An Update on Compliance Codes Issued by WorkSafe Victoria

Compliance codes are an important part of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislative framework In Victoria. They provide practical guidance to duty holders. If a person complies with a provision of a compliance code, they are deemed to comply with the OHS legislative duty covered by the code provision. However, compliance codes are not mandatory, and a duty holder may choose to use some other way to achieve compliance.

WorkSafe Victoria has issued Compliance codes on the following:

• Communicating OHS across languages*
• Confined spaces
• Demolition
• Excavation
• Facilities in construction
• First aid in the workplace*
• Foundries*
• Hazardous manual handling
• Hazardous substances
• Managing asbestos in workplaces
• Noise
• Plant
• Prevention of falls in general construction
• Prevention of falls in housing construction
• Removing asbestos in workplaces
• Workplace amenities and work environment*

Whilst most of the above codes are either new or have been reviewed and revised following changes to OHS Regulations (remade in 2017). Those marked with an asterisk were issued in 2008 and have yet to be reviewed. They are likely to be updated in the future according to a WorkSafe source.

Compliance codes can be located at: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/compliance-codes-and-codes-practice