Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00410:body:0:p7
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00410
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 15622–18575

sufficient space and safe access to the lift-well or machine room for maintenance work.

2.3         Knowledge and capability
In addition to core design capabilities relevant to the designer's role, a designer should also have:
    * knowledge of work health and safety legislation, codes of practice and other regulatory requirements
    * an understanding of the intended purpose of the structure
    * knowledge of risk management processes
    * knowledge of technical design standards
    * an appreciation of construction methods and their impact on the design
    * the ability to source and apply relevant data on human dimensions, capacities and behaviours.
Many design projects are too large and complex to be fully understood by one person. Various persons with specific skills and expertise may need to be included in the design team or consulted during the design process to fill any knowledge gaps, for example ergonomists, engineers and occupational hygienists.

2.4         Consultation, co-operation and co-ordination
Consultation is a legal requirement and an essential part of managing work health and safety risks. A safe workplace is more easily achieved when people involved at the design stage communicate with each other about potential risks and work together to find solutions. By drawing on the knowledge and experience of other people, including workers, more informed decisions can be made about how the building or structure can be designed to eliminate or minimise risks.

Consulting your workers

Section 47: A person conducting a business or undertaking must consult, so far as is reasonably practicable, with workers who carry out work for the business or undertaking who are (or are likely to be) directly affected by a work health and safety matter.

Section 48: If the workers are represented by a health and safety representative, the consultation must involve that representative.

If you are commissioning a new workplace or refurbishing your existing workplace, you must consult your workers who will be using the workplace, because their health and safety may be affected by the new design.

Consulting, co-operating and co-ordinating activities with other duty holders
Section 46: A person conducting a business or undertaking must consult, cooperate and coordinate activities with all other persons who have a work health or safety duty in relation to the same matter, so far as is reasonably practicable.
Often, the design process will occur over various stages and involve different people who make financial, commercial, specialist or technical decisions over a design, for example, clients, architects, project managers and interior designers.
Such decisions may positively or negatively affect the safety of a building. In these circumstances, each party will have responsibility for health and safety in the design stage.

So far as is reasonably practicable, the duty holders involved must consult each