Under Managing the work environment and facilities · made under Work Health and Safety Act 2011

PCBU duties — physical work environment and amenities

Code legislation date 1 Jul 2026 From Managing the work environment and facilities, no changes tracked yet

Medium severity

NSW · Work Health & Safety Work Health & Safety > Codes of Practice > Work Environment & Facilities > PCBU Duties

The obligation

PCBUs must provide and maintain a safe physical work environment including compliant workspace layout, ventilation, lighting, temperature control, and hygiene facilities.

Under the Code, PCBUs must ensure: workspace layout allows safe movement and egress; ventilation maintains air quality; lighting enables safe work and evacuation; temperature is managed to avoid heat or cold stress; and amenities include adequate toilets, drinking water, washing facilities, dining areas, and personal storage (including lockable lockers where decontamination is required). Specific guidance for construction workplaces is cross-referenced to the Construction Work Code. …

What: PCBUs must provide and maintain a safe physical work environment including compliant workspace layout, ventilation, lighting, temperature control, and hygiene facilities.
Source: safework.nsw.gov.au

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Labels

PCBU facilities amenities ventilation lighting temperature

Official sources

T
safework.nsw.gov.au
Tertiary tier · we link to the law, we never republish it

Frequently asked questions

Which WHS law does this come from?

PCBU duties — physical work environment and amenities is a WHS requirement set out in Managing the work environment and facilities (NSW). It is made under Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW). The relevant provision is Work Health & Safety > Codes of Practice > Work Environment & Facilities > PCBU Duties.

What does this WHS obligation require?

PCBU duties — physical work environment and amenities is a WHS obligation under Managing the work environment and facilities (NSW). In short, PCBUs must provide and maintain a safe physical work environment including compliant workspace layout, ventilation, lighting, temperature control, and hygiene facilities.

What changed recently?

PCBU duties — physical work environment and amenities was last updated on 6 October 2026.

Where this sits

Managing the work environment and facilities Work Health and Safety Act 2011 New South Wales Australia

About this Topic

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First seenOct 2026