The following is an abridgement of an article originally published on the WorkSafe ACT website.

What is the new Code of Practice?

The new Code of Practice involves a set of guidelines that helps you prevent harm from psychosocial hazards in your workplace. Psychosocial hazards are factors that may negatively affect your mental health and well-being, such as stress, bullying, violence, harassment, and discrimination.

The new Code of Practice supports the new Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011, which also starts on Monday 27th November 2023. The new regulation tells you what information you must consider when you manage psychosocial hazards in your workplace.

What do you need to do?

You need to implement control measures according to the work health and safety hierarchy of controls, which are:

• Eliminate the hazard
• Minimise the risk using substitution, isolation, and engineering controls
• Use administrative controls, and
• Use personal protective equipment (PPE).

If you don’t meet these requirements, WorkSafe ACT may take regulatory action against you.

How can WorkSafe ACT help you?

WorkSafe ACT regulates the Work Health and Safety legislation. They have a dedicated team of psychosocial inspectors that can:

• Respond to your complaints and make sure you comply with the legislation
• Engage with your industry to give you direct advice and education and identify emerging trends
• Develop free educational and other supporting resources for you

If you have a workplace concern, please call WorkSafe ACT on 13 22 81 or complete the Report a Workplace Concern or Issue form.

Where can you find more information?

For more information about psychosocial hazards and the new Code of Practice, please visit the WorkSafe ACT website.

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Sources

New Managing Psychosocial Risks at work Code of Practice by WorkSafe ACT, 21st November, 2023.

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