Additional to the Federal DDA, occupational health & safety laws in Australia provide rights for safe occupation whilst working in a building or facility. Section 19 of the Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act 2011 states that a person conducting a business must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable:

• the health and safety of other persons is not put at risk from work carried out as part of the conduct of the business or undertaking; and
• the provision and maintenance of a work environment without risks to health and safety; and
• the provision and maintenance of safe plant and structures; and
• the provision and maintenance of safe systems of work; and
• the safe use, handling and storage of plant, structures and substances; and
• the provision of adequate facilities for the welfare at work of workers in carrying out work for the business or undertaking, including ensuring access to those facilities; and
• the provision of any information, training, instruction or supervision that is necessary to protect all persons from risks to their health and safety arising from work carried out as part of the conduct of the business or undertaking; and
• that the health of workers and the conditions at the workplace are monitored for the purpose of preventing illness or injury of workers arising from the conduct of the business or undertaking.

This mandates that employers are required to ensure as far as is reasonably practicable that the workplace and the means of entering and leaving the workplace are safe and without risks to health. Additionally, it requires that buildings and structures are designed to be safe and without risks to the health of persons using it as a workplace, which would include the ability for safe evacuation from the workplace.