CPCCBC5010B Manage Construction Work PDF

OPIE Student Guide
CPCCBC5010B Manage construction work
(For training purposes only)
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OPIE-W-V-012020-10 Created May 2016 Created by R&D Approved by CO
Dear students,
Please note that this resource is not intended for you to copy or resell. This resource has been
compiled for you on the basis that it is used to help you complete your studies and assessments.
It is in no way intended to be an exhaustive resource, and work has been referenced and referred to
from other sources to reduce the amount of research required on your behalf.
OPIE does not claim sole ownership of the work included, and instead views this as a collaboration of
a multitude of sources and resources. If you wish to continue to do your own research which is
beyond the scope of the text, suggestions for further resources have been provided at the end of the
texts.
No part of this book may be reproduced or copied, whether hard or soft copy, including
photocopying and scanning.
Contents
Getting Started........................................................................................................................................ 3
Unit overview.......................................................................................................................................... 4
Useful Terms ........................................................................................................................................... 5
1. Establish site communication processes.......................................................................................... 8
1.1. Site communication processes are established and managed to comply with ........................ 9
1.2. Dates and times of site meetings are organised and relevant personnel are notified...........16
2. Establish and Review OHS, Welfare and Risk Management procedures.......................................21
2.1. Organisational requirements for on-site first aid facilities are identified, established and
reviewed in accordance with relevant OHS, welfare and risk management legislation and
regulations. .......................................................................................................................................23
2.2. Plant and equipment usage policy and practices that require certificated operators are
established and managed to comply with risk management procedures........................................27
2.3. Hazard management procedures are established and implemented, and precautionary
measures are instigated....................................................................................................................30
2.4. Responsibilities for safe handling of materials are addressed through organisational policy and
procedures. .......................................................................................................................................32
What is the purpose of Duty holders in Australian WHS law? .........................................................38
2.5. Construction safety procedures are established and managed in accordance with OHS,
welfare and risk management requirements and key personnel are identified. .............................39
2.6. Safety induction procedures are established and managed in the event of dangerous
incidents, injuries and accidents.......................................................................................................39
2.7. Safety reporting processes and documentation are developed and implemented in
accordance with organisational and legislative requirements. ........................................................39
3. Manage supply of materials and installation of equipment. ..........................................................39
3.1. Process for placing orders for materials is established and managed to ensure the timely and
cost effective supply of materials and installation of equipment. ...................................................39
3.2. Procedures are established, managed and monitored for equipment hire and maintenance.
..........................................................................................................................................................39
4. Manage on-site operations. ...........................................................................................................39
4.1. On-site operations are managed to implement and maintain a safe and cost-effective work
environment in accordance with appropriate schedules and the contract. ....................................39
4.2. Subcontractor operations are managed and coordinated to ensure compliance with
company obligations.........................................................................................................................39
Getting Started
About this guide
What is the purpose of this handbook?
By providing this handbook the OPIE aims to provide its students with a master reference
document that will enhance their knowledge and professional skills in order to complete the unit
CPCCBC5010B Manage construction work within the Building and Construction qualification.
You will find in this document:
 Links to delivery sequence

 Example scenarios
 Illustrations
 Reference to related text materials
 Professional skills URLs and YouTube links
 Glossary of the key concepts
 Index
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OPIE-W-V-042020-10 REVISED APRIL 2020 Created by R&D Approved by CO
CPCCBC5010B Manage Construction Work
Unit overview
Welcome to this unit of study. CPCCBC5010B Manage Construction
Work explores efficient and effective ways to perform the outcomes,
skills and knowledge required when managing projects. It addresses
the processes and techniques necessary to contribute to the
systematic management of construction work. Project
management
We examine the information required for environmental management
is like
procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements
juggling
pertinent to hazard management processes, OHS frameworks and
three balls -
obligations under federal, state or territory legislation and regulations.
We examine the nature and style of building and construction industry time, cost
contracts and quality management processes and procedures as they and quality.
apply to the building and achievement of project objectives.
This involves identifying, analysing, treating and monitoring project

quality management, learning how it is effectively implemented to
provide for a continuous improvement environment in which safety
procedures are monitored continuously, reports are analysed and
procedures are reviewed as required.
The unit applies to individuals responsible for managing and leading a

project in an organisation in construction and building as well as
people working in business, or as a consultant.
Good luck!
Useful Terms
As-built Also called Record Drawings: Construction drawings revised by the

Drawings: Consultant to show changes made during construction, based on marked-up
prints, drawings and other data furnished by the Contractor.
Base Bid: A written Bid in the Bid Form for the Basic Services of the Construction
Contract. The Base Bid does not include amounts for alternates.
Bid Documents: The proposed Contract Documents given to Bidders to allow them to prepare
a bid.
Bid Contract Documents used to attract bidders and explain the procedures
Requirements: bidders are to follow in preparing and submitting their bids.
Bid Security: The deposit of cash, certified check, cashier’s check, bank draft, money order,
or bid bond; submitted with a bid and serving to guarantee that the bidder, if
awarded the contract, will execute such contract in accordance with the
bidding requirements and the contract documents.
Breakdown of A contractor’s unit cost broken down by task (labour and materials costs).
Costs:
Change Order: A written agreement executed between the owner and the contractor after
execution of the original contract, which authorizes a change in the work,
contract amount, or contract completion date.
Codes: Regulations, ordinances or statutory requirements of a governmental unit
relating to building construction and occupancy, adopted and administered
for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare.
Competitive Bid: A complete and properly signed proposal to do the work, described in the
contract documents at a specified cost.
Construction A legally enforceable promise or agreement between the owner and a
Contract: contractor describing their respective obligations in completing construction
work for the owner.
Construction A meeting scheduled and conducted at least once a month by the Owner’s
Coordination Representative, and attended by the consultant, contractor and client, for
Meeting: the purpose of discussing project progress and keeping participants informed
of activities surrounding the project.
Construction See Owner’s Representative.
Project Manager:
Consultant: A person or organisation duly licensed (where required) to perform
architectural or engineering services, including analysis of project
requirements, creation and development of project design, preparation of
drawings, specifications and bidding requirements, and review of
construction activity.
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Contract Documents: Are all the written and graphic documents prepared for
communicating the design and administering the Construction
Contract. The contract documents include: the Information for
Bidders, Advertisement for Bids, Construction Agreement, Completed
Bid for Lump Sum Contract, Performance/Payment Bond, General
Conditions, Special Conditions, drawings, specifications, addenda,
modifications and changes, together with any items stipulated as
being specifically included.
Contract Price: The total amount payable by the Owner to the Contractor for
performance of the work under the Contract Documents.
Contractor: An individual or firm performing construction work for the University,
including labour and materials, in accordance with plans and
specifications, and under a contract specifying the cost and a schedule
for completion of the work.
Contractor’s The contractor’s representative responsible for continuous field
Superintendent: supervision, coordination and completion of the work. The
superintendent is identified at the Pre -construction Meeting.
Design-Build: Procurement of complete design and construction goods and services
for a project under a single contract.
Drawings: Graphic and pictorial documents showing the design, location, and
dimensions of the elements of a Project. Drawings generally include
plans, elevations, sections, details, schedules, and diagrams.
Field Order: A minor field change in the project that does not need owner approval
so long as it does not exceed a predetermined value.
Final Completion: The date certified by the Consultant when the work is complete, in
accordance with the contract documents, and the final payment to the
Contractor is authorised.
Final Payment: The unpaid balance of the adjusted contract amount paid by the
Owner to the contractor, upon issuance of the consultant’s
certification that the project requirements have been met.
General Conditions: The part of the contract documents which sets forth many of the
rights, responsibilities and relationships of the parties involved.
General Conditions may also include a fee based on insurance,
constructions bonds, and overhead and profit for the general
contractor.
Miscellaneous An adjustment to project contingency for any financial transaction not
Adjustments: originally budgeted or not covered by a Change Order.
Notice of Contract An official notification sent by the Owner to the successful bidder
Award: awarding the construction contract. The notice is accompanied by the
contract documents.
Notice to Proceed: A written communication issued by the Owner to the contractor
authorizing commencement of the work.
Owner’s Also known as the Construction Project Manager. The Owner’s on-site
Representative: field representative who coordinates the administration of the
construction contract. Communication among the Contractor,
Consultant and the Owner flows through the Owner’s Representative.
Partial Occupancy: Occupancy by the owner or client of a portion of a project or system,
prior to final acceptance.
Performance/Payment A bond of the contractor in which a surety guarantees to the Owner
Bond: that the work will be performed in accordance with the contract
documents.
Periodic Request for A monthly request for payment submitted by the contractor to the
Partial Payment: Owner’s Representative.
Pre-bid Meeting: A meeting conducted by the Construction Administrator and
Consultant prior to bidding on large, complex projects. The meeting is
attended by interested plan holders and a tour of the construction site
and a question-and-answer period are held. The Consultant issues
addenda, if necessary, to clarify or modify contract items identified at
the meeting.
Pre-construction A meeting conducted by the Construction Administrator and attended
Meeting: by the Consultant, contractor and Owner’s Representative to review
and discuss contract documents and project requirements.
Project Account: An account established by the owner for the allocation and
expenditure of funds for any financial activity on the project.
Project Manager: Person assigned by the owner to manage a project through the design,
bidding and award phases. This person is responsible for the
coordination of the consultant selection and design process. Serves as
point of contact between the Consultant and the Owner.
Project Schedule: A contractor’s schedule of planned work and payment by task.
Punch List: A list of corrections, adjustments, modifications or additions required
of the contractor before final acceptance of a project. This list may be
developed by the Project Manager, Architect, Consultant, or a
combination of these individuals.
Sole Source Contract: Contracts issued where the service required can only be obtained from
one vendor.
Special Conditions: A section of the conditions of the contract, other than the General
Conditions, prepared for a particular project. Modifications to the
General Conditions are contained in the Special Conditions.
Specifications: A part of the contract documents consisting of written technical
descriptions of materials, equipment construction systems, standards
and workmanship.
Subcontractor: A person or organization who has a contract with the prime
contractor, or another subcontractor, to perform a portion of the work
on the project or to supply equipment or material.
Submittal: Documents, drawings, samples, or other items, required of the

