Tip:  In the arts, it’s not uncommon for there to be more than one PCBU involved in the same task or activity. For example, when organisations, independent contractors and venue owners are all involved in the same show, rehearsal, exhibition or event.

In this situation, all of you are responsible. Any WHS duty you have becomes everyone’s duty. You need to exchange information to find out who is doing what, and work together in a cooperative and coordinated way to manage hazards and risks. 

Know your safety management system

Your responsibilities to workers about workplace safety should be part of a safety management system.

A safety management system is a deliberate and co-ordinated way to manage workplace safety and prevents accidents at work. Most commonly, it is set of integrated plans, procedures and practices that help your organisation systematically manage health and safety at work.

If you are already operating — Know the safety measures you have in place.

If you are about to start — Set up your safety systems before you start.

What your system looks like will depend on your organisation and the type of work you do, but all effective safety management systems have certain things in common.

Make sure your workers know how to work safely 

It is essential that your workers get the training and instruction they need to do their work safely. For PCBUs, training your workers is one of your duties under WHS laws. 

All workers need training, whether they are new to the work or already highly experienced. 

It includes:

• training for new workers
• refresher training, including for workers who have been away and are returning
• training on any new systems or equipment. 

You need to make sure the training is:

• relevant — to the risks workers may face
• tailored — to the tasks workers perform.

And you must be sure that workers understand the training and instruction they’ve received. 

Training should be accessible and responsive to the diverse needs of workers, including cultural, language, literacy and communication needs.

Be sure to keep records that shows that they understood the training and that they can perform tasks safely. 

Consult with your workers about safety

It is essential to consult your workers about workplace safety. For PCBUs, consultation is also a duty under WHS laws. 

Consultation means sharing information, seeking input, and considering everyone’s ideas when making decisions about workplace safety. This includes when you are developing or updating processes or policies, and following safety incidents. 

Consultation is vital for:

• understanding the hazards and risks in your workplace
• getting feedback on whether your safe systems of work are working
• identifying ways to improve safety. 

All of this helps you manage hazards and reduce the risk of people being harmed. 

There are lots of ways to consult, and there is no requirement to use one method or another. Some approaches will be more appropriate than others, depending on your workplace. 

But you must make sure your consultation is accessible for everyone in your workplace, and that it encourages their participation. For example, by using translation and interpretation to consult with linguistically diverse workers, by providing alternative ways to participate for neurodiverse or remote workers, and providing extra support for new or young workers.

Your processes should recognise that workers may participate in different ways and be culturally safe. Building trust and creating multiple opportunities for participation can support more meaningful engagement and help identify risks that might otherwise be overlooked.

However you do it, it is essential that consultation happens, and you need to plan it. 

Make sure your workers have licenses for high risk work

It is essential that workers doing high risk work are licensed. 

You need to know what qualifies as ‘high risk work’ so you can know if any of your workers need a license. For PCBUs, complying with licensing requirements is one of your duties under WHS laws. 

High risk work includes scaffolding, rigging, crane operation, forklift operation and working at heights above 2 metres.

Licensing requirements are different in different states and territories. Be sure you know what applies where you are, and that you keep up to date with any changes. 

Provide personal protective equipment to workers when needed 

It is essential that your workers have personal protective equipment (PPE) if the safety risks of the work cannot be controlled by other means. 

Common examples of PPE include:

• Earplugs if exposed to loud noise — e.g. live music
• High-visibility clothing or vests — e.g. security at a music festival
• Face masks to protect against infection if working in closely with others for extended periods — e.g. make-up artists.

It is your responsibility to provide the PPE.

Make sure your workers know what to do if they identify a hazard

It is essential that your workers know how to report hazards as soon as they notice them. 

For smaller businesses, simply letting your workers know who to tell could be the most effective approach. For remote workers, reporting by email could be best. Some workplaces might find that a paper form is the way to do it. What works best will depend on your workplace – but make sure your process is documented and that both the hazards and what you have done to address them are recorded.  

Make sure your workers know what to do if there is an injury or incident

It is essential that your workers know what do if there’s an injury or incident. 

An injury is any injury or illness caused by, or that happens during, work. 

An incident is something that causes harm to people or property, or could cause harm (including near misses). 

You need to plan how you will deal with injuries and incidents if they happen. Workers must know what to do so they can respond safely to an injury or incident if they ever need to.

In preparing your plan you will need to think about:

• How to keep workers and others immediately safe — e.g. by securing the worksite
• How you will provide any immediate first aid, or support access to further medical treatment if required
• Whether you need to notify external authorities like an emergency service, or a safety regulator. 

Workers also need a way to report an injury or incident to you – particularly if it occurs away from the usual workplace. You must keep a record of any reports.

You can instruct workers on what to do by creating and sharing an incident reporting and response procedure.

Workers should be instructed on the incident reporting and response procedure before an incident occurs. 

Make sure your workers know what to do in an emergency

It is essential that you and your workers know what do in the case of an emergency.

An emergency could be anything from a fire to a flood, a medical incident or a security threat. You need to consider which risks most likely for your workplace and take care to plan for those.

An emergency plan is always important, but it’s especially important if your work is audience or public facing. Make sure everyone in your workplace can access your emergency plan.

An emergency plan is not ‘set and forget’. It needs to be reviewed regularly, including when your workplace changes, and especially after an emergency has happened. 

Know who you need workers compensation insurance for

It is essential that you have workers compensation insurance for employees — even if you have just one, or even if it’s just for a short period. Workers compensation insurance is a legal requirement. Some independent contractors are also covered by workers compensation insurance arrangements.

Workers compensation insurance requirements are different in different states and territories. Be sure you know what applies where you are, and keep up to date with any changes.