We administer a number of South Australian acts and regulations relating to:
- work health and safety (including public safety and mining)
- shop trading hours
- public holidays
- long service leave
- daylight saving
- dangerous substances, explosives and petroleum products
- employment agents
- clothing outworkers
- fair work and industrial relations.
We are committed to effective stakeholder consultation for all legislation in our jurisdiction before making any recommendations to the Treasurer.
Hard copies of legislation can be purchased online (external site) from Service SA. To automatically receive hard copy amendments to a piece of legislation, contact Government Publishing SA on 8207 0908 or email.
New legislation
Exemptions – Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012
The Executive Director, SafeWork SA as the Regulator has granted an exemption to the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 in specific circumstances, to enable the reinstallation of an existing engineered stone benchtop, panel or slab that was removed in order for repair or other work to be undertaken in the location.
The exemption is applicable to persons with management or control of undertaking work to remove and reinstall an existing engineered stone benchtop, panel or slab in order to undertake repair or other work to be undertaken in the location.
Conditions apply to the exemption, please refer to exemption notice for the conditions and circumstances as to when the exemption applies.
Work health and safety
South Australia's work health and safety laws align with those in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and the Commonwealth who have all adopted the same national model laws (external site).
Codes of Practice provide practical guidance on how to comply with your legal obligations. We have developed a glossary to help explain some of the terminology used in the legislation and Codes of Practice.
Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations
- Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) (external site)
- Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) (external site)
Mines and Works Inspection Act and Regulations
- Mines and Works Inspection Act 1920 (external site)
- Mines and Works Inspection Regulations 2013 (external site)
See our mining and quarrying page for further information
Shop trading hours
See our shop trading arrangements page for further information.
Public Holidays
Public holidays in South Australia are prescribed by the Public Holidays Act 2023 (external site).
This legislation replaces the Holidays Act 1910. From 2024, Easter Sunday is now a public holiday and there have been changes to some arrangements when certain public holidays fall on a weekend.
Enquiries relating to rates of public holiday pay and entitlements for the South Australian private sector workforce should be directed to the Fair Work Ombudsman (external site).
See our Public Holidays page for further information.
Long Service Leave
See our long service leave page for further information.
Daylight saving
South Australia observes daylight saving time.
Daylight Saving begins with clocks moving forward 1 hour at 2am on the first Sunday in October.
Daylight Saving time ends with clocks moving back 1 hour at 3am on the first Sunday in April.
Standard time is fixed throughout South Australia as 9 hours and 30 minutes in advance of Co-ordinated Universal Time, which is an internationally accepted time standard.
Dangerous substances, explosives and petroleum products
Dangerous Substances Act and Regulations
- Dangerous Substances Act 1979 (external site)
- Dangerous Substances (General) Regulations 2017 (external site)
- Dangerous Substances (Fees) Regulations 2017 (external site)
- Dangerous Substances (Dangerous Goods Transport) Regulations 2023 (external site) (PDF)
See our chemicals and substances page for further information.
Explosives Act and Regulations
- Explosives Act 1936 (external site)
- Explosives (Security Sensitive Substances) Regulations 2021 (external site)
- Explosives Regulations 2011 (external site)
- Explosives (Fireworks) Regulations 2016 (external site)
See our explosives page for further information.
Petroleum Products Regulation Act and Regulations
- Petroleum Products Regulation Act 1995 (external site)
- Petroleum Products Regulations 2023 (external site) (PDF)
Employment agents
- Employment Agents Registration Act 1993 (external site)
- Employment Agents Registration Regulations 2010 (external site)