Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination
The Safe Work Australia model code of practice on consulting workers and their representatives on work health and safety, and on consulting, cooperating and coordinating with other duty holders who share responsibility for the same matter: when to consult, what effective consultation is, health and safety representatives and committees, contractors and labour hire. Guidance, not law: once a jurisdiction approves it under WHS Act s 274 it is admissible evidence of what is reasonably practicable (s 275).
Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination is a compliance framework from Australia (model for the harmonised WHS jurisdictions: Commonwealth, NSW, Qld, SA, WA, Tas, ACT, NT; not Victoria) with 6 domains and 31 controls. The largest domains are Section 3: What is effective consultation – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination (7 controls), Section 4: How to consult with workers – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination (7 controls), Section 1: Introduction and duty holders – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination (5 controls). Every control below carries what it requires and what an assessor expects to see.
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Framework Domains (6)
Section 1: Introduction and duty holders – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::1.1a | 1.1 PCBUs must consult workers who are, or are likely to be, directly affected |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::1.1b | 1.1 PCBUs must consult, cooperate and coordinate with other duty holders |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::1.1c | 1.1 Designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers consult along the supply chain; principal contractors document it |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::1.1d | 1.1 Officers exercise due diligence over consultation; workers follow notified consultation procedures |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::1.2 | 1.2 Treat consultation as a legal requirement and a core part of risk management |
Section 2: When to consult with workers – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::2.0 | 2 Consult workers at the trigger points the WHS Act lists |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::2.1 | 2.1 Consult when managing risks and give representatives access to hazard information |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::2.2 | 2.2 Consult on the adequacy of welfare facilities and on changes to them |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::2.3 | 2.3 Consult before changes that may affect health and safety |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::2.4 | 2.4 Consult on WHS procedures and keep issue resolution procedures that meet the Regulations |
Section 3: What is effective consultation – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::3.0 | 3 Make consultation two-way and meet the five elements of the WHS Act |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::3.1 | 3.1 Share relevant information early and in a form workers can understand |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::3.2 | 3.2 Give a reasonable opportunity to express views and contribute |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::3.3 | 3.3 Take workers' views into account before deciding |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::3.4 | 3.4 Tell workers the outcome and the reasons as soon as possible |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::3.5 | 3.5 Decide how far to consult using the reasonably practicable factors |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::3.6 | 3.6 Keep brief records of consultation, and keep any records the Regulations require |
Section 4: How to consult with workers – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::4.1 | 4.1 Use varied, practical consultation methods and adapt for remote and fly-in, fly-out workforces |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::4.2 | 4.2 Agree consultation procedures with workers, consistent with the WHS Act, and review them |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::4.3a | 4.3 Establish work groups and negotiate within the Act's steps when a worker asks for an HSR |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::4.3b | 4.3 Establish a health and safety committee when requested and run it effectively |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::4.4 | 4.4 Agree consultation arrangements with contractors, subcontractors and labour hire providers |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::4.5 | 4.5 Monitor and review consultation arrangements with workers and representatives |
Section 5: When to consult, cooperate and coordinate with other duty holders – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::5.0 | 5 Retain your own duty where duties are shared, and coordinate with other duty holders |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::5.1 | 5.1 Identify the other duty holders and the Regulations that require specific consultation |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::5.2 | 5.2 Start consulting when you know others are involved and continue throughout the work |
Section 6: What is effective consultation with other duty holders – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::6.0 | 6 Consult other duty holders to build a shared picture of risk and controls |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::6.1 | 6.1 Cooperate by following agreed arrangements, not obstructing and responding to reasonable requests |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::6.2 | 6.2 Coordinate activities so control measures work together without gaps |
| australia-model-code-of-practice-work-health-and-safety-consultation-cooperation-and-coordination::6.3 | 6.3 Do not accept inadequate action: check awareness, record expectations and put it in contracts |
What is Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination and who does it apply to?
Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination is a compliance framework from Australia (model for the harmonised WHS jurisdictions: Commonwealth, NSW, Qld, SA, WA, Tas, ACT, NT; not Victoria) with 6 domains and 31 controls. The Safe Work Australia model code of practice on consulting workers and their representatives on work health and safety, and on consulting, cooperating and coordinating with other duty holders who share responsibility for the same matter: when to consult, what effective consultation is, health and safety representatives and committees, contractors and labour hire. Guidance, not law: once a jurisdiction approves it under WHS Act s 274 it is admissible evidence of what is reasonably practicable (s 275). It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
What does Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination actually require?
Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination has 31 controls organised across 6 domains. The largest domains are Section 3: What is effective consultation – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination (7 controls), Section 4: How to consult with workers – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination (7 controls), Section 1: Introduction and duty holders – Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination (5 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
If I already comply with another framework, how much of Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination do I already cover?
Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination does not currently have cross-framework mappings in our system. Check back as we continuously expand our mapping database.
How do I implement Australia Model Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination?
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