When is a WHS Management Plan Legally Required?
Under the model WHS Regulations (regulation 309), the principal contractor for a construction project — generally construction work with a value of $250,000 or more — must prepare a written WHS management plan before work on the project starts.
What the plan must include
- The names, positions and health and safety responsibilities of the people with specific responsibilities for health and safety.
- Arrangements for consultation, cooperation and coordination of activities between people conducting businesses at the workplace.
- Arrangements for managing WHS incidents.
- Any site-specific health and safety rules, and how people will be told about them.
- Arrangements for collecting and assessing SWMS, and for monitoring compliance with them.
The principal contractor must make sure everyone working on the project is made aware of the plan and their rights to inspect it, and must keep it up to date.
Victoria is different
In Victoria, the OHS Regulations 2017 require the principal contractor for a construction project valued at $350,000 or more to prepare a health and safety coordination plan. The content requirements are similar but not identical, so Victorian projects should be checked against the Victorian regulations.
A plan that works on site
The plan has to reflect the actual project — the site, the trades involved, the program and the risks. A generic plan will not help you coordinate subcontractors or respond to an incident.
Our Builder Safety Pack is built for principal contractors and builders. Talk to us about your project.
