Officer Due Diligence Gap Audit (WHS s27)
Self-audit your WHS officer due diligence against the six limbs of section 27(5) of the model Work Health and Safety Act. Rate the evidence you could show in each area to build a due-diligence scorecard, see your priority gaps, and learn what good evidence looks like.
Officer due diligence is a personal duty under s27 of the model WHS Act, owed regardless of whether the PCBU complies with its own duties. This self-audit rates the evidence you could show against the six limbs of s27(5) — knowledge; understanding the operations and risks; resources and processes; receiving and responding to information; compliance processes; and verification — to show your evidence and your gaps. It is distinct from a risk score: it asks whether you could prove you took reasonable steps.
The six limbs of officer due diligence
Section 27(5) of the model Work Health and Safety Act says an officer's due diligence includes taking reasonable steps across six areas. Rate the evidence you could actually point to in each one — your scorecard updates as you go.
This audits your evidence and gaps against the six statutory limbs. It is different from a risk score: it asks "could you show you took reasonable steps?", not "how risky is the business?".
Rate the evidence for each limb
For each limb, rate the strength of the evidence you could show today on a four-level scale: No evidence (1), Partial (2), Documented (3), Verified (4).
1. Knowledge of work health and safety matters (s27(5)(a))
Take reasonable steps to acquire and keep up to date knowledge of work health and safety matters.
Do you actively keep your WHS knowledge current — for example through briefings, training, industry updates or professional development?
Do you stay across changes to WHS laws, codes of practice and regulator guidance relevant to your operations?
2. Understanding the operations, hazards and risks (s27(5)(b))
Take reasonable steps to gain an understanding of the nature of the operations of the business or undertaking and generally of the hazards and risks associated with those operations.
Do you understand the nature of the operations — what the business actually does and how the work is carried out?
Do you understand the main hazards and risks those operations create for workers and others?
3. Appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks (s27(5)(c))
Take reasonable steps to ensure the PCBU has available for use, and uses, appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety.
Does the PCBU have appropriate resources and processes available to eliminate or minimise WHS risks — budget, people, equipment and systems?
Are those resources and processes actually used in practice, not just available on paper?
4. Processes for receiving information and responding in a timely way (s27(5)(d))
Take reasonable steps to ensure the PCBU has appropriate processes for receiving and considering information regarding incidents, hazards and risks and responding in a timely way to that information.
Does the PCBU have processes to receive and consider information about incidents, hazards and risks — reporting channels, registers and reviews?
Does the PCBU respond to that information in a timely way, and do you see evidence it acts on what is reported?
5. Processes for complying with WHS duties (s27(5)(e))
Take reasonable steps to ensure the PCBU has, and implements, processes for complying with any duty or obligation of the PCBU under the Act.
Does the PCBU have processes in place to comply with its specific WHS duties and obligations under the Act?
Are those compliance processes actually implemented — for example consultation, notification of notifiable incidents, training and record-keeping?
6. Verifying the provision and use of resources and processes (s27(5)(f))
Take reasonable steps to verify the provision and use of the resources and processes referred to in the limbs above.
Do you independently verify that the WHS resources and processes are actually provided and used — rather than relying only on assurances from others?
Can you point to evidence of that verification — for example audits, inspections, dashboards, or board-level WHS reporting you review and challenge?
Rate every question to see your scorecard (0 of 12 rated).
For a risk-based view of director exposure, see the Director WHS Liability Risk Score, check maximum exposure with the Industrial Manslaughter Penalties tool, or browse the Safety Hub for the full set of WHS tools.
FairWork Mate AI
Is the figure right for you?
The advisor reads your payslip, contract or letter against the Fair Work Commission case library and cites the decision behind every answer.
Renews monthly at A$29.99 until you cancel. By continuing you agree to our Terms.
Get pay and rights updates for your job
Free email updates when award rates, the minimum wage or workplace laws change.