What Are Codes of Practice in WHS? A Practical Guide to Compliance in Australia

Codes of practice make up an important part of Australian Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation. Fundamentally, they offer real-world practical guidance on how to meet legal safety obligations in the workplace.

Rather than introducing new laws, they explain how to apply existing WHS requirements in everyday situations. This makes them a key resource for developing consistent safe work practices, improving compliance and maintaining a safe working environment.

What are codes of practice?

Think of codes of practice as practical guides that explain how to achieve the standards required under WHS laws. A WHS code of practice outlines a detailed, step-by-step guide on managing specific workplace hazards or work activities. These documents support duty holders in understanding how to meet their legal obligations in a way that’s practical and structured.

Importantly, a WHS code of practice isn’t law itself; it’s an approved way of demonstrating compliance with WHS legislation. Following an approved code is looked upon as strong evidence that a business has met its WHS duties.

What’s contained within a code of practice

Codes of practice support organisations in identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing the right controls. They outline how to meet the required standards under the WHS Act and Regulations, translating legal obligations into practical workplace action. Codes of practice include:

• Explanatory information about hazards and risk types.
• Recommended safe work practices for managing risks.
• References to WHS legislation and relevant Australian Standards.

These documents are often used alongside workplace policies and procedures for safety requirements that are clearly defined and consistently applied. 

Understanding legal standing

Although codes of practice aren’t legally binding, they do come with significant legal weight. They are admissible in court proceedings and may be used as evidence when determining WHS compliance. Courts may refer to codes of practice to:

• Understand known hazards and associated risks.
• Identify appropriate control measures.
• Determine what is considered “reasonably practicable” in a given situation.

As a result, codes of practice are often used as a benchmark for acceptable workplace safety standards.

Practical examples of codes of practice

There are many WHS codes of practice in Australia covering a wide range of industries and hazards. Common examples include:

• Managing Confined Spaces
• Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
• How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace
• Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work

A full list of approved codes of practice can be found on Safe Work Australia and through state and territory regulators such as SafeWork NSW, WorkSafe QLD, WorkSafe WA, SafeWork SA and Comcare.

Do you have to keep your business compliant?

Compliance with a WHS code of practice isn’t actually mandatory, provided an organisation can demonstrate an equal or higher standard of risk management through other means.

Duty holders may opt for alternative methods to manage risks, but workplace hazards must always be identified and controlled. Codes of practice should therefore be viewed as practical guidance rather than strict legal requirements. However, they are widely used as a benchmark for developing safe work practices and supporting structured risk management systems.

They are also commonly referenced during audits and inspections, where regulators assess how effectively risks are being managed in line with WHS expectations.

The impact of jurisdictional differences

While WHS laws are largely harmonised across Australia, there can still be differences between jurisdictions in the specific codes of practice that are approved or adopted.

This means that a WHS code of practice in one state or territory may not be identical to those in another.

For this reason, organisations should always check with their local WHS regulator to confirm which codes of practice apply in their jurisdiction.

Final thoughts

Codes of practice are a critical part of the Australian WHS framework, providing practical guidance on how to meet legal obligations and implement effective safe work practices.

While not always legally mandatory, they are widely used as a benchmark for compliance and play a key role in shaping workplace safety expectations, policies and procedures.

However, meeting codes of practice in practice requires more than documented policies; it requires systems that ensure consistent application on the ground. WHS Monitor supports organisations operationalise compliance by providing code-aligned risk assessment tools for completing and tracking SWMS and JSAs, making sure all high-risk work is assessed, controlled and documented.