Codes of Practice under the WHS Act
For: Employers and managers Information seekers
A Code of Practice is a practical guide, approved under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.
About the Codes of Practice
Each Code covers an issue or situation and:
- offers ways to identify and manage risks
- sets out how to achieve the standards required under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011.
An approved Code of Practice is admissible in court proceedings. Courts may:
- regard an approved Code as evidence of what is known about a hazard, a risk, a risk assessment or control
- rely on a Code to determine what is reasonably practicable in the circumstances.
Following the Code can be helpful if you have a related duty of care and need to comply with health and safety duties.
View the Codes of Practice
The following Codes of Practice are approved under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011:
- How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2015
- Work Health and Safety Consultation, Co-operation and Co-ordination Code of Practice 2015
- Abrasive Blasting Code of Practice 2015
- Confined Spaces Code of Practice 2015
- Construction Work Code of Practice 2015
- Demolition Work Code of Practice 2015
- Excavation Work Code of Practice 2015
- First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2015
- Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2015
- How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace Code of Practice 2015
- How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice 2015
- Labelling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice 2015
- Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace Code of Practice 2015
- Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2015
- Managing Risks in Stevedoring Code of Practice 2017
- Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice 2015
- Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice 2015
- Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice 2015
- Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2015
- Preparation of Safety Data Sheets for Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice 2015
- Preventing Falls in Housing Construction Code of Practice 2015
- Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice 2015
- Spray Painting and Powder Coating Code of Practice 2015
- Welding Processes Code of Practice 2015,
Page last reviewed: 08 October 2020
