Estate project work, health and safety obligations

Project Managers and Contract Administrators and Defence, all have obligations related to estate project contractor work, health and safety (WHS) compliance during each phase on a project.

Tender phase

  • Ensure WHS Plan complies with requirements of the contract and WHS legislation.
  • Ensure the tenderer has sufficient skills, expertise and resources to deliver the WHS obligations.
  • Ensure WHS Accreditation Scheme is held by Tenderer in their name.

Delivery phase

During contract administration:

  • Ensure the draft WHS Plan is updated in accordance with the contract.
  • Ensure the regular review and updating of the WHS Plan by the Contractor.
  • Actively monitor compliance by the contactor with the WHS Plan.
  • Ensure the Contractor/Subcontractor design certification references WHS legislation compliance.
  • Ensure the Contractor holds licenses and authorisations as required by WHS legislation.
  • Ensure the Contractor complies with obligations regarding the use, management and handling of hazardous substances.
  • Ensure Defence provides the Contractor with all information necessary for Defence to comply with its WHS obligations.
  • Facilitate consultation, cooperation and coordination (CCC) between shared duty holders at a workplace.
  • Facilitate the exchange, keeping and maintenance of information and records for all WHS issues.
  • Ensure the Contractor reports on WHS matters at project meetings.
  • Ensure the Contractor complies with statutory requirements, contract obligations CCC duties.
  • Ensure the Contractor provides evidence of WHS approvals on request.
  • Ensure there is a risk register which is regularly reviewed and updated.
  • Facilitate design reviews (general review and reasonable check) to ensure compliance with WHS legislation and to identify WHS risks and hazards.
  • Institute a system to obtain regular written assurances from the Contractor/Subcontractor for WHS legislation compliance.
  • Ensure when conducting verification activities the any subcontracts contain equivalent WHS provisions.

Ensure the Contractors report the following:

  • Notifiable incidents.
  • Information from the regulator and provided to the regulator.
  • Details of proactive risk management and any systemic risk management failures.
  • Risks, hazards, WHS matters requiring escalation to Defence.
  • Lead and lag time indicator data.
  • WHS accreditation currency.
  • Audit and verification results.
  • Written assurance of compliance with the WHS legislation.

Completion phase

  • Arrange for the works to be inspected, tested and check for WHS legislation compliance.
  • Ensure the Contactor provides a certificate that asbestos or asbestos cement material have not been used or incorporated into the works.
  • Ensure the Contractors provides required information where it is a designer, importer, supplier or manufacturer under the WHS legislation.

The following cheat sheets and checklists are provided to assist with navigating requirements and ensuring compliance.

Resources

WHS obligations short cheat sheet and checklist (PDF, 243.54 KB) WHS obligations detailed cheat sheet (PDF, 43.7 KB) WHS obligations detailed checklist (DOCX, 71.57 KB) WHS consultation cooperation coordination plan template (DOCX, 38.11 KB) WHS meeting agenda template (DOCX, 28.09 KB) WHS meeting agenda template (minor works) (DOCX, 27.04 KB) WHS hazard and risk action log guidelines (DOCX, 79.54 KB) WHS assurance template (shortform) (DOCX, 28.16 KB) WHS assurance template (longform) (DOCX, 26.23 KB) WHS assurance template (design services) (DOCX, 27.14 KB) WHS assurance template (minor works) (DOCX, 27.07 KB)

Details

Regulator

Last updated

30 June 2023

Type

Contacts

dip.management​​​@defence.gov.au