AUSTRALIA'S top spies could be blowing their covers by sporting bright yellow safety vests under workplace laws they are required to follow.

While their covert work may differ wildly to a standard bureaucratic desk role, Australian Secret Intelligence Service officers currently must follow the Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act while on the job.

Politicians now must fix the oversight and put ASIS spies alongside their Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and Australian Defence Force counterparts, who can already be exempted.

Amendments before Parliament will allow the ASIS director-general to waive the requirement.

Speaking in Parliament, foreign affairs parliamentary secretary Richard Marles conceded it might be tough for spies to follow hazard reduction to a tee.

"In these environments, the requirements of national security may not always be compatible with full compliance with Australian work health and safety obligations," Mr Marles said.

"Indeed, full compliance could in some circumstances place people who work for the director-general of ASIS at risk and prejudice national security."