PCBU Definition in NZ: A Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking

Friday February 16, 2018 09:05

Like any legislation the Health and Safety At Work Act 2015 has its own acronyms and definitions.

As everyone has responsibilities under the Act, we thought a quick broad snapshot of each might be helpful as it can get quite confusing...

What is a "PCBU"?

Definition: A Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking.

For example:

• a Sole Owner or Self Employed Person
• a Company
• a Franchise
• a Co-operative
• or an Organisation (excluding Not For Profit)

Key Responsibilities:  

• Ensure health and safety of Workers at work
• Health and safety of those influenced or directed by the PCBU
• Ensure the health and safety of other people on site
• Ensure they are not put at risk by work carried out by PCBU

What is an "Officer"?

Definition: a Director; a Trustee; a Partner; or a CEO, CFO, GM, etc.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Governance
• Health and safety leadership
• Due diligence
• Duty of care

What is a "Worker"?

Definition: an Employee; a Contractor; or a Labour Hire.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Ensure own self and Others health and safety by actions and inactions
• Comply as reasonably able with instruction that allows PCBU to comply with the law
• Co-operate with policy and procedure of PCBU that has been notified to them

Who are the "Others"?

Definition: General Public; Clients, Carers, etc.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Ensure own self and Others health and safety by actions and inactions
• Comply as reasonably able with instruction that allows PCBU to comply with the law

You might be 3 at once!

You could be wearing multiple hats under the above definitions.

At any one time you can be a:

• PCBU
• An Officer
• A Worker

For example, a Managing Director is all 3, and a Sole Trader will also be all 3.

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