contractor prior to commencement of work or purchase of selected
materials.
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1. Establish site communication processes.
This element will address the following two performance criteria.
1.1. Site communication processes are established and managed to comply with
organisational quality management requirements.
1.2. Dates and times of site meetings are organised and relevant personnel are
notified
Construction work is defined as any work carried out in connection with construction, alteration,
conversion, fitting-out, commissioning, renovation, repair, maintenance, refurbishment, demolition,
decommissioning or the dismantling of a structure.
Construction work can be commercial, civil or housing construction and includes the
following:
 any work connected with any preparatory work or site preparation (including
landscaping as part of site preparation) carried out in connection with an activity
referred to in the above definition
 any installation or testing carried out in connection with an activity referred to in the
above definition
 the removal from the workplace of any product or waste resulting from demolition
 the prefabrication or testing of elements, at a place specifically established for the
construction work, for use in construction work
 the assembly of prefabricated elements to form a structure, or the disassembly of
prefabricated elements forming part of a structure, the installation, testing or
maintenance of an essential service in relation to a structure
 any work connected with an excavation
 an activity referred to in the above definition that is carried out on, under or near water,
including work on buoys and obstructions to navigation.
‘In connection with construction work’ means work related to, or associated with construction
work.
Contracts covering a project are a good guide to use when determining what activities are done in
connection with construction. Examples include:
 work by architects or engineers in on-site offices, conducting on-site inspections (this

doesn’t include architects or engineers working in offices away from the construction site)
 work by a mechanic on an excavator on-site and not in an isolated service area
 delivering building materials to different points on the site, but not making deliveries to a
single designated delivery area
 excavating for a basement or garage
 testing fire equipment on the construction site
 supervisors and managers moving around the site to monitor work
 surveying a site after construction has started, but not surveying a Greenfield site before
construction has started
 traffic control on a construction site.
Definition of construction manager
1. A person who is appointed by the owner to work as the owner’s agent for the construction work,
preparing bidding documents and contract documents, arranging construction contracts, and
managing the contractors so that all work on the project is completed on time and within budget, in
accordance with contractual agreements.
2. The person who has been designated by the owner to provide special management services
during the construction phase of a building project
The role of a construction manager

A construction manager in an organization has the role of managing the construction team and
various contractors to build and test the building systems for the project, represents the owner in
taking bids of subcontractors and coordinating their activities, and administering all of the
construction contracts for a fee or guaranteed maximum price. The construction manager also works
with the commissioning authority to identify and correct deficiencies.
1.1. Site communication processes are established and managed to

comply with
Effective Workplace Communication
Communication is the process of exchanging information and ideas. There are many means of
communication.
Everything we do throughout the day could not be accomplished without some form of
communication, whether it is one way (e.g. radio and television) or two-way (e.g. emails, test
messages and conversations). Communication is a key element of daily living, and the construction
process is no exception.
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To be an effective and valuable member of your workplace, it is important that you become skilled in
all of the different methods of communication that are appropriate. This workbook looks at different
types of communication and associated technology. Before that, it is important to understand the
communication process. For communication to occur, it must pass from a sender to a receiver. This
must occur irrespective of the form of communication.
For communication to be effective it must be understood by the receiver and they must be able to
respond. This means that complete communication requires speaking, reading, listening, and
reasoning skills. As communications pass from the source to the receiver, there is plenty of
opportunity for its original meaning to change or alter. Therefore listening, reasoning and giving
feedback are all important parts of the process. It is an opportunity for the sender to make sure the
receiver has understood the message. The other consideration is the “noise” associated with the
communication – what else is happening, what are the distractions, the baggage etc. Noise can have
a big impact on the message how the receiver decodes it.
Construction communication
In the context of Construction, communication should convey an instruction and influence the
actions/behaviours of others. It may also involve requesting and exchanging information during the
construction project.
Whether during design or during construction, communication is most effective when the four Cs
are covered. These four Cs are:
 clear
 concise
 complete
 correct
Each one should be considered if you are writing a letter, preparing an email, talking on the phone,
or preparing a set of construction documents. Failure to implement any if these can result in the
message being misunderstood, either partially or completely. How well you communicate has an
impact on how your messages are perceived by others. Thus, a poor communicator will either have
their messages questioned or ignored completely.
The communication process

In a broad sense, communication is used to
express facts, ideas, opinions and emotions
between two or more people. It is achieved
through the exchange of thoughts, ideas and
information. Effective communication a key
ingredient in any productive workplace
relationship.
The communication process is the means by

which operatives and other members of the
building team are linked (considering
construction) in order to achieve the central
goal. In construction, communication can be
achieved through letters, drawings, symbols,
signs, posters and the words through which
members of an organization send and receive
information to each other and the public at
large.
Establishing a site communication process helps the construction industry to enhance productivity
and ensure that a project is completed within the stipulated organizational requirements and time
frame.
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Within the working group, industry communication is said to be effective only when the transmitted
ideas achieve their desired action or reaction. Operations in the construction industry are a team
effort and involves; embracing the client, quantity surveyor, architect, consulting engineer,
specialists and the contractor’s organization. The main objective is to get things done through
productive working relationships with ALL your workmates.
Watch the video below and discuss what went wrong during the initial communication process and
why.
Catch a contractor: Contaminated cabinets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6iIS5IKPoo
The operational procedures and other management activities associated with the design,
construction and subsequent performance of a building rely a great deal on how information is
transmitted between the various participants of the building team. For this reason, the method of
communication should not only clarify issues, it must also attempt to bring harmony to the entire
work process and foster co-operation between the parties to ensure maximum contribution from all
members.
Although communication systems within the building and construction industry overlap in many
areas, the general areas of communication are divided as follows:
1. Communication between clients and the consultants

