NSW Biological Hazards Code 2026: What Office Managers Should Know About Workplace Cleaning

Biological hazards are often associated with hospitals, laboratories and healthcare facilities. However, an ordinary office can also contain biological risks. Shared desks, kitchen surfaces, poorly maintained ventilation systems, damp areas, contaminated waste and frequently used facilities all deserve attention.

On 10 July 2026, NSW introduced the approved Managing the risks of biological hazards at work – Code of Practice. It provides guidance for businesses on identifying, assessing and controlling biological hazards in workplaces. Its coverage includes indoor air quality, ventilation, routine cleaning, waste management, hygiene and the use of appropriate protective equipment.

For office managers, the important question is practical: do your existing cleaning arrangements address the risks within your workplace, and do employees and cleaning contractors understand their responsibilities?

This guide explains the main points and how to review your workplace cleaning arrangements.

What Is the NSW Biological Hazards Code of Practice 2026?

The Code is an approved NSW workplace health and safety document developed from the national model Code. It applies to workplaces covered by NSW work health and safety legislation where workers or other people may be exposed to biological hazards.

Biological hazards include viruses, bacteria, parasites, prions and certain fungi, including mould. They can also include allergens, irritants and toxins, such as organic dust.

The Code commenced on 10 July 2026, following approval under section 274 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW). A related change, section 26A of the Act, commenced on 1 July 2026. Under section 26A, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must comply with an approved Code of Practice or use another method that achieves an equivalent or higher standard of work health and safety.

Office managers can read the official SafeWork NSW Code of Practice on managing biological hazards at work for the full requirements and guidance.

The Code is not a direction to disinfect every office surface repeatedly. It takes a risk-management approach: understand the hazards in the workplace, assess potential exposure and put suitable controls in place.

Where Can Biological Hazards Occur in an Office?

Biological hazards in NSW workplaces can come from people, contaminated materials, animals, water, air and the surrounding environment. In an office, the relevant sources often relate to shared facilities and building conditions.

Consider these common examples:

• Shared workstations: Desks, keyboards, telephones, meeting-room equipment and other frequently handled items may become contaminated through regular use.

• Staff kitchens: Food preparation surfaces, sinks, shared appliances and waste bins require appropriate cleaning and hygiene arrangements.

• Bathrooms: Toilets, taps, door handles and waste facilities need a consistent cleaning and maintenance routine.

• Indoor air: Poorly maintained ventilation systems, airborne particles and mould growth can affect indoor air quality.

• Damp areas: Leaks, condensation and water-damaged materials can create conditions that support mould growth.

• Waste areas: Incorrect handling or storage of contaminated waste can expose workers to biological material.

A useful starting point is to walk through the premises and consider how employees, visitors and cleaning personnel use each area. Our business cleaning checklist for different work areas can help managers organise cleaning requirements by workplace zone.

How Should Office Managers Assess Cleaning Risks?

The Code follows a four-step risk-management process: identify hazards, assess risks, control risks, and maintain and review the controls.

1. Identify Potential Hazards

Look at the activities taking place in the office and the condition of the building. A shared meeting room, staff kitchen and bathroom have different cleaning requirements.

Check whether there are visible signs of mould, recurring dampness, overflowing bins, poor ventilation or surfaces that are not included in the cleaning schedule.

Speak with employees as well. Staff may notice recurring problems that are not obvious during a quick inspection, such as an unpleasant smell near a ventilation outlet or a shared facility that is frequently missed.

2. Assess Who Could Be Exposed

Consider who uses each area, how often they use it and how exposure could occur.

For example, a shared meeting-room table may be used by several teams throughout the day. A staff kitchen may have frequent contact with food, hands and shared appliances. A damp storage room may require a different response from a routine office cleaning task.

The assessment should reflect the actual conditions and activities at the premises, rather than applying one cleaning frequency to every room.

3. Select Suitable Control Measures

The Code prioritises eliminating risks where reasonably practicable. Where that cannot be achieved, businesses need to minimise risks using suitable controls.

For an office, this may involve fixing water leaks, improving ventilation, arranging routine cleaning, providing handwashing facilities, managing waste and giving workers clear hygiene instructions.

Cleaning is one part of workplace risk management. It works alongside building maintenance, ventilation, suitable facilities and other controls.

4. Review the Controls

A cleaning arrangement should be reviewed when workplace conditions change or when an existing control is not working as intended.

An increase in illness reports, a water leak, a change in office occupancy, building renovation or a concern raised by employees may indicate that the existing arrangements need attention.

Consultation with workers and health and safety representatives is an important part of this process.

What Does the Code Say About Routine Office Cleaning?

Routine cleaning is a baseline control measure identified in the Code. Its purpose is to remove contamination from surfaces and maintain suitable workplace hygiene.

However, cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation are different processes.

Cleaning physically removes contamination from a surface using a detergent and water solution. It reduces the number of organisms but does not necessarily kill them.

Disinfection uses chemicals or heat to kill or inactivate biological hazards on surfaces. Cleaning should take place before disinfection because dirt and grime can reduce the effectiveness of disinfectants. Products also need sufficient contact time to work properly.

