Duty to consult
Employers are required to consult their workers about health and safety.
Employers are required to share information with anyone likely to be directly affected by a work health and safety matter. They also need to take workers', and any other people affected, views into account. Legally, this is called the employers 'duty to consult'.
Employers also need to let workers know the outcome of any consultation in a timely manner.
If you are an employer, you must consult when:
- identifying hazards and assessing risks
- making decisions about ways to eliminate or control risks
- changing or updating workplace facilities
- proposing changes that may affect the health and safety of workers
- making decisions about consulting procedures, resolving safety issues, monitoring workers’ health and conditions, and providing information and training.
You also need to consult, cooperate and coordinate activities with other individuals and organisations – and any health and safety representatives (HSRs) or committees (HSCs) – who have a duty in relation to the same matter.
Establish consultation arrangements that best suit the needs of your workers, be it regular toolbox talks or scheduled meetings with their HSR or health and safety committee (HSC).