2. Communication between consultants
3. Communication between the consultants and the contractor
4. On site communication.
Effective communication
Effective communication is vital to the successful completion of any construction project. Good
communication can improve teamwork and lead to better project collaboration. Poor
communication can result in misunderstandings, delays and problems down the road.
Methods of successful communication
Adeleke, (2004), explains the various methods in which information can be transmitted in the
construction industry and the means by which a project can be executed successfully. He argues that
the success of a project depends heavily on the establishment of a clearly defined framework of
communication. He further states that information can be transmitted formally or informally. In
some cases, construction contracts may state the type of communication which must take e.g. a
written order for variation. The usual means of communication as stated by Adeleke (2004), are as
follows:
1. The print media: 3. Written materials:

 Newspapers  Specification
 Bulletins  Schedules
 Handbills  Bill of quantities
 Magazines  Tender document
 Certificate of payment
1. Drawn and visual materials:  Reports
 Drawings  Letters
 Programmes and charts  Letter
 Photographs
4. Notice boards
2. Verbal communication: 5. Models and samples
 Face to face 6. Computers
5 Tips for Effective Construction Communication
1. Establish clear lines of communication. It’s important to determine a chain of command

for communication on a construction project.
2. Choose the best communication method. We communicate in a number of ways every
day, both verbally and nonverbally and construction communication is no different.
3. Listen. Actively listen. When you engage in oral communication, in person or over the
phone, you want to be an active listener.
The clip on the following page from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” is a perfect illustration of
everything an active listener is NOT:
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Monty Python Quest for the Holy Grails Poor
Communication
https://youtu.be/YuZDbbz_6xY
4. Be clear and concise. When communicating in construction you want to make every
effort to have your message understood the first time you send it. Avoid using jargon or
terms that the people you are communicating with might not understand.
The following video provides and example of such jargon:
Funny business video - Stuff managers say (business jargon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MFUE0KgoEQ
The following is a BAD example of clear, concise and professional email communication:
What’s up ya’ll
This is a GOOD example of a clear, concise and professional email communication:
Good Morning
5. Stick to the facts. Basically you want to be the Sergeant Joe Friday of the construction
industry. You should only be interested in providing or getting the facts. Don’t
overelaborate or include extraneous information in your communications. Unless asked,
keep your personal opinions or feelings about a project to yourself. It is, however,
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important that you share your professional opinions on a project when you feel they
could be beneficial to the successful completion of a project. Your company’s expertise
is part of what landed you the project, so don’t be afraid to speak up.
1.2. Dates and times of site meetings are organised and relevant
personnel are notified
In order for an organisation to contain groups that are healthy and functional, it is essential that
regular meetings are established. As this is where almost all decisions are made, these meetings
need to contain sufficient levels of problem solving discussion to make sure that all those attending
have a good idea of the different struggles the organisation is involved in, upcoming activities and
the reasons behind them. Meetings might also have some time given over to education and the
setting of goals.
What is a meeting?
For the purposes of the OPIE, a meeting is the coming together of three
or more people who share common aims and objectives, and who through the use of verbal and
written communication contribute to the objectives being achieved.
The average business professional attends 60

meeting per month. Yet, those same
professionals report that 50% of those
meetings are a waste of time
Why are site meetings important?

Site meetings play an important part in effectively managing construction projects. Regular site
meetings between the different stakeholders on a project can help facilitate better communication
and a shared sense of purpose making it more likely that the project is completed successfully.
Project failures are often attributed to inadequate management, with a key factor being a lack of
proper communication.
Meetings should be regular and formerly scheduled, perhaps on a weekly or monthly basis
depending on the parties involved, although the size and complexity of the project may necessitate a
more regular schedule. They are used as a means of reporting progress, enabling discussion of any
problems or issues, and allowing the proposal of solutions. They provide a good opportunity for two-
way discussions of any issues that have arisen or that are anticipated.
Holding meetings on site enables the stakeholders to see progress for themselves (rather than
relying on a report from another party). During these meetings workers look at problem areas,
discuss quality issues and hold mock simulations etc.
Construction progress meetings are a specific sort of site meeting during which the contract
administrator receives progress reports from the contractor and consultant team, cost reports from
the cost consultant and other more specific information such as sub-contractor reports, progress
photos and so on.
Production Meetings
In order to be able to provide the correct information at construction progress meetings, the
contractor may hold progress meeting with sub-contractors before-hand. This is sometimes called a
production meeting.
Meeting agendas should be prepared, and minutes should be taken with a requirement that any
disagreement with the items recorded in the minutes is raised within a pre-defined period (perhaps
one week).
Progress meetings may also result in the preparation of a construction progress report for the client.
The construction manager holds regular construction progress meetings with trade contractors to
discuss on and off-site progress against the programme and to co-ordinate the release of
information.
It may sometimes be appropriate for these meetings to take place at the trade contractor's
premises. On large projects the construction manager may hold a daily logistics meeting on site with
trade contractor foremen to organise, schedule and co-ordinate on-site shared services. These
services include: deliveries and off-loading, hoists and craneage, scaffolding, safety issues, rubbish
clearance etc.
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Similar meetings may be held on management contract projects between the management
contractor and the works contractors.
Other meetings held on site might include safety briefings and toolbox talks which are held to ensure
that workers properly consider health and safety issues on site.
Make sure everyone knows the time and place

A new group or one engaged in a lot of activity should meet at least once a week, at the same time
and day. It helps to establish a consistent meeting day, time and location, as soon as possible so
people can make it a habit. If they have to search for you or keep track of an ever-changing meeting
time, they're far more likely to forget or not to bother. You'll want a space that's private enough for
you to have strong disagreements, where only the members of the group will be while you are using
it.
If it is a first meeting or if the meeting is on a new day or time; individually contact all participants a
week to three days before the meeting day. Contact can be as simple as sending everyone a friendly
reminder through office e-mail, phone calls, or a post card reminder through the mail. For regularly
scheduled meetings, choose a location and meeting time and try not to change it.
Make sure the room is open (or the site is ready)

and set up properly
Have you ever arrived at a meeting only to find the
door locked, and everyone had to stand around
waiting while the facilitator scrambled to find the
key? Or have you ever been in a meeting where there
weren't enough chairs, and each time a late comer
arrived, they had to interrupt and search for one and
move it in? Not especially effective ways of inspiring
confidence and credibility or getting things done
efficiently, are they? Try and arrange the room so that
everyone sits in a circle and make sure you are seated
where you can see everyone.
You need consider the following areas:
Develop an agenda
An agenda gives people time to plan, to think over things that will be discussed, to do assignments
and bring necessary information and materials.
During the meeting

Start as you mean to continue. Make sure you start on time. This is especially important for
newcomers, who can get a bit put-off by the meeting start time being increasingly pushed back
while people chat or wander around
Minute taking
Someone should be responsible every week for keeping meeting minutes and preparing them to be
read at or distributed before the next meeting. Minutes need not be very detailed (you don't need
to write down what everyone says). They should aim to include:
1. Who attended the meeting.
2. Topics discussed.
3. Decisions reached for each topic.
4. Who has volunteered to do what.
5. Items to be discussed at next meeting (and when that will be).
Encourage group discussion to get all points

of view
Turn questions back to the group for their input.

