The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 enables industry groups and related organisations to develop codes of practice for the purpose of providing practical guidance to employers, self-employed persons, employees and others with a legal duty of care for safety and health at work, enhancing standards of occupational safety and health within their industry.
Codes of practice give practicable means of reducing work-related injury or disease.
They may not provide exact solutions to occupational safety and health problems in all workplaces in an industry, but following the practical guidance in a code of practice should help to reduce the legal uncertainties of establishing and maintaining safe working environments. Safety and health codes developed by industries for their own special working conditions have many advantages for both employers and employees, providing practical preventive measures specific to the needs of particular industries. The seminar gave guidelines for developing industry codes of practice and considered the legal status and advantages of approved codes of practice. Information on developing industry codes of practice is available on WorkSafe Western Australia's internet site. Copies of this publication may be freely printed and distributed provided that WorkSafe Western Australia receives appropriate acknowledgement and that no substantial changes are made to the text.