Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00408:body:0:p19
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00408
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 47024–49842

duty holder and involve not acting in a way that may compromise what they are doing for health and safety.

Co-operation also means that, if you are approached by other duty holders wanting to consult with you on a health and safety matter, you should:
    * not obstruct communication
    * respond to reasonable requests from other duty holders to assist them in meeting their duty.

5.5 What is meant by co-ordination?
The co-ordination of activities requires duty holders to work together so that each person can meet their duty of care effectively without leaving any gaps in health and safety protection. You should plan and organise activities together with the other duty holders.

This will include making sure that the measures you each put in place work effectively together
to control the risks. You should:
    * identify when and how each control measure is to be implemented
    * ensure control measures complement each other.
Co-ordination of activities may include the scheduling of work activities so that each duty holder carries out their work separately. It may require work to be arranged in a way that will allow
for necessary precautions to be in place or pre-conditions met before particular work is done.
Where work is not effectively co-ordinated, the parties should consult further to determine what should be changed.

5.6 What if another duty holder refuses to consult or co-operate or co-ordinate?
What is reasonably practicable for you may depend on the level of participation of other duty holders. For example, there may be disagreement between you as to the extent of consultation, co-operation and co-ordination of activities that is required in the circumstances.
This does not mean that you should simply accept what you consider to be inadequate action
by another duty holder. You should check that they are aware of this duty and what you consider
is needed to comply with it, and with the health and safety duties that you each have.

Written arrangements are not essential, but they may help to clarify everyone's expectations.
You should consider including in your contracts a requirement for other parties to consult, co-operate and co-ordinate on safety matters, as that can be very useful. This will make the other party clearly aware of the obligation and give you a contractual right to enforce it.
See Appendix C for examples of how to consult, co-operate and co-ordinate activities with other duty holders.

APPENDIX A – EXAMPLES OF CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS
Example 1:

Consultation in a workplace with no health and safety representatives
Overview                                                               A small crane hire business employs 7 workers, 5 of whom are crane operators. When the operators return to the yard after a job, they report any defects or