Ask people to comment on something just said.
Compliment people on their ideas and thank
them for their input. Ask open-ended questions.
Don't use your position as

facilitator to impose your
personal ideas and opinions on
the group
If you have strong feelings on a particular issue,

you may want to step aside and let someone
else facilitate that discussion. At the very least,
keep your own comments to a minimum, try to
let others speak first, and identify them as your
personal beliefs, outside of your role as
facilitator.
Non-verbals are important, too

Be attentive to people who are speaking - look at them, lean forward, smile, nod. Make eye contact
with people who may need encouragement to speak.
Decision making
Arguments about how best to reach decisions are fundamental to anarchism. You may wish to leave
time for discussion in the hope of being able to reach consensus, only then moving to a vote, or you
may wish to go straight to the vote
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Take time at the end of the meeting to process
Reflect on what went well and what people appreciate about others' input and actions. Check out
assumptions. Encourage people to share any lingering concerns or things that just don't sit right.
End on time
Nothing makes people dread and avoid meetings more than knowing they're likely to go on and on
and consume far more of their time than they want to give. Set a time to end the meeting at the
very beginning and stick to it!
After the meeting
Minutes
Make sure the minutes will be written up, organised and then distributed among those who
attended within a reasonable time scale
Follow up with people

Thank them for their input. Make sure they understand assignments and have what they need to do
them.
2. Establish and Review OHS, Welfare and Risk Management
procedures.
The element ‘Establish and review OHS, welfare and risk management procedures’ cover the
following seven performance criterias.
2.1. Organisational requirements for on-site first aid facilities are identified, established
and reviewed in accordance with relevant OHS, welfare and risk management legislation
and regulations.
2.2. Plant and equipment usage policy and practices that require certificated operators
are established and managed to comply with risk management procedures.
2.3. Hazard management procedures are established and implemented, and

precautionary measures are instigated.
2.4. Responsibilities for safe handling of materials are addressed through organisational
policy and procedures.
2.5. Construction safety procedures are established and managed in accordance with
OHS, welfare and risk management requirements and key personnel are identified.
2.6. Safety induction procedures are established and managed in the event of dangerous
incidents, injuries and accidents.
2.7. Safety reporting processes and documentation are developed and implemented in
accordance with organisational and legislative requirements.
What is OHS?
Occupational safety and health (OSH) also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety
(OHS) or workplace health and safety (WHS) is an area concerned with the safety, health and welfare
of people engaged in work or employment.
The most common hazards in the construction industry are:

Lifting and pushing - e.g. handling heavy or awkward sized objects
Slips, trips, falls - e.g. slipping on a wet surface or falling from a ladder
Using hand tools such as power tools, saws, shovels and crow bars
Noise from machinery such as concrete cutters, drills and saws
Atmospheric contaminants such as dust, synthetic mineral fibres and asbestos.
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The chance that these hazards will result in an injury for young workers is higher when
they are combined with risk factors such as:
 Lack of supervision
 Lack of training
 Working alone
 Being uninformed about their rights
 Trying to impress the boss, supervisor or co-workers.
 Temporary employment.
Planning for the effective management and health and safety includes four main features:
1. Organizational planning
2. Review
3. Identify organizations legislative responsibilities
4. Consult with workers
It is advised the planning process involves:
 Clearly defining objectives using risk assessment process

 Establish performance indicators
 Designing specific actions or controls
 Designing responsibilities for achieving performance indicators
 Principles of effective consultation
Developing a good workplace safety culture is a critical part in implementing workplace health and
safety. A workplace safety culture needs to be an intrinsic part of how an organisation operates and
part of the culture of each individual organisation: it is not a separate ‘add-on’. It is not a short term
fix, but a long term commitment.
Organisations which fail to create a safety-focused workplace culture will find it difficult to meet
legislative requirements because all levels of management and employees need to be working
together to form a culture of safety to exist and to have subsequent workplace effects.
There are significant benefits of having a good workplace safety culture, including:
 improved morale
 improved performance
 increased productivity
 reduced staff turnover and associated costs of recruitment and training
Master Builders’ website provides an overview of the main acts, regulations, codes and
associated documents that are relevant to the industry including:
Australian Standards
Building Act
Building Code of Australia
Building and Construction Industry Payments Act
Fair Work Act
National Employment Standards
Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act
Subcontractors’ Charges Act
Sustainable Planning Act
Work Health and Safety Act.
2.1. Organisational requirements for on-site first aid facilities are identified,
established and reviewed in accordance with relevant OHS, welfare and risk
management legislation and regulations.
The identification of key risks to the firm is a critical step in effective risk management and needs to
be comprehensive. If a potential risk is not identified at this stage it is omitted from further analysis,
which means a material risk may be given insufficient attention.
The risks that relate to the firm's context and business objectives must be identified, whether or not
they are under the influence of the firm.
The meaning of key terms

First aid is the immediate treatment or care given to a person suffering from an injury or illness until
more advanced care is provided or the person recovers.
First aider is a person who has successfully

completed a nationally accredited training course
or an equivalent level of training that has given
them the competencies required to administer
first aid.
First aid equipment includes first aid kits and

other equipment used to treat injuries and
illnesses.
First aid facilities include first aid rooms, health

centres, clean water supplies and other facilities
needed for administering first aid.
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High risk workplaces are workplaces where workers are exposed to hazards that could result in
serious injury, death or illness and would require first aid.
Examples of workplaces that may be considered high risk are ones in which workers:
 use hazardous machinery (for example, mobile plant, chainsaws, power presses and
lathes)
 use hazardous substances (for example, chemical manufacture, laboratories,
horticulture, petrol stations and food manufacturing)
 are at risk of falls that could result in serious injury (for example, construction and
stevedoring)
 carry out hazardous forms of work (for example, working in confined spaces, welding,
demolition, electrical work and abrasive blasting)
 are exposed to the risk of physical violence (for example, working alone at night, cash
handling or having customers who are frequently physically aggressive)
 environments where employees are presented with demands and pressures that are not
matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope (as
defined by The World Health Organisation)
 work in or around extreme heat or cold (for example, foundries and prolonged outdoor
work in extreme temperatures).
Low risk workplace means a workplace where workers are not exposed to hazards that could result
in serious injury or illness such as offices, shops or libraries. Potential work related injuries and
illnesses requiring first aid would be minor in nature.
First Aid in the Workplace

Who has health and safety duties in relation to first aid?
A person conducting a business or undertaking has the primary duty under the WHS Act to ensure,
so far as is reasonably practicable, that workers and other persons are not exposed to health and
safety risks arising from the business or undertaking. The WHS Regulations place specific obligations
on a person conducting a business or undertaking in relation to first aid, including requirements to:
 provide first aid equipment

 ensure each worker at the
workplace has access to the
equipment
 ensure access to facilities for the
administration of first aid
 ensure that an adequate number of
workers are trained to administer
first aid at the workplace or that
workers have access to an adequate
number of other people who have
been trained to administer first aid.
A person conducting a business or undertaking may not need to provide first aid equipment or
facilities if these are already provided by another duty holder at the workplace as long as the
equipment is adequate and easily accessible at the times that the workers carry out work. Officers,
such as company directors, have a duty to exercise due diligence to ensure that the business or
undertaking complies with the WHS Act and Regulations.
This includes taking reasonable steps to ensure that the business or undertaking has and uses
appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety.
Workers have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and must not adversely
affect the health and safety of other persons. Workers must comply with any reasonable instruction
and cooperate with any reasonable policy or procedure relating to health and safety at the
workplace, such as procedures for first aid and for reporting injuries and illnesses.
What is required in providing first aid?
First aid requirements will vary from one workplace to the next, depending on the nature of the
work, the type of hazards, the workplace size and location, as well as the number of people at the
workplace. These factors must be taken into account when deciding what first aid arrangements
need to be provided.
First Aid in the Workplace

