Is Your Small Business Eligible for the $1,000 SafeWork Rebate?

If you’re operating a small business in New South Wales (NSW) with less than 50 full-time employees, you can be eligible for the $1,000 SafeWork Rebate — an ongoing program for making workplaces safer for everyone.

$1,000 SafeWork Small Business Rebate: What’s in it for you? 

Administered by SafeWork NSW, this program encourages small businesses across NSW to implement safety measures and keep everyone safe while working. 

When you avail the $1,000 SafeWork Small Business Rebate, you can: 

• Equip your workplace with essential safety equipment without straining your financial resources 
• Minimise workplace hazards 
• Refund up to $1,000 of the cost you spent on buying eligible safety items 
• Improve the work health and safety of everyone in the workplace 

Eligibility criteria 

The $1,000 SafeWork Rebate is available to small businesses, sole traders, charities and not-for-profits. 

Your entity is eligible for this program when it has: 

• A valid Australian Business Number (ABN) 
• Less than 50 full-time employees 
• Not received this rebate in the past five (5) years 
• Not received other types of rebates for the eligible safety item from any Commonwealth, State, Territory or local government 

Note that the application must be under the name of the registered business owner. The same ABN can only be used once within the five-year timeframe.  

In addition, your business must not be a subsidiary of a larger business, government department, council and voluntary association. 

Application requirements 

To avail of this rebate, you must: 

1. Show proof that your business is eligible for the rebate

• A valid ABN 
• Your business must be registered and operating in NSW and have less than 50 full-time employees 

2. Complete an eligible SafeWork NSW education activity

You must complete either one of the eligible SafeWork NSW education activities in the 12 months prior to applying: 

• Webinar – Complete the 12-minute Small Business Easy to do WHS webinar in the last 12 months. You must watch the entire webinar to qualify for the rebate. During the application process, your attendance for this webinar will be checked. 
• Inspector visit – An alternative option is to request a free advisory visit. When you choose this, a local SafeWork NSW inspector will visit your workplace and give you practical safety advice that’s specific to your business and industry. Once the visit is over, the inspector will give you a reference number for your online application. 
• Eligible event – The last option is to attend an eligible event, which includes: 
  • Field days 
  • Presentations 
  • Industry events 
  • Business forums 
  • Workshops 

3. Provide proof of purchase of eligible safety items

Make sure to attach the invoice and proof of payment for the eligible safety items you bought within the last 12 months: 

• Proof of payment 
  • Bank statement 
  • Bank transaction 
  • EFTPOS receipt — the receipt issued by a merchant where you bought the item 

• The following information must be available in your invoices and receipts:
  • The supplier’s business name and ABN 
  • Your business’s name, address and ABN/ACN/BRN number 
  • Payment date 
  • Item cost 
  • Description of the item 

You must also ensure that the invoices are paid in full and you’re using the item/s you purchased as a safety solution. All items should also be existing products. They must not be second-hand or manufactured specifically for your business. 

Moreover, you should submit your application ASAP because some items will be removed from the list of eligible items. 

You can view the complete list of eligible safety items here. 

4. Apply online

Once you’ve gathered all required documents and completed a SafeWork education activity, apply for the rebate here. 

Need some help? 

If you need some help with your application — or have questions about this rebate and other business grants — feel free to get in touch with us. We’re always happy to assist you.