Contractors are required by law to come up with a Construction Safety Plan in order to comply with their workplace health and safety obligations. This must be done and approved before any type of construction work can begin. Nevertheless, many contractors have no idea as what a safety plan should contain. This article hopes to bridge that gap.
There’s little doubt that construction site safety is one of the most prominent and sensitive safety issues in most countries. The fact remains is that it is one of a few industries where the lives of workers are constantly at risk. Yet, it is one of the most economically important industries in most countries.
Information Required
Before I go through some of the information required in a Construction Safety Plan, I must point out that this may vary slightly from state to state. However, given that State Legislation has converged, I can safely say that these variations are generally minuscule and should not pose a major problem.
Below is a list of things that should be included in a safety plan for a construction site:
• The address of the worksite
• Full name, address, ABN of the main contractor
• Expected start date and duration
• Type of construction to be done
• The rules of the worksite
• The risks the main contractor must manage
• Control measures to be proposed to manage the risks
• How these control measures are going to implemented
• How controls will be monitored and reviewed
• Emergency procedures
• Strategies to guarantee public safety
An example of some of the guidelines given for safety plans by governments is the Queensland Workplace Health & Safety website. However, keep in mind that this is just one state. It would be wise to research government information concerning your state or territory.
Once you’ve included the above information in your plan, this then has to be signed and dated by the main contractor. Furthermore, they must also sign and date any work method statements and make sure they are implemented. It is imperative that workplace health and safety is not jeopardised as this will only result in more accidents for workers and financial losses for the contractor. The Australian construction industry could surely not work like that.
If you’re a contractor and are looking to embark on a new project, you can be rest assured that you will need to come up with your own Construction Safety Plan to fulfill your legal obligations.
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thank you sir for all these worthy information. I follow up all your important safety information.
Safe and Healthy Regards
yours in safety
Eng. Nabeel Amin