The Code of Practice released in March 2015 provides information on using a risk management
approach to tailor first aid that suits the circumstances of your workplace, while also providing
guidance on the number of first aid kits, their contents and the number of trained first aiders that
are appropriate for some types of workplaces.
The risk management approach involves the following four steps:

1. identifying hazards that could result in work-related injury or illness
2. assessing the type, severity and likelihood of injuries and illness
3. providing the appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and training
4. reviewing your first aid requirements on a regular basis or as circumstances change.
How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks

Consulting Your Workers:
Consultation involves sharing information, giving workers a reasonable opportunity to express views
and taking those views into account before making decisions on health and safety matters.
A person conducting a business or undertaking must consult, so far as is reasonably practicable,

workers who carry out work for the business or undertaking who are (or likely to be) directly
affected by a work health and safety matter.
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If the workers are represented by a health and safety representative, the consultation must involve
this representative. You must consult your workers when making decisions about what facilities are
needed, including those required for administering first aid.
Consultation should include:

the number, location and contents of first aid kits and other equipment
the type of first aid facilities that may be needed first aid procedures
the number of first aiders.
Consulting, Co-Operating and Co-ordinating Activities with Other Duty Holders

A person conducting a business or undertaking must consult, co-operate and co-ordinate activities
with all other persons who have a work health or safety duty in relation to the same matter, so far as
is reasonably practicable.
Sometimes you may have responsibility for health and safety together with other business operators
who are involved in the same activities, or who share the same workplace. In these situations, you
should communicate with each other to find out who is doing what and work together in a co-
operative and co-ordinated way so that all risks are eliminated or minimised so far as is reasonably
practicable.
For example, if you provide labour hire workers as part of your business you have a duty of care as
well as the host business. In these situations, you must discuss the hazards and risks associated with
the work and ensure the host business has appropriate first aid arrangements that your workers can
access. If you share your workplace with other businesses that have workers trained in administering
first aid, you may be able to ensure that your workers have access to them instead of training your
own workers.
Further guidance on consultation is available in the Code of Practice: Work Health and
Safety Consultation, Co-operation and Co-ordination
In these circumstances, it will be necessary to:

 consult the other business operators to work out what first aid arrangements are
needed
 co-operate with each other in sharing first aid equipment and facilities
 co-ordinate access to the first aiders.
2.2. Plant and equipment usage policy and practices that require
certificated operators are established and managed to comply with risk
management procedures.
This Code of Practice regarding managing health and safety risks of plant equipment in the
workplace is an approved code of practice under section 274 of the Work Health and Safety (WHS)
Act. A code of practice applies to anyone who has a duty of care in the circumstances described in
the code.
Plant equipment includes any machinery, equipment, appliance, container, implement and tool, and
includes any component or anything fitted or connected to any of those things. Plant includes items
as:
 diverse as lifts
 cranes
 computer
 machinery
 conveyors
 forklifts
 vehicles
 power tools and amusement devices.
Plant equipment that relies exclusively on manual power for its operation and is designed to be
primarily supported by hand, for example a screw driver, is not covered by the WHS Regulations.
The general duty of care under the WHS Act applies to certain kinds of plant, such as forklifts, cranes
and some pressure equipment, require a licence from the WHS regulator to operate and some high-
risk plant must also be registered with the WHS regulator.
Competent person means a person who has acquired thorough training, qualification or experience
the knowledge and skills to carry out the task.
27
A competent person has a more specific meaning in the following circumstances:
For design verification, the person must have the skills, qualifications, competence and
experience to design the plant or verify the design.
For inspection of plant for registration purposes, the person must have educational or
vocational qualifications in an engineering discipline relevant to the plant being inspected, or
knowledge of the technical standards relevant to the plant being inspected.
For inspection of mobile cranes, tower cranes and amusement devices, the person must
have the skills, qualifications, competence and experience to inspect the plant, and be
registered under a law that provides for the registration of professional engineers (in
jurisdictions where such a law exists), or be determined by the WHS regulator to be a
competent person.
Fail safe means a state or condition where, if any component or function of the plant fails, a system
exists to prevent any increase in the risks. For example, if the primary hoist brake fails on a crane
lifting a person in a workbox, the secondary hoist brake will prevent uncontrolled dropping of the
workbox. However, once the secondary brake is engaged, a lower level of safety has been reached.
The situation must be made safe and the fault rectified so that the fail safe capability is re-
established.
Who has health and safety duties in relation to plant at the workplace?
As stated previously, the person conducting a business or undertaking has the primary duty under
the WHS Act to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that workers and other persons are not
exposed to health and safety risks arising from the business or undertaking.
This duty includes ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable:

the provision and maintenance of safe plant, and the safe use,
handling, storage and transport of plant.
Persons who conduct a business or undertaking involving the management or control of fixtures,
fittings or plant at a workplace also have a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that
the fixtures, fittings and plant are without risks to the health and safety of any person.
The WHS Regulations include specific duties for persons who conduct a business or undertaking
involving the management or control of plant (persons with management or control of plant)
including requirements to:
manage the health and safety risks associated with plant
prevent unauthorised alterations to or interference with plant
use plant only for the purpose for which it was designed unless the proposed use does
not increase the risk to health or safety.
Other persons with duties related to plant include the following:
1. Designers: the safe design of plant plays a critical role in eliminating hazards and risks
before plant is introduced in the workplace.
2. Manufacturers: have a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the plant is
manufactured to be without risks to workers throughout the lifecycle of the plant.
3. Importers and Suppliers: importers of plant from outside Australia must take all
reasonable steps to obtain information from the manufacturer and then pass this
information on when supplying the plant.
4. Installers: An installer is a person who conducts a business or undertaking who sets up,
assembles, places in position and connects or otherwise makes plant ready for use.
Installers have certain duties under the WHS Regulations
Workers who operate plant should be competent, or suitably supervised during training, so that they
do not put themselves or others at risk. It is important to retain all operating manuals and
instructional material provided by the manufacturer in order to correctly operate and maintain the
plant once it is in the workplace.
You should also consider and address the risks that may arise from:
 operator fitness for work, for example fatigue
 carrying out routine or repetitive tasks
 local conditions and working procedures.
High Risk Work Licences: Certain types of plant, such as industrial lift trucks and some types of
cranes, require the operator to have a high risk work licence before they can operate the plant.
Organizations have to set out the classes of high risk work licences and the types of plant involved.
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Operator control: A person with management or control of plant at a workplace must ensure that
any operator controls are:
 identified so as to indicate their nature, function and direction of operation

 located so they can be readily and conveniently operated
 located or guarded to prevent unintentional activation
 able to be locked into the “off” position to enable disconnection from energy sources.
Badly designed operator controls can lead to unintentional and unsafe operation of plant. For
example, a control for setting the speed on a saw should not be a simple slider or rotary control that
may be accidentally adjusted during operation. It should be graduated in fixed lockable steps.
Operator control devices should be designed:

