A principal contractor is a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU – the new term that includes employers) that commissions a construction project.
A construction project can only have one principal contractor at any specific time.
Note: If a residential homeowner engages a PCBU, or a PCBU engages another PCBU for the construction project and the engaged PCBU is authorised to have the management or control of the construction workplace, then they are regarded as the principal contractor for the construction project.
A principal contractor with management or control of a workplace must:
Construction project
If the cost of construction work is $250,000 or more, a work health and safety (WHS) management plan must be prepared by a principal contractor, prior to work commencing.
The WHS management plan must include:
- the names and positions of those on the site responsible for health and safety
- the consultation arrangements between all PCBU’s and how they will consult, cooperate and coordinate their activities
- the arrangements for managing work health and safety incidents
- any site specific health and safety rules and how they will be communicated on site
- the arrangements for the collection, assessment, monitoring and review of SWMS at the workplace
- all SWMS required for high risk construction work prior to this work commences.
A WHS management plan must be readily accessible and all people made aware of the contents prior to commencing work. A principal contractor must review and as necessary revise the WHS management plan. The WHS management plan must be kept until the work is completed or for two years after a notifiable incident.
Signage
A principal contractor for a construction project must ensure clearly visible signs are installed including:
- the principal contractor’s name and telephone contact numbers (including an afterhours telephone number)
- the location of the site office for the project.
Further health and safety duties
A principal contractor must also put in place arrangements for ensuring:
- general workplace management
- falls
- managing risk associated with the disposal of construction materials and waste
- the storage of plant on site when not in use
- traffic and essential services that may be affected by the construction work.
The draft code of practice Managing risks in construction work provides more information.
Call 13 10 50 for more information about principal contractor duties.