New Zealand
Psychosocial regulation and enforcement tracker
This page tracks psychosocial laws, regulations and WorkSafe New Zealand guidance, with the date for each item and what that date means. The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 commenced on 4 April 2016. Managing psychosocial risks at work was published on 10 April 2025. The Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026 comes into force on 1 April 2027. Four WorkSafe pages show a page last updated date, which is not a commencement date.
This tracker summarises public information and is not legal advice.
Timeline
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| Jurisdiction | Instrument | Type | Date | What the date means | Regulator | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (general duties; 'health' means physical and mental health) No psychosocial-specific regulations in NZ; duties apply to mental health through the s16 definition of health. WorkSafe confirms 4 Apr 2016: https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/laws-and-regulations/acts/hswa/ | Act | 4 April 2016 | Commenced (s2(2); assent 4 Sep 2015) | WorkSafe New Zealand | View source | Verified 26 Oct 2026 |
| New Zealand | Managing psychosocial risks at work (guidelines) | Guidance | 10 April 2025 | Published | WorkSafe New Zealand | View source | Verified 26 Oct 2026 |
| New Zealand | Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016 General risk management steps (identify hazards, hierarchy of control) that apply to all risks, including psychosocial; no psychosocial-specific clauses | Regulation | 4 April 2016 | Commenced | WorkSafe New Zealand | View source | Verified 26 Oct 2026 |
| New Zealand | Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026 (2026 No 38) Refocuses duties on 'critical risks'; separate scope for small PCBUs (fewer than 20 workers) and large PCBUs | Act amendment | 9 July 2026 | Royal assent | MBIE / WorkSafe New Zealand | View source | Verified 26 Oct 2026 |
| New Zealand | Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026: commencement New s22A(3): risk includes harm to mental health linked to a likely death, notifiable injury or illness, notifiable incident or listed occupational disease. Upcoming date | Act amendment | 1 April 2027 | Comes into force (s2) | MBIE / WorkSafe New Zealand | View source | Verified 26 Oct 2026 |
| New Zealand | WorkSafe: Raise a mentally healthy work concern How workers and others can raise psychosocial concerns with the regulator | Regulator channel | 26 April 2022 | Page last updated (per WorkSafe page) | WorkSafe New Zealand | View source | Verified 26 Oct 2026 |
| New Zealand | WorkSafe: Mentally healthy work in retail (case studies) WorkSafe programme content for frontline retail work | Guidance | 19 September 2023 | Page last updated (per WorkSafe page) | WorkSafe New Zealand | View source | Verified 26 Oct 2026 |
| New Zealand | WorkSafe: New Zealand Psychosocial Survey Regulator research on psychosocial working conditions in NZ | Research | 16 June 2022 | Page last updated (per WorkSafe page) | WorkSafe New Zealand | View source | Verified 26 Oct 2026 |
| New Zealand | WorkSafe: Mentally healthy work (mental health topic hub) Links WorkSafe's psychosocial guidance, bullying guidance and research | Guidance hub | 11 June 2025 | Page last updated (page metadata) | WorkSafe New Zealand | View source | Verified 26 Oct 2026 |
| ISO | ISO 45003:2021 Psychological health and safety at work: guidelines for managing psychosocial risks Guidance only; our wording is 'informed by ISO 45003 guidance' | Voluntary guidance | 2021 | Published | ISO / Standards New Zealand | View source | Verified 26 Oct 2026 |
What changed recently
These rows were corrected or added in the 26 October 2026 check.
- 1 April 2027. New Zealand: Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026: commencement. Comes into force (s2).
- 9 July 2026. New Zealand: Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026 (2026 No 38). Royal assent.
- 11 June 2025. New Zealand: WorkSafe: Mentally healthy work (mental health topic hub). Page last updated (page metadata).
- 19 September 2023. New Zealand: WorkSafe: Mentally healthy work in retail (case studies). Page last updated (per WorkSafe page).
- 16 June 2022. New Zealand: WorkSafe: New Zealand Psychosocial Survey. Page last updated (per WorkSafe page).
- 26 April 2022. New Zealand: WorkSafe: Raise a mentally healthy work concern. Page last updated (per WorkSafe page).
- 4 April 2016. New Zealand: Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (general duties; 'health' means physical and mental health). Commenced (s2(2); assent 4 Sep 2015).
- 4 April 2016. New Zealand: Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016. Commenced.
Enforcement at a glance
This tracker summarises public information and is not legal advice.
Figures are totals published by the regulator. Improvement notices are issued by inspectors and are not convictions or court findings.
No verified aggregate figures are listed for New Zealand in this edition.
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Questions
When did the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 commence?
The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 commenced on 4 April 2016. Section 16 defines health as physical and mental health.
When was Managing psychosocial risks at work published?
WorkSafe New Zealand published this guidance on 10 April 2025.
When does the Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026 come into force?
It comes into force on 1 April 2027. Royal assent was 9 July 2026.
What does the date on Raise a mentally healthy work concern mean?
That date is Page last updated, 26 April 2022. It is not a commencement date.
Is ISO 45003 a regulation?
No. ISO 45003:2021 is voluntary guidance. WellbeingSolutions is informed by ISO 45003 guidance.
How this tracker is kept
Primary sources are used where a primary source is available. A secondary source is marked in the table when one is used.
ISO 45003 is voluntary guidance. WellbeingSolutions is informed by ISO 45003 guidance.
The tracker is checked each month on the opening business day, and within two working days of a regulator announcement.
To report an error, email hello@wellbeingsolutions.co.