 To enable the plant to be ‘fail safe’. For example, when hand pressure is released on
a lever controlling up and down movement, the lever will return to the neutral
position and movement will stop.
 to be within easy access of the operator
 so the intended function can be easily read and understood, especially in the case of
dials and gauges
 so the movement of the control is consistent with established convention, for
example anticlockwise to open, clockwise to close
 so the desired effect can only occur by intentional operation of a control, for
example provision of a starting control
 to withstand the rigours of normal use, undue forces and environmental conditions
 so they are located outside danger zones
 so they are readily accessible for maintenance.
2.3. Hazard management procedures are established and implemented, and

precautionary measures are instigated.
A hazard is a situation in the workplace that has the potential to harm the health and safety of
people or to damage plant and equipment. The situation could involve a task, chemical or
equipment used. Hazard management is a continuous process that is used to improve the health and
safety of all workplaces.
Hazard management is essentially a problem-solving process aimed at:

1. defining problems (identifying hazards)
2. gathering information about them (assessing the risks)
3. solving them (controlling the risks)
4. reviewing control measures.
Controlling Construction Site Hazards (Subcontractors)
Many manufacturing companies producing building products often find themselves in a “supply and
install” contract. Frequently they handle this situation by sub-contracting the installation side of
their business; but they are still responsible for their sub-contractors. Of course, many organisations
employ their own installation staff, but tend to leave the site safety to the builder.
Construction Site Hazards

The hazards associated with construction work include some of the most common and hazards in
industry:
 Manual handling – manual handling is the major cause of lost time in industry generally.
 Slips trips and fall hazards created by poor housekeeping – these are the most common
types of injuries in the workplace.
 Working at height – falls from height are the number two cause of fatalities at work after
motor vehicle accidents.
Construction sites are difficult working environment to control. Hazards are often created and are
the responsibility of other parties. If you sub-contract your installation work, you have an extra layer
of management between your project management and the people undertaking the work.
Hazard Control
You can control hazards by checking the following points:

Ensure that your employees and subcontractors have detailed, workable safe work method
statements or JSAs, and that they follow the safety controls and procedures established in
these documents.
Use your risk assessment procedures to identify high risk activities such as manual handling
and working at height, and establish workable solutions to eliminate or control these risks.
Have your project managers and site supervisors make regular hazard inspections of the
workplace, and document the results. As part of these inspections, check that both
employees and sub-contractors are using the required personal protective equipment, and
following safe work procedures.
Include sub-contractors in your induction training programme.
Hold regular toolbox meetings with site personnel so that you can establish open
communication with them on local hazards. Document the toolbox meetings, and follow
through on issues and concerns that are raised. Use the toolbox meetings to emphasise your
organisation’s commitment to safety.
Make compliance with the site safety plans, safe work method statements, JSAs and site
safety rules a condition of your contracts with sub-contractors, and ensure that their
management and supervisors know you take this seriously.
Implement your own safety standards, even if the builder is not insisting on the highest
standards.
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Construction work has inherent risks, but a well managed Occupational Health and Safety
programme, supported by uncompromising management commitment, can go a long way towards
ensuring that your site personnel undertake this work safely.
Construction and building organizations need to invest in a wide range of Occupational Health and
Safety services and training, including:
OHS Audits – Safety Plan;
Safety Plan Gold; AS 4801
OHS programme implementation
Risk Assessments
OHS culture surveys
Accredited training for construction induction and consultation (NSW)
OHS training for management and supervision
2.4. Responsibilities for safe handling of materials are addressed through

organisational policy and procedures.
Construction sites are temporary, and change constantly as work progresses and different
construction employees and equipment arrive on site. A site that is safe one day may not be safe the
next, so you must pay attention to the hazards and their potential risks at all times.
The rate of injury in the construction industry is higher than in most other industries. The most
frequent causes of death and severe injuries are falls from height, falling materials and collapses,
electricity and mobile plant.
Within the building and construction industry you may be exposed to a range of work activities such
as:
 setting up simple working platforms and temporary power sources
 safe operation and maintenance of equipment including hand tools and portable
power tools
 taking measurements and site levels
 performing site calculations
 preparing sites and pouring and finishing concrete pads
 working with internal partitioning
 other trade services like plastering, painting and tiling.
Employers should make sure equipment is well maintained, that employees are properly trained and
supervised, and given instructions for safe work procedures. Where the risks cannot be eliminated,
or to improve the level of protection, your employer must also provide personal protective
equipment (PPE) such as a safety helmet and safety boots or shoes with reinforced steel toecaps.
The handling/using of PPE and materials either
physically or mechanically often introduces risks
to health and safety which can be managed to
avoid injury. Inappropriate transport, handling
or storage of materials can increase the risk of
injuries and illnesses. Inadequate systems may
result in overloading of storage facilities,
excessive reaching or lifting, restricted aisles
and passageways or traffic congestion.
How effectively do you think this worker’s

hardhat and ear plugs are protecting him?
Safety Consultation and Compliance

A safer work environment and improved productivity can be achieved more easily when employers
and employees work together, consult on hazards and discuss and find solutions to problems
cooperatively. Workplace safety consultation is achieved through the involvement of employer and
employee representatives in accordance with state and federal Acts. (For e.g. read the Victorian OHS
Act 2004 Part 4 Section 35 and 36).
Duty of Employers to consult with HSRs

The OHS Act requires employers to consult with their HSRs (Health and Safety Representatives) on
all occupational health and safety matters. An employer needs to consult with the HSR:
 to identify and assess hazards or risks to health and safety in the workplace
 before making decisions to control risks to health and safety in the workplace
 before changes are implemented that may affect the health and safety of employees
 before policies and procedures are introduced
 before making decisions about facilities for the welfare of employees.
WorkSafe Inspectors
WorkSafe inspectors are appointed under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 to deal with
health and safety issues. WorkSafe inspectors are authorised to enter workplaces at any time and to
issue whatever directions are necessary for them to carry out their functions (For example, they can
issue a direction to stop a person or persons working in a way that could endanger his or her life or
the lives of other workers).
They are also authorised to:
 Issue Non-disturbance Notices – to ensure that particular parts of the site being
investigated by inspectors are not disturbed
33
 Issue Improvement Notices – directing employers to fix safety problems within a
specified time.
 Issue a Prohibition Notice – directing employers to cease unsafe activities that have
immediate risks to the health and safety of workers
 Conduct interviews and make enquiries
 Take photographs, samples, recordings and measurements
 Examine and copy documents
Safe Work Method Statements

In July 2008 the construction section (Part 5.1) of the Victorian OHS Regulations introduced new
terminology - Safe Work Method Statements. The SWMS is similar to a Job Safety Analysis (JSA),
which had been previously widely used in the Victorian construction industry. Under these
regulations SWMS will be required to be developed for high risk construction work.
For example:
1. Where there is a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres
2. Working on telecommunications towers
3. Involving demolition
4. Involving the removal or likely disturbance of asbestos
5. Involving structural alterations that require temporary support to prevent collapse
6. Involving a confined space
7. Involving a trench or shaft if the excavated depth is more than 1·5 metres
8. Involving a tunnel
9. Involving the use of explosives
10. On or near pressurised gas distribution mains or piping
11. On or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines
12. On or near energised electrical installations or services
13. In an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere
14. Involving tilt-up or precast concrete
15. On or adjacent to roadways or railways used by road or rail traffic
16. At workplaces where there is any movement of powered mobile plant
17. In an area where there are artificial extremes of temperature
18. In, over or adjacent to water or other liquids where there is a risk of drowning
19. Involving diving.
Responsibilities for safe handling of materials are manifested in the

following practices
Planning for the effective management and health and safety includes four main features:
1. Organizational planning.
2. Review.
3. Identifying organizations legislative responsibilities.
4. Consulting with worker.
It is advised the planning process involves:
 Clearly defining objectives using risk assessment process
 Establish performance indicators
 Designing specific actions or controls to achieve
 Designing responsibilities for achieving performance indicators
 Principles of effective consultation
Construction safety procedures are established and managed in accordance with OHS, welfare and
risk management requirements and key personnel are identified.
Safety is critical in the operation of plant and equipment such as cranes, forklifts, elevating work
platforms, excavators, backhoes, etc. The Plant Part of the OHS Regulations 2007 applies to major
items of equipment including mobile plant used on building construction sites.
All other hand operated (mechanical and manual plant) is covered currently by the provisions of the
Victorian OHS Act 2004. The Regulations require employers to carry out hazard identification on all
major and mobile plant used on site.
A SWMS - which can incorporate plant hazard identification and risk assessment - should be
developed for all tasks involving major and mobile plant, taking into consideration the following:
 The systems of work associated with the use of the plant

