PCBU duties

As a PCBU, you have the primary duty to ensure your workers and other people in your workplace are not exposed to psychosocial hazards and risks.

To meet this duty, you must eliminate psychosocial risks. If this is not reasonably practicable, you must minimise these risks so far as is reasonably practicable. To achieve this, just as for any other hazard, you can apply the risk management process which involves:

• identifying hazards that could give rise to psychosocial risks
• if necessary, assessing the risks for any psychosocial hazards you have identified
• controlling risks by implementing the most effective control measures reasonably practicable in the circumstances, and
• reviewing control measures to ensure they are working as planned.

In determining what control measures to implement, you must have regard to all relevant matters, including:

• the duration, frequency and severity of the exposure of workers and other persons to the psychosocial hazards
• how the psychosocial hazards may interact or combine
• the design of work, including job demands and tasks
• the systems of work, including how work is managed, organised and supported
• the design and layout, and environmental conditions, of the workplace, including the provision of safe means by which to enter and exit the workplace and facilities for the welfare of workers
• the design and layout and environmental conditions of workers’ accommodation
• the plant, substances and structures at the workplace
• workplace interactions or behaviours, and
• the information, training, instruction and supervision provided to workers.

Consulting with workers and others

As a PCBU, you also have the duty to consult with your workers and any health and safety representatives (HSRs), especially if they are or are likely to be affected by a work health and safety matter.

Workers can identify tasks or aspects of their work that cause or expose them to psychosocial hazards and may have practical suggestions or potential solutions to address those hazards.

When consulting with your workers, you must:

• share relevant information
• give workers a reasonable opportunity to express their views
• raise health and safety issues and contribute to the decision-making process
• take those views into account before making decisions on health and safety matters, and
• advise workers of the outcome of consultations in a timely manner.

In addition, you must consult, cooperate and coordinate activities with others you share a duty with. Working together with other duty holders can help you more easily and effectively control risks, and assist each of you to comply with your duty.

For more information on your duty to consult, see Code of Practice: Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination.

For more information on how to manage psychosocial hazards and risks, see model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work.