Sterilisation involves killing all organisms and bacterial spores. It is relevant to particular equipment and higher-risk activities, rather than being a routine requirement for ordinary office desks and floors.

For an office manager, this distinction helps avoid unnecessary chemical use and poorly planned cleaning routines.

A practical cleaning schedule should identify:

• Areas requiring routine cleaning.

• Frequently touched surfaces and shared equipment.

• Kitchen and bathroom cleaning tasks.

• The frequency and method required for each task.

• Additional cleaning requirements when contamination occurs.

• The products, equipment and safety instructions relevant to the work.

The right frequency depends on the workplace, the biological risks, the activities taking place and any industry-specific requirements. Our article on cleaning policies for shared office desks provides further ideas for managing commonly used workstations.

Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality Need Attention Too

Cleaning desks and floors cannot address every biological hazard in an office. Indoor air quality and building maintenance also matter.

The Code's ventilation guidance discusses the role of natural and mechanical ventilation in reducing the concentration of airborne biological hazards. It also highlights the importance of keeping heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems properly maintained.

Office managers should work with building management or the relevant maintenance team to check:

• Whether ventilation systems are operating as intended.

• Whether filters and air-cleaning equipment are maintained.

• Whether dampness, condensation or visible mould is present.

• Whether areas have adequate airflow.

• Whether maintenance or specialist assessment is needed.

Air-cleaning devices, including suitable HEPA filtration, may be considered as an additional control in workplaces with elevated risks. They are not a substitute for addressing the source of contamination or maintaining the building's ventilation system.

Where there are persistent air-quality concerns, a ventilation engineer or occupational hygienist can help assess the issue. Cleaning teams should not be expected to diagnose or repair ventilation faults.

Waste Management and Kitchen Hygiene

Waste handling is another part of the Code that office managers should review.

General office rubbish should be managed separately from waste that may contain biological hazards, such as clinical or other specialised waste. Appropriate waste segregation, storage and disposal arrangements reduce the chance of workers coming into contact with contaminated materials.

For everyday office facilities, managers should consider whether:

• Rubbish bins are emptied at an appropriate frequency.

• Waste containers are not overfilled.

• Bags and containers are suitable for the waste being handled.

• Waste is separated where different waste streams require different handling.

• Staff know how to report spills and damaged waste bags.

• Handwashing facilities and supplies are available.

Kitchens deserve particular attention because employees share benches, sinks, refrigerators, kettles and other appliances. The cleaning schedule should identify which surfaces and appliances are covered and who is responsible for maintaining them.

Our office kitchen cleaning checklist can help managers organise these routine tasks.

What Are Cleaning Contractors Responsible For?

Engaging a commercial cleaning company helps businesses organise routine cleaning, but it does not remove the workplace health and safety responsibilities of the business operating the premises.

The Code explains that more than one duty holder can have responsibilities for the same workplace matter. Each retains responsibility to the extent of their influence and control, and duty holders need to consult, cooperate and coordinate with one another.

For office managers, this means sharing relevant site information with the cleaning contractor before work begins.

A useful service arrangement should clarify:

• Which rooms, surfaces and facilities are included.

• The cleaning frequency and agreed methods.

• Areas that require access approval or must remain restricted.

• Products and equipment used during cleaning.

• Relevant safety information and protective equipment.

• How spills, suspected contamination and hazards are reported.

• Who arranges specialist work outside the routine cleaning scope.

For example, an ordinary cleaning visit should not be treated as an automatic solution for a suspected mould problem, a sharps incident or a substantial bodily-fluid spill. These situations need a response based on the hazard, the level of exposure and the competence and equipment required.

A clear handover process also helps when building managers, tenants and contractors share cleaning responsibilities. Our guide to the cleaning handover checklist for business managers covers the value of clearly communicating tasks and responsibilities.

Keep Cleaning Records and Review the Schedule

A documented cleaning arrangement gives office managers a practical way to check whether planned tasks are being completed. It also helps identify missed areas, recurring problems and changes in workplace requirements.

Useful records may include risk assessments, cleaning procedures, training and consultation records, inspection reports, maintenance records, air-monitoring information and relevant incident reports.

A simple inspection form can record the area checked, the task required, completion status and any issue that needs follow-up. Our office cleaning inspection form can help structure these checks.

Review the schedule when new risks appear, workplace activities change or employee feedback indicates that existing controls need improvement. Cleaning frequency should follow the assessed requirements of the site, not an arbitrary daily or weekly rule.

A Practical Next Step for Office Managers

The NSW Biological Hazards Code of Practice gives office managers a reason to look beyond basic cleaning tasks and review how the whole workplace is maintained.

Start with a walk-through of your premises. Check shared surfaces, staff kitchens, bathrooms, waste arrangements, ventilation and any areas affected by moisture. Discuss the findings with employees, building management and the cleaning contractor. Then update the cleaning scope, reporting process and maintenance responsibilities where necessary.

For businesses, consistent workplace hygiene management in NSW comes from matching cleaning routines to actual risks and making sure everyone understands their part in the process.