 The layout and conditions in the workplace where the plant is used
 The capability, skill and experience of the operator
 Any reasonable foreseeable abnormal operating conditions
 Safety of the plant when out of service or when not in use
The Regulations state that the Risk Control Hierarchy must be applied when determining how plant
hazards are to be controlled.
The hazard controls in the hierarchy are, in order of decreasing effectiveness:
1. Elimination
2. Substitution
3. Engineering
4. Administration
5. Personal protective equipment
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Safety Documentation for use of all Major and Mobile Plant on Site
The person responsible for managing major and mobile plant on building and construction sites
should ensure the following documentation is received from contractors:
 Up-to-date records and schedules of plant maintenance

 Plant hazard identifications (which may be included in a SWMS document)
 Plant Daily Operators’ Checklists
 Certificates of Competency or High Risk Work Licences for plant operators
A visual inspection of plant by a responsible person - in accordance with the Plant Daily Operators’
Checklists – should be conducted prior to first use. This information above, alongside the plant or
equipment manufacturer’s number and type, should be entered into the Plant Register. The rules for
operating mobile plant near overhead powerlines (see Electrical Safety – Overhead Powerlines) must
be strictly obeyed.
Certificates of Competency and High Risk Work Licences for Operating Plant
An up to date register of certificate or High Risk Work Licence holders should be accessible on site
and a Certificate of Competency or equivalent High Risk Work Licence is required for the operation
of the following major and mobile plant equipment listed below:
 Tower cranes Including self erecting cranes
 Portal boom cranes
 Bridge and gantry cranes
 Slewing mobile cranes
 Vehicle loading cranes
 Tele-handler -capacity greater than three tonne and no work platform -mobile crane
licence
 Tele-handler-work platform, boom length 11 metres or greater, a boom type EWP
licence
What laws, regulations, rules or standards apply to your organisation?

There are a lot of laws - a lot of laws - and you're supposed to observe all of them. It goes without
saying that you're not supposed to defraud people, discriminate against or harass them, or breach
the general prohibitions applying to everyone. Critically, there are laws that apply particularly to not-
for-profit organisations.
See the help sheet on legal risks for a rundown of some of the national and state-based laws you
may be subject to.
Depending on where you are and what you do, your organisation may also have to comply with
council by-laws.
Australian WHS law places duties of care on the following persons:
PCBUs – A PCBU (Person Undertaking a Business or Undertaking) is the legal entity operating a
business or undertaking. A PCBU may be an individual person or an organisation conducting a
business or undertaking.
Examples of PCBUs that are organisations include:
 public companies
 private companies
 trustees that are companies
 cooperatives that are companies
 government departments and authorities
 incorporated associations if they employ someone
 local authorities (municipal corporations or councils)
 schools
Examples of PCBUs who are individuals include:
 partners in partnerships
 sole traders and the self employed
 individual trustees of trusts (as with some family businesses)
 Committee members of unincorporated associations if they employ
someone.
Officers – who are the senior executives who make, or participate in making, decisions that affect
the whole, or a substantial part, of the business or undertaking? Officers may be a person identified
within the meaning of section 9 of the Corporations Act (not including a partner in a partnership), an
officer of the Crown, and an officer of a public authority.
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Workers and other persons at the workplace – are people who work in the workplace as well as
other people that are currently present in the workplace.
WHS Act makes it clear that an individual is not a PCBU if they are in the business or undertaking
only as a worker or officer. Individuals that are directors or those who belong in managerial
positions have separate and specific duties as officers.
What is the purpose of Duty holders in Australian WHS law?

Everyone has a role to play to ensure that health and safety is a priority in the workplace. The Work
Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) and Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 require persons
who have a duty to ensure health and safety to ‘manage risks’ by eliminating health and safety risks
so far as is reasonably practicable, and if it is not reasonably practicable to do so, to minimise those
risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
Duty holders have a very important role in preserving health and safety during an emergency
situation. As indicated in the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Work Health and Safety
Regulations 2011, duty holders ensure health and safety by managing risk through the elimination of
risks to safety and health using reasonable practices. If the methods are not reasonable or practical
to do, risks should be minimised as soon as possible.
Manual Handling: Basic Principles Manual handling is part of almost every physical activity and there
are many ways to reduce the risk of injury.
We can reduce the risk of manual handling injury at work if we:

 perform a variety of work tasks during the day
 alternate between tasks wherever possible
 perform movements smoothly in a comfortable balanced posture with minimal bending
 twisting and over reaching change your posture and working position throughout the day to
avoid prolonged sitting
 standing take regular breaks from repetitive tasks
 position tools, controls, equipment or furniture to allow work to be done in a comfortable
upright position with most work carried out at waist level if you have to keep reaching for
something move it closer
 provide adequate space so you are not working in a cramped position – your workspace
should be uncluttered and well lit try to avoid working on areas of floor that are cluttered,
uneven, wet or slippery
 wear proper clothing and footwear (personal protective equipment) e.g. gloves, non-slip
shoes, apron if an activity concerns you, tell your supervisor so to determine if the activity
can be done differently, or if your work area can be improved.
 store loads close to where they will be used and try to store heavy items near waist height
 don’t lift, push or pull anything too heavy – break the load down into smaller lots
 use mechanical aids such as a trolley or get help when lifting heavy loads
 don’t lift heavy items while you're sitting down
 hold loads close to the body
 Lifting safely from low levels
Risk Assessment Activities with a high manual handling risk rating require a specific manual handling
risk assessment to identify manual handling hazards, assess the risk and determine appropriate risk
elimination or control measures.
The following process outlines the manual handling risk assessment approach as outlined in the
National Code of Practice for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders from Performing Manual
Tasks at Work and the WorkCover NSW Manual Handling Risk Guide.
`When assessing the risk, particular consideration will be given to:

 actions and movements
 workplace and workstation layout
 working posture and position
 duration and frequency of manual handling
 load location and distances moved
 weights and forces
 characteristics of loads and equipment
 work organisation
 skills and experience
 age, health, fitness for specific jobs
 clothing
 special needs of workers
 any other relevant factors relevant to the situation when manual handling arises.
Risk Elimination and Control: Where possible the elimination of risks associated with manual
handling should be implemented. This may include the determination of whether the manual task is
necessary. This is best achieved when workplaces, equipment, items to be handled and systems of
work are being designed.
Examples of control measures to minimise the risk of injury associated with manual handling tasks
include:
redesigning equipment, plant or the workplace in order to avoid twisting or side
bending
reducing excessive reach or heavy loads using mechanical aids where appropriate
implementing training programmes designed to educate new, casual and existing
employees with regard to hazards and/or appropriate techniques to reduce the risk
of injury
ongoing supervision of staff by Supervisor
provision of safe work procedures for manual handling tasks
using ‘expert’ advice for specific issues, eg. Engineer, occupational therapist or
physiotherapist.
39
All risk controls identified throughout the risk assessment process must be entered into SafetyNet to
ensure allocation of priorities and timeframes. Further information on the risk management process
can be found in the Federal and State Risk Management Guidelines.
2.5. Construction safety procedures are established and managed in accordance

