WorkSafe ACT has reminded PCBUs that workplace facilities must be clean, safe, maintained, accessible and suitable for the people who use them. Its guidance highlights privacy, washing facilities and hygienic disposal options for workers who menstruate.
Construction sites are a particular concern, but the review is also relevant to remote work and workplaces operating long or irregular hours.
What to inspect
Review the actual facilities and how they work during every shift, not only what appears on a site plan. Consider:
- safe and reasonable access to toilets and washing facilities;
- privacy, security, lighting and cleanliness;
- hygienic disposal options and suitable servicing arrangements;
- water, soap and hand-drying provisions;
- cleaning frequency and responsibility;
- arrangements during remote, mobile, long-hours or night work; and
- how faults, shortages or access problems are reported and corrected.
Consult affected workers and health and safety representatives. Consultation can reveal barriers that a general inspection misses, including travel time, locked facilities, servicing gaps or arrangements that are not suitable for the workforce.
Keep the legal status clear
WorkSafe ACT has said that the Facilities Code is being revised. The reviewed evidence at 31 August 2026 did not establish that a revised Code had already been published or commenced. Do not replace the current Code or describe proposed wording as current law.
Documents that may need an update
The practical candidates are the workplace-facilities procedure, construction-site amenities inspection, cleaning and servicing schedule, remote-work arrangements and consultation/action records. A focused checklist may be more useful than rewriting an entire WHS management system.
Record findings, responsible persons, due dates and verification. Physical facilities and reliable servicing must support what the document says.