Codes of practice

A code of practice provides practical guidance for people who have work health and safety duties. These codes give guidance on:

how to achieve the standards required under the Act
effective ways to identify and manage risks.

A code of practice applies to anyone who has a duty of care in the circumstances described in the code. In most cases, following an approved code of practice would achieve compliance with the health and safety duties in the Act, in relation to the subject matter of the code.

Like regulations, codes of practice deal with particular issues and do not cover all hazards or risks which may arise. The health and safety duties require duty holders to consider all risks associated with work, not only those for which regulations and codes of practice exist.

From 1 July 2018 persons conducting a business or undertaking are required to comply with an approved code of practice under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. Alternatively duty holders can follow another method, such as a technical or an industry standard, to manage hazards and risks, as long as it provides an equivalent or higher standard of work health and safety to the standard required in the code.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Abrasive blasting Code of Practice 2013 (PDF, 1008.3 KB)
Commencement date: 1 December 2013
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

C

Cane rail safety - a supplement to the sugar industry Code of Practice 2005 (PDF, 904.0 KB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Cash in transit Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 762.4 KB)
Commencement date: 5 February 2011
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Children and young workers Code of Practice 2006 (PDF, 426.0 KB)
Commencement date: 1 July 2006
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Concrete pumping Code of Practice 2005 (PDF, 896.1 KB)
Commencement date: 1 April 2005
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Confined spaces Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 1.0 MB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

D

Demolition work Code of Practice 2013 (PDF, 896.0 KB)
Commencement date: 1 December 2013
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

E

Electrical safety Code of Practice 2010 - Electrical equipment rural industry (PDF, 296.5 KB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2010
Version last updated: 1 January 2014

Electrical safety Code of Practice 2010 - Working near overhead and underground electric lines (PDF, 231.6 KB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2010
Version last updated: 1 January 2014

Electrical safety Code of Practice 2010 - Works (PDF, 199.0 KB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2010
Version last updated: 1 January 2014

Electrical safety Code of Practice 2013 - Managing electrical risks in the workplace (PDF, 385.5 KB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2014
Version last updated: 1 January 2014

Excavation work Code of Practice 2013 (PDF, 2.6 MB)
Commencement date: 1 December 2013
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

F

First aid in the workplace Code of Practice 2014 (PDF, 613.9 KB)
Commencement date: 30 May 2014
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Forest harvesting Code of Practice 2007 (PDF, 1.5 MB)
Commencement date: 2 February 2007
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Formwork Code of Practice 2016 (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Commencement date: 31 March 2016
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Foundry industry Code of Practice 2004 (PDF, 724.8 KB)
Commencement date: 1 July 2004
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

H

Hazardous manual tasks Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 2.2 MB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Horse riding schools, trail riding establishments and horse hiring establishments Code of Practice 2002 (PDF, 630.4 KB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2002
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

How to manage and control asbestos in the workplace Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 1.3 MB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

How to manage work health and safety risks Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 1.0 MB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

How to safely remove asbestos Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

L

Labelling of workplace hazardous chemicals Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 1.3 MB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

M

Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Managing respirable dust hazards in coal-fired power stations Code of Practice 2018 (PDF, 1.5 MB)
Commencement date: 3 December 2018
Version last updated: 3 December 2018

Managing risks in stevedoring Code of Practice 2018 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Commencement date: 29 March 2018
Version last updated: 29 March 2018

Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace Code of Practice 2013 (PDF, 1.5 MB)
Commencement date: 1 December 2013
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Managing risks of plant in the workplace Code of Practice 2013 (PDF, 1.0 MB)
Commencement date: 1 December 2013
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Managing the risk of falls at workplaces Code of Practice 2018 (PDF, 2.3 MB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 712.5 KB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Manual tasks involving the handling of people Code of Practice 2001 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Commencement date: 1 March 2002
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Medical assessment tribunals Code of Practice (PDF, 262.5 KB)
Commencement date:
Version last updated:

Mobile crane Code of Practice 2006 (PDF, 1.3 MB)
Commencement date: 1 July 2006
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

O

Occupational diving work Code of Practice 2005 (PDF, 533.5 KB)
Commencement date: 1 May 2005
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

P

Preparation of safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 1.8 MB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

R

Recreational diving, recreational technical diving and snorkelling Code of Practice 2018 (PDF, 620.8 KB)
Commencement date: 8 February 2018
Version last updated: 8 February 2018

Recreational diving, recreational technical diving and snorkelling Code of Practice 2018 comparison table (PDF, 453.7 KB)
Commencement date:
Version last updated:

Rural plant Code of Practice 2004 (PDF, 644.0 KB)
Commencement date: 10 September 2004
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

S

Safe design and operation of tractors Code of Practice 2005 (PDF, 511.6 KB)
Commencement date: 1 April 2005
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Safe design of structures Code of Practice 2013 (PDF, 732.7 KB)
Commencement date: 1 December 2013
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Scaffolding Code of Practice 2009 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Commencement date: 3 July 2009
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Spray painting and powder coating Code of Practice 2013 (PDF, 1.5 MB)
Commencement date: 1 December 2013
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Steel construction Code of Practice 2004 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Commencement date: 10 September 2004
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Sugar industry Code of Practice 2005 (PDF, 626.8 KB)
Commencement date: 24 May 2005
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Sugar mill safety - supplement to the sugar industry Code of Practice 2005 (PDF, 935.3 KB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

T

Tilt-up and pre-cast construction Code of Practice 2003 (PDF, 979.6 KB)
Commencement date: 1 June 2003
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Tower crane Code of Practice 2017 (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Commencement date: 1 July 2017
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Traffic management for construction or maintenance work Code of Practice 2008 (PDF, 817.4 KB)
Commencement date: 1 September 2008
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

W

Welding processes Code of Practice 2013 (PDF, 899.8 KB)
Commencement date: 1 December 2013
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Work health and safety consultation, co-operation and co-ordination Code of Practice 2011 (PDF, 486.2 KB)
Commencement date: 1 January 2012
Version last updated: 1 July 2018

Last updated: 02 July 2018

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