with OHS, welfare and risk management requirements and key personnel are
identified.
How can managers ensure the welfare and risk management requirements are addressed and key
personnel are identified?
Risk management in business involves the forecasting and evaluation of financial risks together with
the identification of procedures to avoid or minimize their impact.
All states and territories have made new WHS laws based on the model laws, except for Victoria and
Western Australia. This is why the Victorian and Western Australian acts and regulations still refer to
OH&S (or OSH) instead of WHS.
Developing a good workplace safety culture is a critical part of developing consultation in

implementing workplace health and safety. A workplace safety culture needs to be an intrinsic part
of how an organisation operates and part of the culture of each individual organisation: it is not a
separate ‘add-on’. It is not a short term fix, but a longer term commitment.
Organisations which fail to create a safety-focused workplace culture will find it difficult to meet
legislative requirements because all levels of management and employees need to be working
together for a culture of safety to exist and to have subsequent workplace effects.
The workplace safety culture can be identified within a
business by specific indicators, including attitudes and
behaviours of employees and management, the workplace
environment, implementation of systems of work, and the type
of work health and safety discussions and consultation across
the business at all levels.
There are anecdotal and systematic factors which can be

identified by comprehensive internal and external auditing
which point towards the level of workplace safety culture.
These not only look at systems which are implemented, but the
attitudes, behaviours and values of people within the system.
When a commitment is made to creating a safe workplace, the

culture is visible and evident through the people in the
workplace, their actions, beliefs, values and attitudes.
Risks in a workplace which has a culture of safety, are taken

seriously by everyone and identified, discussed, documented,
examined and resolved. Everyone takes responsibility for
improving safety and it is not just left to any one group of
people in the workplace.
Every person who engages in any activity – more so in building and construction activities - is
impacted in some way by risks, so every person has an active role in being ‘risk aware’. This involves
identifying, assessing and managing risks and opportunities in day-to-day decision-making and
planning, as well as understanding and adhering to the reporting process within the work place
framework. Certain people who are more active in the risk management process than others
include:
 All people who work for any organizations are encouraged to identify and report risks
 Senior staff and managers who help employees cooperate and comply with controls
put into place by the organization to mitigate certain risks
 Certain individuals within the organization and within each of the Controlled Entities
who monitor and review or formally report on risks
 Others who carry out tasks, often in collaboration, to ensure that risks are treated or
controlled. Everyone is expected to work individually and collectively towards the
active promotion of a positive risk management culture within and across the Company
and its Controlled Entities
Just as the organisations can employ the services of legal councillor a recruitment specialist or
taxation advisor on a consultancy base it can also engage the services of others people in the health
and safety service.
People or groups who can be able to act as specialists or advisors include:
41
 Audiologist
 Ergonomics
 Health professionals
 Occupational health professionals
 Occupational hygienists
 Safety engineers
 Safety professionals
 Toxicologists
Prior to retaining assistance from questions designed to identify what skills or knowledge are needed
must be formulated. Once these questions are finalised the organization can select specialist by
asking the following questions:
(a) Do they possess the appropriate facilitation?

(b) Is their experience relevant?
(c) Is their experience sufficient?
(d) Are they a member of their professional associations?
(e) How do they keep up to date?
(f) What work they have done?
2.6. Safety induction procedures are established and managed in the event of
dangerous incidents, injuries and accidents.
What is OHS induction training?
OHS induction training means construction safety awareness training undertaken prior to
commencing construction work. OHS induction training includes general, site induction and task
specific training that meets the requirements of this Code and which is completed to the satisfaction
of the person delivering the training.
Why provide workplace specific induction?
Any person who is to carry out construction work must complete general construction induction
training to receive a general construction induction training card, commonly referred to as the
‘White Card’. This training provides people new to the construction industry with a basic knowledge
of work health and safety requirements. But there is also a general duty to provide information,
instruction and training. So it is a good idea to give workers and other people workplace specific
induction training so they understand the health and safety matters that are particular to the
construction workplace.
A workplace specific induction process is also a useful way to check other things required by law are
in place, for example that workers hold White Cards and plant operators have any relevant high risk
work licences.
What OHS training is needed in the construction industry?
The construction industry involves people working in a dynamic and ever-changing environment.
Hazards and risks change frequently on a site as construction work progresses and as workers move
from project to project. A large majority of the industry’s workforce is employed by sub-contractors
who undertake work on many different sites managed by different contractors, and often within
different sectors of the industry.
The instruction and training used to ensure people can work safely on construction sites needs to
recognise the pattern of employment and the way the construction industry operates.
Therefore, three types of OHS induction training may be required, these include:
1) General induction which provides persons entering the construction industry with a
basic knowledge of requirements under OHS laws, the common hazards and risks likely
to be encountered on construction sites and how these risks should be controlled.
2) Site induction which provides information and instruction to anyone engaged on a
particular construction site with knowledge of the contractor’s rules and procedures for
site safety, emergency management, the supervisory and reporting arrangements and
other site-specific issues.
3) Task-specific induction which provides information and instruction to anyone
undertaking a particular construction activity of the risk factors and control measures
relating to that task.
Safety induction procedures are established and managed in the event of dangerous incidents,
injuries and accidents.
A PCBU must provide the information, training and instruction necessary to protect all people from
risks to their health and safety arising from the work being carried out. Workers and other people at
the workplace, including visitors should be given workplace specific induction training before work
starts or before they enter an operational construction zone. This will inform people about the
hazards and risks they may face at the workplace, how the risks are controlled and what to do in an
emergency.
The National Standard for Construction Work provides for the following exceptions where OHS
induction training is not required. These include:
 Visitors to a construction site who are accompanied by a person who has received
occupational health and safety induction training.
 Persons temporarily at a construction site to deliver plant, supplies, materials or services
where a risk assessment indicates that any risks to persons can be controlled through other
measures (such as implementing visitor management plans, restricted access to low-risk
areas, visitor sign-in/out procedures etc).
However, this code recognises that there may be some situations where varying levels of induction
training are needed. For example, a person temporarily at a construction site may need general
induction, or only site induction or no induction training, depending on the nature and extent of the
expected level of risk at the site or for the particular task, and the level of supervision.
43
General induction training aims to provide persons new to the construction industry with a basic
knowledge of OHS legislative requirements, principles of risk management and the prevention of
injury and illness in the construction industry.
General induction training should comprise a formal training program that provides workers in the
construction industry with an awareness and understanding of:
 The rights and responsibilities under OHS law
 Common hazards and risks in the construction industry
 Basic risk management principles, and
 The standard of behaviour expected of workers on construction sites.
Who needs to undertake general induction training?
General induction training is:

(a) Recommended for all persons who carry out construction work, including site managers and
supervisors, surveyors, labourers and trades persons
(b) Recommended for all persons who access operational construction zones unaccompanied or
not directly supervised by an inducted person
(c) Recommended for all persons whose employment causes them to routinely enter
operational construction zones. For all other persons the need for induction training should
be determined by a risk assessment.
The following table, although not an exhaustive list, provides some examples of persons who
may or may not need general induction training.
45
What content is covered by general induction training?
General induction training consists of the knowledge and skills described in the unit of competency
“Work safely in the construction industry” (BCG03 General Construction Training Package).
The training should include at least the following health and safety topics:
 Identify and understand roles, responsibilities and rights of duty holders: - Duty of care under
common law - Rights, responsibilities and enforcement provisions under OHS legislation
 Understand OHS communication and reporting processes: - Mechanisms for raising issues and
reporting unsafe conditions - