Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00408:body:0:p4
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00408
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 7917–10769

* install, construct or commission plant or structures at a workplace.
These duty holders' work activities may overlap and interact at particular times. When they share a duty, for example, a duty to protect the health and safety of a worker, or are involved in the same work, they will be required to consult, co-operate and co-ordinate activities with each other so far as is reasonably practicable.
Principal contractors for a construction project, as persons who manage or control the workplace, have specific duties under the WHS Regulations to have arrangements in place for consultation, co-operation and the co-ordination of activities between any persons conducting a business or undertaking at the site.
Officers, such as company directors, have a duty to exercise due diligence to ensure that the business or undertaking complies with the WHS Act and Regulations. This includes taking reasonable steps to ensure that the business or undertaking implements processes for complying with the duty to consult workers as well as consulting, co-operating and co-ordinating activities with other duty holders.

Workers have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that they do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons. Workers must comply with any reasonable instruction and co-operate with any reasonable health and safety policy or procedure, for example procedures for consultation at the workplace.

1.2        Why is consultation important?
Consultation is a legal requirement and an essential part of managing health and safety risks.

A safe workplace is more easily achieved when everyone involved in the work communicates with each other to identify hazards and risks, talks about any health and safety concerns and works together to find solutions. This includes cooperation between the people who manage or control the work and those who carry out the work or who are affected by the work.

By drawing on the knowledge and experience of your workers, more informed decisions can be made about how the work should be carried out safely.

Effective health and safety consultation also has other benefits:
    * Greater awareness and commitment – because workers who have been actively involved in how health and safety decisions are made will better understand the decisions.
    * Positive working relationships – because understanding the views of others leads to greater co-operation and trust.
In situations where you share responsibility for health and safety with another person, the requirement to consult, co-operate and co-ordinate activities with other duty holders will help address any gaps in managing health and safety risks that often occur when:
    * there is a lack of understanding of how the activities of each person may add to the hazards and risks to which others may be