In mid-January WorkSafe released an updated draft of the ACoP with a plan to have the new ACoP rolled out by March 2025.
There were several major changes:
It was written for PCBUs rather than employers, contractors and workers;
There was a big shift away from mandatory instruction to recommendations;
There was a significant shift away from the current format and a plan only to have it available electronically and not hard copy.
This was at odds with industry’s expectation that the current ACoP required tweaks to align it with the new legislation rather than completely rewriting.
FICA members have been actively involved with other industry players and WorkSafe, and as a result, the current process has been stalled. All parties are committed to getting an ACoP that is fit for purpose and taking the appropriate time to do this.
FICA, FSC and FOA will be meeting again with WorkSafe on 18th February to agree a plan going forward.
