A Goulburn Corrective Services officer spoke out with allegations of bullying, a "nonchalant attitude" to safety, and staff shortages.

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"We've had enough, someone is going to get hurt," the officer said.

"They expect us to do the same work with less staff.

"We have to put up with bullying from management and the constant threat of shutting down the jail."

The strike occurred in response to recent hostage situations in jails across the state and the acquittal of an inmate on assault charges at Goulburn District Court earlier this year.

The prison officer told the Goulburn Post that staffing levels were so poor inmates were being locked in their cells all day.

They said the jail did not have enough full-time officers, which forced them to lock prisoners in their cells an average of four out of six days.

Inmates were usually allocated six hours of yard time a day with proper staffing levels.

The officer argued the containment was dangerous for staff and visitors to the jail.

"It's such a dangerous job to start with," they said.

"We had one time recently where inmates set fire to their cells while locked in.

"This nonchalant attitude to safety is going to get people hurt."

A Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman said public security had not been compromised as a result of the strike.

"The Industrial Relations Commission has ordered correctional officers to return to work after they took unauthorised industrial action," she said.

"Staff at some of the state's prisons walked off the job this afternoon, following Goulburn's decision to engage in strike action this morning.

Goulburn officers raised issues about the management of the Inspector of Custodial Services' visit to the prison yesterday."

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