This poem has been passed around at various safety meetings in Australia, but they message still seems to get passed people that just want to do the wrong thing, it has to start at the top management level and filter down, but l believe in the statement "Safety First, until it upsets production, then it's production first" seems to sum up just about every work place. If money is tight, that statement is more a motto.
I have seen it time and again, l tend to do as the poem states, but there are backlash's the biggest is from the next level up.
Everything you are asked to do, get it in writing !
I don't know Aussie law, but here in the UK if a programmer does something wrong that leads to litigation, then he is personally liable for conviction, unless he can prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that he was acting upon "instruction", or to "Company Standards".
Accident investigators will leap in with full authority to seize company standards documents, meeting minutes, emails etc. At the end of the day it is their responsibility to attribute absolute blame, and they are ruthless in their undertakings.
If you have access to (and why wouldn't you) any Company Standards documents, email them to your personal email. I have heard stories of standards documents being hurriedly revised after an incident, and don't tell me file properties can tell you date and time, we all know you can change them. A reputable company should have no worries about you having a "personal" copy of any standards you are required to work to, they are linked to the contract you have with them, either as an employee, or a contractor.
You have to remember there are no "regulations" relating to control software. There are no "industry standards". There are no "approved" methods. Every company will do things differently to achieve (hopefully) the same results.
However, there are many things that are "tried and tested", but not a single entity is governed by any other "authority" than your (whichever) line manager's say-so. And let's be honest, he'll take the CYA route if he can.