Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination 4.0: 4 Choose consultation arrangements that suit the workplace and include everyone affected

Consultation may be formal and structured or as simple as talking directly to workers and considering their views. Health and safety representatives and committees are optional mechanisms: a representative must be accommodated when a worker requests one, and a committee when five or more workers or a representative ask. Arrangements should reflect the size and structure of the business, how work is arranged and where workers are, what suits workers, and the complexity, frequency and urgency of issues. Workers should be asked about the purpose of consultation, the range of physical and psychosocial issues, the ways to consult and their own ideas. Methods should enable shift, non-standard hours, flexible and mobile workers, seasonal and labour hire workers, workers with disability, workers with diverse language or literacy needs, and contractors to take part, and should fit the way the business already manages health and safety.