Consultation and Communication

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Consultation and communication involves the sharing of information and the exchange of opinions between management and workers.

Consultation between Senior Management, Work Health and Safety personnel, Managers, Health, and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and workers on Health and Safety matters, can result in healthier and safer workplaces, improved issue or decision ownership, effective and robust outcomes, stronger commitment by everyone to implement decisions and greater cooperation and trust between all levels of the business.

General Manager/s or their delegate and/or Supervisor shall consult with workers who are, or are likely to be, directly affected by an issue relating to Work Health and Safety.

General Manager/s or their delegate and/or Supervisor shall ensure:
• Relevant information about the Work Health and Safety issue is shared with relevant workers and workers shall be given an opportunity to express their views. and
• Workers are encouraged to contribute to the decision-making process relating to the Work Health and Safety issues and views of workers shall be taken into account when making decisions.

General Manager/s or their delegate and/or Supervisor shall involve and consult workers in the following when:
• Identifying hazards and assessing risks to health and safety arising from the work carried or to be carried out and making decisions about ways to eliminate or minimise those risks.
• Proposing changes to the workplace that may affect their health or safety.
• Monitoring the health and or the conditions of workers at any site.
• Making decisions about the adequacy of facilities for their welfare. and
• Providing information and training for workers.

Consultation provides the opportunity for workers experiences and ideas to be considered in decisions which may affect their health and safety while at work. Managers and Supervisors will keep you informed by communicating Work Health and Safety information on issues and outcomes via:

• Pre-start and toolbox meetings.
• Directly to each worker, emails, or memos on noticeboards. and
• Monthly Work Health and Safety statistics, safety alerts, bulletins, and posters.

Work Health and Safety Committees (where in place)

A Health and Safety Committee (HSC) enables a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) and worker representatives (on behalf of workgroup/s), to meet regularly and work co-operatively to develop policies and procedures to improve Work Health and Safety outcomes.

The function of Health and Safety Committee is:

• Facilitating co-operation between the Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking and workers to instigate, develop and carry out measures to ensure the health and safety of workers.
• Assisting in developing health and safety policies, procedures, and systems for the workplace.
• Other functions agreed by the Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking and members of the Health and Safety Committee.
• Keep itself informed as to standards relating to health and safety generally recommended or prevailing in workplaces of a comparable nature and to review and make recommendations to the company on the rules and procedures at the workplace relating to the health and safety of workers.
• Recommend to the company and workers, the establishment, maintenance and monitoring of programs, measures and procedures at the workplace relating to the health and safety of the workers.
• To consider and make recommendations to the company as the Committee sees fit in respect of, any changes or intended changes to or at the workplace that may reasonably be expected to affect the health safety or of workers at the workplace.
• To consider such matters as are referred to the Committee by a Health and Safety Representative.
• To perform such other functions prescribed in the Work Health and Safety Regulations or given to the Committee, with its consent, by the employer.