Regardless of your industry, you are obligated to provide employees and visitors with a healthy and safe workplace. This includes compliance with work health and safety regulations, as well as risk management.

As an employer, it can be challenging to understand the different laws and requirements for work health and safety (WHS). This is where codes of practice come in. The WHS codes of practice are detailed guides designed to help you achieve the standards of WHS laws. These make it easier to understand what to do, and how to get there.

What is the code of practice definition?

A code of practice is a practical set of guidelines to manage health and safety risks outlined in the WHS Act. These are generally developed by state and territory governments, as well as industry groups and interested parties. 

It’s important to keep in mind that codes of practice can vary depending on the state or territory’s WHS regulations. SafeWork NSW has a list of up-to-date codes of practice that employers need to abide by, in line with state and federal legislation.

Which industries have codes of practice?

Codes of practice aren’t in effect until they have been approved by the safety Minister and Safe Work Australia. There are currently 24 model codes of practice in place, which include:

  • abrasive blasting

  • confined spaces

  • construction work

  • demolition work

  • excavation work

  • first aid in the workplace

  • hazardous manual tasks

  • how to manage and control asbestos in the workplace

  • how to manage work health and safety risks

  • how to safely remove asbestos

  • labelling of workplace hazardous chemicals

  • managing electrical risks at the workplace

  • managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work

  • managing risks in stevedoring

  • managing risks of hazardous chemicals

  • managing risks of a plant in the workplace

  • managing the risk of falls at workplaces

  • managing the work environment and facilities

  • preparation of safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals

  • preventing falls in housing construction

  • safe design of structures

  • spray painting and powder coating

  • welding processes

  • work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination.

The list found on Safe Work Australia was approved by the ministerial council as of May 2018. However, some states may have kept previous codes of practice, so it’s also important to check the SafeWork NSW website.

In addition to codes of practice, Safe Work Australia also provides employers with guidance material. This covers topics such as workplace traffic management, formwork and falsework, and scaffolds and scaffolding work.

Codes of practice and legislation

Codes of practice are a useful tool for employers, but they don’t have the same legal force as the WHS Act. As an employer, you can’t be prosecuted simply because you failed to follow the code of practice examples. However, codes of practice are designed to be used with the WHS Act and regulations to attain a safe workplace.

Employers with a duty of care should follow the code of practice example, unless there’s a better alternative course of action. However, following an alternative course of action can come with risks. If a workplace incident occurs, failure to comply with codes of practice could be used as evidence against an employer.

Looking for more information on codes of practice and work health and safety requirements? My Business Workplace has a library of over 200 documents to ensure you’re compliant with workplace legislation.