WHS compliance is about more than having policies and procedures in place. The challenge is demonstrating that they have been implemented.
This was one of the key reasons we developed Monthly Tasks within CIRT.
Over the years, we have worked with hundreds of organisations across a wide range of industries. We consistently found that most businesses genuinely wanted to do the right thing when it came to Work Health and Safety. However, many struggled with one important question:
“How do we prove that we have done everything reasonably practicable?”
The Work Health and Safety Act requires organisations to eliminate or minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable. While many business owners understand this requirement, demonstrating WHS compliance can be difficult when an incident occurs, a regulator conducts an inspection, or a worker raises concerns.
It is often at this point that organisations realise there is a significant difference between having a safety management system and proving that WHS compliance is actively being implemented.
The WHS Compliance Challenge for Businesses
Most business owners do not have the time to read hundreds of pages of legislation, regulations and Codes of Practice.
Even when they do, the question remains:
- Which Codes of Practice apply to our organisation?
- Have we considered all relevant requirements?
- How do we know we have implemented them?
- What evidence do we have to support our actions?
Without a structured process, organisations can find themselves scrambling to gather evidence after an incident rather than building it as part of their everyday operations.
How Monthly Tasks Support WHS Compliance
To simplify the process, we reviewed relevant Work Health and Safety legislation and mapped the requirements contained within applicable Safe Work Codes of Practice.
Each month, organisations receive a specific compliance topic that may include:
- Policies
- Safe Work Procedures
- Standard Operating Procedures
- Training activities
- Workplace inspections
- Consultation activities
- Risk management tasks
- Record keeping requirements
Users are then guided through practical activities designed to help demonstrate that the organisation has considered and implemented the relevant requirements.
Rather than trying to tackle WHS compliance all at once, organisations build their compliance evidence month by month throughout the year.
Building WHS Compliance Evidence Over Time
One of the biggest misconceptions in compliance is that evidence can be created after an incident occurs.
Regulators want to see what was being done before the incident happened.
They may ask questions such as:
- How were workers trained?
- How were hazards identified?
- How did management communicate safety information?
- How were procedures reviewed?
- How did the organisation monitor compliance?
Monthly Tasks help create a documented history showing that the organisation has been actively managing these responsibilities.
Over time, this builds a strong body of evidence demonstrating the organisation’s commitment to safety and WHS compliance.
Why WHS Compliance Is Becoming More Important
From 1 July 2026, Section 26A of the NSW Work Health and Safety Act will commence.
The new provision reinforces the importance of approved Codes of Practice when demonstrating compliance with Work Health and Safety duties.
Where an approved Code of Practice exists, organisations must either:
- Follow the Code of Practice; or
- Be able to demonstrate that an alternative approach provides an equivalent or higher standard of health and safety.
This means that if SafeWork NSW investigates an incident, conducts an inspection, or commences a prosecution, organisations may be asked to demonstrate how they considered and addressed the requirements set out in the relevant Code of Practice.
For many businesses, WHS compliance will become one of the most significant compliance challenges they face.
Not because they are doing the wrong thing, but because they may struggle to provide evidence that they have systematically implemented the requirements.
More Than a WHS Compliance Exercise
Monthly Tasks were never designed simply to tick boxes.
They were designed to help organisations create safer workplaces.
When workers regularly review procedures, participate in safety activities, complete inspections, and remain aware of workplace expectations, safety becomes part of everyday operations rather than something discussed only after an incident.
The result is:
- Improved worker awareness
- Better communication
- Greater accountability
- Stronger compliance records
- Reduced organisational risk
Most importantly, it helps organisations protect their workers while demonstrating that they have taken reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations and maintain WHS compliance.
The Bottom Line
Having policies is important.
Having procedures is important.
Having a safety management system is important.
But when a regulator, investigator or court asks what your organisation has done to meet its obligations, the most important thing is being able to provide evidence.
That is what Monthly Tasks were designed to achieve.
One or two tasks each month.
A year of evidence when you need it most.
Ready to Strengthen Your WHS Compliance?
Demonstrating WHS compliance requires more than policies—it requires evidence. CHD Partners works with organisations across Australia to help build practical, sustainable compliance systems that support safer workplaces and meet legislative obligations.
Contact CHD Partners today to find out how CIRT Monthly Tasks can help your organisation build compliance evidence month by month and stay prepared for audits, inspections, and regulatory reviews.
