A safe and healthy workplace doesn’t just happen. Organisations and businesses need to plan and co-ordinate how it will be managed. 

One way to make sure that nothing gets missed is to create a system. 

A safety management system is made up of the policies, procedures and plans that help your organisation systematically manage health and safety at work. 

An effective safety management system has:  

1. A process to identify hazards and risks — this is also called a risk management process or risk management framework
2. Safe systems of work communicated to your workers — safe work methods, processes or systems to control risks to health and safety including incident reporting
3. A process for providing and recording worker safety training and instruction
4. Ways to consult with workers on work health and safety
5. A process and system for providing and maintaining safe work equipment and workspaces. 

Why it matters

A co-ordinated and logical approach can help you incorporate work health and safety into your day-to-day operations and decisions about the business. 

If you are a PCBU — The information on this page can help Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs) comply with your legal obligations under WHS law. 

Not sure if you are a PCBU — Learn more about WHS roles and duties. 

If you are a larger PCBU — You may decide to invest in a safety management system accredited or certified against International Standards (also known as ISO Standards). The ISO Standards require safety management systems to meet certain criteria and outcomes associated with reducing the number of safety incidents at work. 

1. A process to manage risks  

A process to identify and manage workplace hazards and risks is also called a risk management process or risk management framework. 

WHS regulation generally requires PCBUs to take a 4-step approach to managing risks: 

1. Identify hazards
2. Assess risks
3. Control risks
4. Review control measures. 

Your process needs to be able to identify and manage: 

• physical hazards
• psychosocial hazards
• environmental hazards.

You will also need to: 

• Consult with your workers throughout each stage of the process.
• Document and keep records of your process.

2. Safe systems of work that are communicated to your workers 

Safe systems of work are:

• methods
• processes
• systems

that relate to: 

• how to perform work safely
• what to do if there is a workplace injury or incident, including a near miss. 

Your risk assessment will help you know which activities and situations will need a safe system of work. 

You need to:

• Make your information about safe systems of work available to all your workers. Learn how to communicate safe systems of work to your workers.
• Regularly review your safe systems of work. If you are a PCBU — this is part of your risk management process.
• Document your safe systems of work. 

3. A process for providing and recording worker safety training and instruction 

Safety training is for all all workers – not just employees when they’re starting their employment. Independent contractors, volunteers and unpaid interns must all be trained. 

Safety training includes: 

• a safety induction on starting employment
• skills and competency-based training
• training for applicable licences or certified (high risk) work. 

Be sure to keep records of worker safety training. These records should show that: 

• the worker understands the training
• the worker is competent in performing a task safely. 

Learn more about worker safety training.  

4. Ways to consult with workers on work health and safety 

Consultation can help your business or organisation to monitor, evaluate and be open about the risks to worker health and safety.  

Consultation involves: 

• informing workers of key risks and issues affecting their health and safety in the workplace
• asking workers to identify any other risks or concerns about work, health and safety
• understanding from workers about how risks to health and safety might happen (or does happen) in the workplace
• listening to the suggestions or ideas of workers about how risks to health and safety can be prevented, or how an organisations’ risk management approach can be improved. 

If you are a PCBU — Creating a consultation plan that sets out how and when workers are consulted can help you meet your legal obligations. Keep records of how and when you consult with workers.

If you are a larger PCBU — You may choose to consult with workers who are elected to represent all workers as Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and/or who sit on an organisational safety committee.  

5. A process for providing and maintaining safe work equipment and workspaces 

To provide and maintain safe equipment and workspaces, you need to know: 

• the work equipment you need for the workplace
• the types of work environment and workspaces you and your workers operate in. 

PCBUs must: 

• be able to show how you keep work equipment safe — this could include a process for:
  • how you source or acquire equipment
  • how and when the equipment is inspected for safe working (such as daily set-up checks or maintenance records).
• keep the physical workplace environment in which it operates safe
• keep records to show how and how often you provide and maintain equipment and workspaces. 

A physical work environment includes: 

• the workplace layout
• lighting
• floors and surfaces
• entries and exits
• ventilation
• fixtures and fittings
• worker amenities — e.g. access to toilets, drinking water, water and eating facilities, first aid equipment. 

Check whether you have additional obligations relating to: 

• certain types of high-risk work environments
• certain types of equipment.  

Learn more on our website about safety reporting, monitoring and record keeping.