Prisoner numbers have hit a record high in Western Australia, increasing the likelihood of violence, the union says.
The prison muster has eclipsed 5500 inmates for the first time in a system designed to hold about 4500, according to the WA Prison Officers' Union.
Union secretary John Welch said the state government had a "tough on crime" agenda but was not building more cells to accommodate the extra prisoners, leading to chronic overcrowding.
"When prisons are overcrowded, prisoners are more likely to become violent and that is putting prison officers at greater and greater risk," Mr Welch said.
He said cell numbers were actually falling, with two units at Hakea "cleared", taking 128 cells out of the system.
"It makes absolutely no sense, when Hakea is bursting at the seams," Mr Welch said.
The Department of Corrective Services said the union's claim the prison system was overcrowded was inaccurate.
It said the muster was 5522 on April 8, but had fallen to 5488 on Friday, and there was often a surge in the number of people in custody after public holidays such as Easter.
"The occupancy rate of beds is below the nationally accepted limit," it said.
"Every prisoner has a bed in a secure cell."
The department also said the transfer of some prisoners from one unit at Hakea was "part of standard prison management practices" and there would be additional capacity added to the prison system over the next 12 months, including a 387-bed expansion at Acacia Prison.
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