Site safety: what owners and committees should expect from a builder

You hire a builder for the result, but how they run the site tells you a lot about the result you will get. A site that is organised, fenced, signed and managed is usually a site where concealed work is also done properly. A site that is chaotic rarely is.

This article explains, in plain terms, what work health and safety (WHS) obligations mean on a typical building or repair job in NSW, what you can reasonably expect to see, and what to ask for. It is general information, and responsibility for safety rests with the people running the work.

Who is responsible

Under NSW work health and safety law, businesses and undertakings that carry out work, called PCBUs (persons conducting a business or undertaking), have duties to keep workers and others safe. The builder and each subcontractor are PCBUs. As an owner or committee, you also have a practical interest: injuries, stop-work notices and incidents delay the job and cost money.

The detail depends on the size and type of the job, so the WHS Regulation and SafeWork NSW's guidance are the sources to check. SafeWork NSW's guidance refers to the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025, so we have not quoted individual clause numbers here.

Safe work method statements (SWMS)

For high risk construction work, the person carrying out the work must ensure a safe work method statement is prepared before the work starts. According to SafeWork NSW, high risk construction work includes work involving a risk of a person falling more than two metres, and other categories set out in the regulation, such as work on or near energised electrical installations, work in confined spaces and demolition.

A SWMS must identify the high risk work, the hazards and risks, the control measures, and how those controls will be put in place, monitored and reviewed. Importantly, if work is not being done in line with the SWMS, it must stop until it can be.

In practice, this means for a strata facade repair using swing stages, or a roof repair, or work near live electrics, you should expect:

• a SWMS for each high risk task, from each trade doing it;
• the SWMS available on site, and understood by the people doing the work; and
• work stopping if the controls are not in place.

A builder who cannot show you a SWMS for work at height is not ready to start.

Principal contractor on larger projects

A construction project valued at $250,000 or more carries extra duties. According to SafeWork NSW, the person undertaking the project is the principal contractor unless they appoint another, and the principal contractor must:

• prepare a WHS management plan before work starts, covering roles and responsibilities, consultation and coordination, incident arrangements, site rules and how SWMSs are collected and reviewed;
• display signs visible from outside the site with their name, 24-hour phone numbers and the site office location; and
• make sure everyone on site is told the site rules and made aware of the plan.

If your job is at or above that value, the contract should say in writing who the principal contractor is. How these duties apply to a domestic client can be nuanced, so confirm with SafeWork NSW or a WHS adviser rather than assuming.

What a well-run site looks like

You do not need to be a safety expert to spot the basics:

• Perimeter and access. Fencing or barriers where needed, with controlled entry and clear separation from the public, residents and neighbours.
• Signage. The builder's name and contact details displayed, and warning signs where hazards exist.
• Induction. Anyone who comes on site, including trades and visitors, is told the rules. Ask how it is done and recorded.
• Tidy work areas. Materials stored properly, no tripping hazards, and waste managed.
• Working at height. Scaffolds, edge protection and fall arrest that are properly installed and checked.
• Licences and tickets. Workers holding the licences and high risk work licences their tasks require, and a general construction induction card ("white card") for construction work.
• Incident reporting. A clear process, and a builder who tells you promptly if something happens.

Occupied buildings and neighbours

Work in an occupied strata building adds risks that need more planning:

• protected walkways and clearly signed access routes for residents;
• noise and dust control, and agreed working hours;
• safe storage of chemicals and materials, away from common areas;
• protection of lifts, car parks and entries; and
• a way for residents to report concerns, and a named person who responds.

Ask the builder to describe these arrangements in writing before work starts, and include them in the contract or the engagement letter.

Questions to ask before work starts

1. Which parts of this job are high risk construction work, and who will prepare the SWMS for each?
2. Can I see the SWMS for work at height before it begins?
3. Who is the principal contractor, and where is that recorded?
4. How are workers and visitors inducted?
5. How will residents and neighbours be protected and informed?
6. How do you manage subcontractors' safety, and how do you confirm their licences and insurance?
7. What happens if an incident or near miss occurs, and how will I be told?

Why this builds credibility

Safety documentation can look like paperwork, but it forces a builder to think through the job before starting: sequence, access, hazards and who does what. Builders who do this well also tend to plan their quality checks well. That connects directly to the approach in our article on hold points and the handover record.

Working with us

You can read our approach in the How We Build page and our policies. If you would like to discuss a project, get in touch.

Sources

• Undertaking a construction project, SafeWork NSW
• Prepare a safe work method statement, SafeWork NSW

This article is general information, not legal or WHS advice. Duties vary with the project and the parties' roles, so confirm your position with SafeWork NSW or a qualified adviser. Full website disclaimer