Coordinating your work with others

If your work overlaps with another contractor or organisation who is working on campus, you'll need to consult, coordinate and cooperate to manage safety risks.

Defining the term PCBU

A PCBU is a 'Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking'. It may be a someone who self-employed or an organisation such as a University—so, every company or organisation is a PCBU.

Working with other PCBUs

The Health and Safety at Work Act (2015) states:

“If more than one PCBU has a duty in relation to the same matter imposed by or under this Act, each PCBU with the duty must, so far as is reasonably practicable, consult, co-operate with, and co-ordinate activities with all other PCBUs who have a duty in relation to the same matter.”

Consult before you begin work

The law requires that anyone working at the University must consult with other PCBUs (that is, other contracting organisations or suppliers) before beginning work that may negatively affect them or could harm them.

After consulting, the PCBU is legally required to cooperate and coordinate with other PCBUs to manage risk.

Workers who are carrying out work that may impact another PCBU must plan and organise activities together, and make sure that controls put in place work effectively to control any risks.

Shared safety risks must be agreed, documented and controlled. The PCBU most able to control the risk is the most appropriate PCBU to manage it.