They will set out expectations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), helping businesses reduce harm and confidently meet their legal duties. The working titles of the draft ACOPs are:

• Approved code of practice for roles and responsibilities in agriculture
• Approved code of practice for safe use of farm vehicles and machinery

Outcomes we’re aiming for

These ACOPs aim to make it easier for businesses to:

• reduce preventable harm by clarifying roles and responsibilities and expected practices for everyday scenarios
• have some certainty about “what good looks like” under the HSWA
• support safer, more confident decision making in this high-risk sector.

This new guidance reflects the strategic direction set out in WorkSafe’s 2025–2029 Statement of Intent, which focuses on educating and engaging businesses.

Definition of an ACOP

An ACOP sets out standards for how duty holders can comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) and its regulations. They differ from other types of HSWA guidance in three ways:

• An ACOP can be used as evidence of whether or not a duty or obligation under HSWA has been complied with.
• WorkSafe ACOPs are approved by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety.
• Developing ACOPs must include consultation with people affected.

Put simply, an ACOP is a type of health and safety guidance. It may include requirements, recommended standards, and good practice information about how specific work can be done safely. Like our other guidance, businesses and workers can follow an ACOP to help keep themselves and others safe.

ACOPs aren’t mandatory

It isn’t mandatory to follow an ACOP, but it sets a standard for compliance. You can meet your duty another way as long as it is equivalent or better than the standard set out in the ACOP.

Timeline

We are working towards providing the completed draft codes of practice to the Minister for her approval, by 30 June 2026. This will follow drafting, testing, and public consultation phases. 

How the ACOPs are being developed

A collaborative approach

To ensure these ACOPs reflect the practical realities of the industry, WorkSafe is engaging with a broad cross-section of stakeholders. Farmers, rural contractors, farm workers, and key agricultural bodies will engage in workshops, testing, and consultation to ensure the ACOPs reflect real-world farming practices. 

Public consultation starts in April

There will be a public consultation to gather broad and detailed input from the sector on the draft codes of practice. This consultation is being planned between 20 April and 10 May 2026. Information on this will be published on this page as soon as it’s available.

Approved code of practice for roles and responsibilities in agriculture

What we’re doing

In collaboration with the sector, we want to create clear, farm-specific guidance that gives farmers, workers and contractors practical guidance on their roles and responsibilities. This will help reduce uncertainty in shared work arrangements and ensure they are confident about how to make sure children and visitors stay safe on farms.

Why this ACOP is being developed

Agriculture remains a high-risk sector

Agriculture continues to be a priority for WorkSafe because:

• of persistently high rates of acute fatalities and serious injuries, particularly in dairy, sheep, and beef operations
• farmers, workers, and contractors often work across variable environments and mixed tasks
• there is frequent uncertainty about how health and safety duties apply when multiple businesses work together.

Farmers and workers have consistently said they need more practical, farm-specific guidance that reflects the realities of day-to-day farm work.

Ministerial directive for change

Through Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden’s 2024 public consultation and WorkSafe’s industry survey, the sector expressed strong support for clear, plain language guidance tailored to farming.

In mid-2025, the Minister announced that WorkSafe would develop an ACOP focused on roles and responsibilities in agriculture, to help farmers navigate shared work activities and responsibilities.

Practical safety changes coming for family farms | Beehive.govt.nz(external link)

ACOP scope

In scope

The ACOP will cover the agricultural sectors with the highest levels of harm, including:

• Animal production (dairy, sheep, beef)
• Arable farming
• Mixed farming operations.

It will:

• clarify health and safety responsibilities under HSWA, with a focus on overlapping duties (‘overlapping duties’ means that more than one person or business has health and safety duties in relation to the same matter)
• provide practical examples of common farm scenarios
• include a dedicated section on children on farms.

Out of scope

• Horticulture-specific language and examples are out of scope. This is because the work environment, equipment, and terminology differ substantially from pastoral and arable farming. 
• Purely domestic or recreational activities unrelated to farm (or other) work.

Approved code of practice for safe use of farm vehicles and machinery

What we’re doing

In collaboration with the sector, this ACOP will set a clear, practical standard for the safe use of high-risk farm vehicles and machinery. This includes quad bikes, side-by-side vehicles, two-wheel motorbikes, utes, four-wheel drive vehicles, tractors, and implements that affect vehicle stability or function.

It will address work-related health risks like fatigue, noise, and vibration. Crucially, it incorporates guidance on child safety, clarifying expectations for children as passengers, operators, or bystanders in a work context.

Why this ACOP is being developed

Farm vehicles and attached machinery cause the most serious harm in agriculture

Farm vehicles and attached machinery remain a leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries. Duty holders frequently report uncertainty about:

• vehicle suitability for tasks and terrain
• load management
• navigating varied farm environments
• required maintenance
• managing work-related health risks (for example, vibration, noise, fatigue).

Clarity needed on expectations when children are present

There is also uncertainty about expectations when children are on farm, specifically when children may:

• operate vehicles
• travel as passengers
• be present around machinery.

The ACOP aims to give the sector clarity about what ‘good’ looks like when operating vehicles and machinery on farm.

Ministerial directive for change

Through Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden’s 2024 public consultation and WorkSafe’s industry survey, the sector strongly supported the development of farm-specific, practical guidance.

In mid-2025, the Minister confirmed that WorkSafe would develop an ACOP on the safe use of farm vehicles and machinery, ensuring the guidance reflects how modern farms operate.

Practical safety changes coming for family farms | Beehive.govt.nz(external link)

ACOP scope

In scope

The ACOP will concentrate on vehicles and attached machinery associated with the highest levels of harm. This includes: 

• Quad bikes
• Side-by-sides
• Two‑wheel motorbikes
• Utes and four‑wheel drive vehicles
• Tractors
• Attached machinery such as mowers or trailers that affect vehicle stability or function.

The ACOP will cover:

• core health and safety duties under HSWA 
• managing work-related health risks relevant to vehicles and attached machinery
• safe operation of vehicles and attached machinery in farm environments
• vehicle and attached machinery safety requirements
• general workplace requirements relevant to vehicles and attached machinery
• the safety of children around farm vehicles and attached machinery.

Out of scope

This ACOP will not cover:

• domestic or recreational activities unrelated to farm work
• horticulture-specific vehicle or machinery guidance
• farm buildings, yards, livestock handling areas, or other non-mobile equipment
• mobile plant used in non-agriculture industries (for example, excavators, bulldozers, cranes).

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Keep up to date on the development of these ACOPs:

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We want to hear from you

Your insights are important to us, please share your feedback on this work.

If you have any questions, please contact the ACOP Delivery Team at ACOPDelivery@worksafe.govt.nz