Worker participation is essential to keep workplaces healthy and safe. The best health and safety outcomes are achieved when a PCBU and its workers work together.

All PCBUs must have worker engagement and participation practices, regardless of their size, level of risk or the type of work they carry out.

PCBUs must engage with workers on health and safety matters that will – or are likely to – affect them and provide reasonable opportunities for workers to participate effectively in improving health and safety on an ongoing basis.

We have produced guidance to show PCBUs what good worker engagement, participation and representation looks like.

Worker engagement, participation and representation

These guidelines cover:

• when engagement is required and how to engage
• requirements for worker participation practices
• what worker representation is and what it can look like.

Well-established ways for worker engagement and participation include Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and Health and Safety Committees (HSCs). We have produced pamphlets that summarise key points about representation, HSRs and HSCs, and interpretive guidelines that explain HSR and HSC requirements.