New model Code of Practice: Sexual and gender-based harassment

The following is an abridgement of an article originally published on the Safe Work Australia website.

Providing practical guidance

Sexual and gender-based harassment is a serious psycho-social hazard in the workplace. Safe Work Australia has published a model Code of Practice to provide practical guidance for people conducting businesses or undertaking (PCBUs) on how to eliminate and minimise risk of sexual and gender-based harrassment at work.

What are your duties?

PCBUs must take a proactive, consultative and preventative approach to sexual and gender-based harassment, whether it comes from colleagues, customers or the public, and whether it’s online or in person. You must:

• Identify and assess the risks of sexual and gender-based harassment in your workplace.
• Eliminate or minimise the risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
• Review your control measures to make sure they’re working as planned.
• Consult your workers on the risks of sexual and gender-based harassment as well as other psychosocial hazards.

Managing the risks could look like changing the layout of your workplace, redesigning the work or the way you do it.

How can you use the model Code of Practice?

The model can be read and applied alongside the model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work. This is because sexual and gender-based harassment often occurs with other psychosocial hazards.

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Sources

New model Code of Practice: Sexual and gender-based harassment published by Safe Work Australia, 10th January, 2024.