Get up to $1,000 towards the cost of workplace health and safety items.
Key information
- Status: Ongoing
- Grant amount: Up to $1,000
- Application opened: 1 October 2018
Program objective
If you are a small business owner in NSW, this $1,000 rebate will help you purchase safety items to improve work health and safety for you and your workers.
This program is funded and administered by SafeWork NSW.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Small business owners and sole traders who have an ABN and less than 50 full time employees. Charities and not-for-profits can also apply.
The application must be in the name of the registered business owner. The registered business owner must agree to the terms and conditions.
Who can't apply
- Businesses that have already received the rebate in the past five years. This includes businesses that have multiple ABNs and have already used one of their ABNs to claim a rebate
- a co-owner of an ABN where a rebate has already been paid to one owner (you can only use the same ABN once)
- large businesses that have more than 50 employees
- business owners that have already received a rebate for the eligible safety item from any Commonwealth, State, Territory or local government
- subsidiary of a larger business, government departments, councils and voluntary associations.
What your application needs to include
Proof your business meets the eligibility criteria
To prove you are an eligible business, supply your ABN.
The rebate is only available to businesses and sole traders registered and operating in NSW who employ less than 50 people. Charities and not for profits can also apply.
Before you submit your application, please read the terms and conditions.
Proof you completed an eligible SafeWork NSW education activity
The 12-minute SafeWork NSW Small Business Easy to do WHS webinar is no longer an eligible education activity for the Small Business rebate (Note: if you have completed the webinar in the 12 months prior to 1 June 2024, you can still submit your application).
Eligible education activities
The business owner must complete an eligible SafeWork NSW education activity in the 12 months prior to applying. An eligible education activity includes either an inspector interaction or eligible event.
Inspector interaction
If you're a sole trader or a small business owner with up to 50 employees, you can book an interaction with an inspector.
A local SafeWork NSW inspector will provide practical WHS advice specific to your business and industry, so that you can make your workplace safer.
Depending on the circumstances of your business, your interaction will be:
- a visit to your work premises
- at a SafeWork office
- or online/phone*.
Request an inspector interaction
*If you choose an online or phone interaction, you will be asked to provide information on how this option meets your business needs.
There may be other reasons a Safework NSW inspector visits your workplace. This could qualify as an eligible education activity. The inspector can provide you with a reference number for your online application.
Eligible event
Eligible events include:
- field days
- presentations
- industry events
- business forums
- workshops
*Please note that some events are not eligible for the Small Business Rebate Program. Please register only for events that clearly indicate, "By attending this event you may be eligible for the $1000 SafeWork small business rebate.” in the events body.
Additionally, registering for an event will not make you eligible for the Small Business Rebate. Attendance is required, as the organisers will record attendance at the event.
Proof you purchased eligible safety item/s
To prove you have purchased eligible safety item/s, attach the invoice/receipts and proof of payment to your application.
Proof of payment must be a bank statement showing payment has been made, or if you paid cash for your item, you will need to provide written evidence from the supplier to confirm the invoice has been paid in full with cash.
Invoices must show:
- the supplier’s name and ABN
- your business’ name, address and ABN/ACN/BRN number
- payment date
- item cost
- description of the item.
Receipts, including EFTPOS receipts, must show:
- the supplier’s name and ABN
- payment date
- item cost
- description of the item.
Invoices, receipts and proof of payment must be dated up to 12 months prior to the date of application.
If the total purchase is under $1,000 (ex GST), we'll reimburse you that amount. If the total purchase is over $1,000 (ex GST), we'll reimburse $1,000. Please include all relevant invoices/proof of payment in your application as you can only submit one rebate application in a 5 year period.
Eligible safety items
There are a range of eligible safety items you can purchase to improve the health and safety of workers in your business.
See a full list of eligible safety items
There are some items we can't pay for, including:
- GST, freight and insurance
- installation of items
- personal protective equipment (e.g. standard ear muffs, hats, boots, work wear)
- tools of trade (e.g. power tools, drills, saws)
- air purifiers
- medical equipment (e.g. health monitoring devices)
- normal business expenses, including maintenance and repairs, salaries and office equipment
- raw materials used to make something (e.g. wood, nails, screws)
- items that may be used for domestic or household purposes
- licences, memberships, training, testing services, rehabilitation, counselling or vaccination services.
Items must also be existing products, not second-hand or manufactured specifically for your business.
Start the application
You can confirm your eligibility at the start of the application.
If you have your eligible documents ready to upload, the application will take about 10 minutes to complete.
You can save and return to your application at any time.
The application must be in the name of the registered business owner and signed by them.
Due to a high number of applications, we are experiencing delays processing applications and payments. It may take up to 6 weeks to receive payment of approved applications.
After the application is submitted
Review application
This program is managed by SafeWork NSW who will review your application to check it meets the eligibility criteria.
You may be contacted by us to seek clarification of supporting information.
Outcome advised
You will receive an email from SafeWork NSW with the outcome of your application.
If you are not eligible for the rebate, we will explain why.
Support and contact
Common questions
Can I submit multiple applications if I own more than one business?
Eligible business owners can apply for only one rebate in a 5 year period, regardless of how many businesses the eligible business owner owns or co-owns.
What if I have multiple eligible safety items, do I submit one application per safety item?
No. You submit all invoices and proof of payment with the one application. You can only apply once every 5 years.
Can an employee complete the SafeWork education activity on behalf of the business owner?
No, the business owner must complete a SafeWork NSW education activity in the 12 months prior to applying to be eligible.
If I apply, will an inspector visit my workplace?
An inspector will not visit your workplace just because you received a rebate.
Do you need help with the online application form?
Call us on 13 10 50 for assistance.
Annual report
You can find out more about how the program has performed over the last financial year by reviewing our annual report information (PDF 196.62KB).
Contact us
Email us for more information about eligibility criteria, or questions about the application process.
Customer feedback (compliment, suggestion or complaint)
Complete our customer feedback form if you would like to provide feedback on the Small Business Rebate program (compliment, suggestion or complaint).
Select the “Small Business Rebate program” option in the Business area section on the form.
If you have feedback about your application, enter your SBR reference number on the form in the "Reference number (if applicable)" field.