WHS Consultation in NSW in 2016
Four years have now passed since the revised methods of consultation came into force in the NSW WHS Act. How have workplaces responded to these changes?
In our September article, The Process of WHS Consultation in 2015, we released the interim results of a survey we had commenced on what methods of consultation are now being used in NSW workplaces.
We continued surveying and now have the answers from 106 NSW workplaces with more than 50 employees (generally medium/large workplaces). The results are shown in a bar chart format below.
The methods of WHS consultation in the NSW WHS Act
The diagram below shows these methods of consultation. Each circle represents a method that can be used alone or together with another method, to satisfy the consultation method options in the NSW WHS Act.
Survey results of NSW workplaces using the WHS Act methods of consultation
These survey results are from companies, State Government Departments and Agencies, Local Government, and Not for Profit Organisations.
As a training provider and as consultants it has been very interesting and rewarding to observe and assist workplaces with the evolution from the consultation methods required by the NSW OHS Act 2000 to consultation methods required by the NSW WHS Act 2011.
We are pleased to see so many workplaces giving constructive consideration and action to use consultation methods that give the best solution for their workplace taking into account their size, their types of operations, and location of workplace activities.
It seems that the changes in consultation methods in the WHS Act have in general, been positive for effective consultation in NSW workplaces. If you would like to express your view or experience about that then we would be happy to receive it.
You are welcome to download and distribute the article in your workplace if you feel it may be useful
