine the most
recent evidence from Australia and overseas on sedentary work, its likely consequences and potential
control options. The literature review was conducted by academics from Curtin University, the Baker
IDI group and the University of Queensland. Details can be downloaded
here.
Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour guidelines currently include the following:
Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines
Minimise the amount of time spent in prolonged sitting
Break up long periods of sitting as often as possible
Physical Activity Guidelines
Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you currently do
no physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build up to the recommended amount.
Be active on most, preferably all, days every week.
Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate intensity physical activity or 75
to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous intensity physical activity, or an equivalent
combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week.
Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week.
"Regardless of how good your working posture is, working in the same posture or sitting still
for prolonged periods is not healthy. You should change your working position frequently throughout
the day in the following ways:
Make small adjustments to your chair or backrest.
Stretch your fingers, hands, arms, and torso.
Stand up and walk around for a few minutes periodically.
Current guidance on Desks
now states that "desks should be able to accommodate a variety of working postures".
