Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner

What Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner does

The Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner is an Australian Government regulatory body within the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. Established in 2006 and operating under the Federal Safety Commissioner Act 2022, it administers the Work Health and Safety Accreditation Scheme for building and construction companies. Its operational surface includes accreditation application and management through the FSC Online portal, assessment and oversight of scheme projects, and engagement with construction-industry stakeholders. The available scale indicators are more than 550 accredited companies, 3,250 scheme projects, and $227 billion in projects awarded to accredited builders; accredited builders are also reported to account for 30% of construction-industry turnover while representing less than 20% of fatalities.

The Office is government funded rather than revenue-generating: applicants are not charged, and no commercial pricing or contract model is disclosed. A $4.6 million budget allocation is identified for FY2026-27, and the organization has 22 employees, is based in Canberra, and is led by Federal Safety Commissioner David Denney. Ai Group, HIA, and MBA are identified as key industry partnerships. No individual customer revenue shares, contract values, growth rates, or commercial customer-retention metrics are provided.

Name

Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner

Legal name

Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner

Website

https://fsc.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner administers Australia’s Work Health and Safety Accreditation Scheme for building and construction companies, supporting accredited firms and assessing projects under federal workplace-safety oversight.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workplace Health and Safety Accreditation

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), Administration of Public Health Programs (923120)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAOAG

Health, Safety & Building Code Regulators (Inspections)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Regulatory Agencies & Licensing (Cross-sector)

SECONDARYHLAJAFAB

Occupational Safety & Health Authorities (Workplace Safety Regulators)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Environmental & Occupational Health Regulators

SECONDARYBPAIAAAB

Central Government Policy, Strategy & Performance (incl. OMB-style functions)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Central/Federal Government Administration

Keywords

• Construction safety accreditation
• Workplace safety compliance
• Building regulation services
• Construction WHS auditing
• Accreditation scheme administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Scheme Administration (Government Funded): The OFSC operates as a government body under the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. The accreditation scheme is provided at no cost to applicants - there are no fees charged to lodge an application, undergo audits, or maintain accreditation. The scheme is funded through government appropriations rather than user fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner administers the Australian Government Building and Construction Work Health and Safety Accreditation Scheme. The Scheme requires eligible building and construction companies to maintain compliant WHS management systems, meet operational and reporting requirements, and undergo audits before they can enter head contracts for applicable Australian Government-funded building work. FSC Online supports applications, audit administration, document management, and ongoing reporting.

Product overview

The Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner operates a single integrated accreditation program centered on the WHS Accreditation Scheme. The core offering consists of FSC Online (the web portal for applications), the Accreditation Register (public database of accredited companies), and the three-stage accreditation audit process supported by Federal Safety Officers. Supplementary resources include WHS webinars, guidance documents, and fact sheets. There are no separate product modules, tiers, or add-on offerings—the OFSC provides a unified government service rather than a commercial software product portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FSC Online: Online portal for submitting accreditation applications, managing accreditation status, and accessing scheme-related services.

Products and services

• WHS Accreditation Scheme Australian Government accreditation program under which building and construction companies must meet operational and reporting practices, demonstrate effective work health and safety management systems, and undergo regular audits. Accreditation enables eligible builders to enter head contracts for applicable Australian Government-funded building work.
• FSC Online Digital portal through which building and construction companies submit accreditation and reaccreditation applications, manage company profiles and accreditation records, engage in the audit process, and submit ongoing reporting requirements.
• First Nations Companies Accreditation Support Process Interim priority accreditation pathway for eligible Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander-owned construction companies, offering priority processing, a target four-month accreditation timeline, and up to 40 free hours of Federal Safety Officer support.
• Housing Australia Priority Accreditation Process Priority accreditation pathway for residential and head-contractor builders seeking accreditation for Housing Australia Future Fund Facility and National Housing Accord Facility projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of accredited builders report improved safety performance since gaining accreditation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Australian Industry Group (Ai Group)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndustry peak employer association receiving Australian Government grants to help residential builders uplift their safety systems and practices to gain accreditation under the WHS Accreditation Scheme for Housing Australia projects. Provides guidance on aligning Work Health and Safety Management Systems with FSC audit criteria.
• Housing Industry Association (HIA)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndustry association receiving Australian Government grants to assist residential builders with WHS Accreditation Scheme requirements. Provides support services and guidance to help builders achieve accreditation for Housing Australia Future Fund Facility and National Housing Accord Facility projects.
• Master Builders Australia (MBA)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndustry association receiving grants to provide dedicated safety help desk support for residential builders seeking WHS Accreditation Scheme accreditation for HAFF (Housing Australia Future Fund) projects. Contact via [email protected].

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Workplace Health and Safety Queensland: Queensland's WHS regulator administering the state's Work Health and Safety Act for all industries including building and construction. It directly compares to OFSC in regulatory function, conducting site inspections and compliance audits for construction projects.
• SafeWork NSW: New South Wales state WHS regulator that administers workplace safety laws and compliance for all NSW workplaces including construction. It is the closest functional peer to OFSC at the state level, handling WHS compliance, inspections, and enforcement for building and construction activities.
• WorkSafe Victoria: Victorian state WHS regulator responsible for enforcing workplace safety laws across Victoria including the construction sector. It performs inspections, investigates incidents, and prosecutes WHS breaches, paralleling OFSC's regulatory remit within Victorian jurisdiction.
• SafeWork SA: South Australia's state WHS regulator responsible for enforcing workplace health and safety laws and conducting construction industry inspections. It is functionally analogous to OFSC at the state level for South Australian workplaces.
• WorkSafe WA: Western Australia's workplace safety regulator, administering WHS laws and conducting construction industry compliance activities. It is a state-level equivalent peer to OFSC in regulatory function and construction sector focus.

Broad incumbents

• Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB): Inter-jurisdictional body that develops the National Construction Code (NCC), governing building standards and construction practices across Australia. While OFSC focuses on WHS accreditation, both bodies influence construction industry compliance through complementary regulatory frameworks.
• Comcare: Federal government workers' compensation and safety regulator covering Commonwealth employees and workplaces. It shares OFSC's federal regulatory role and oversees WHS outcomes in federal government contexts, with overlapping authority in workplace safety standards.
• Safe Work Australia: National policy agency responsible for developing and coordinating Work Health and Safety strategy across Australia. It sets the model WHS laws that state regulators (including OFSC-adjacent bodies) implement, making it a broader policy incumbent with overlapping regulatory authority in workplace safety.
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE): UK national regulator for workplace health and safety, with extensive construction industry oversight including inspection and enforcement powers. It is the international functional equivalent of OFSC, regulating WHS compliance for building and infrastructure projects funded through government and private investment.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): US federal agency responsible for enforcing workplace safety and health regulations across all industries including construction. As a federal-level WHS regulator, it parallels OFSC's national accreditation and enforcement role, albeit with broader industrial scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/office-of-the-federal-safety-commissioner

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner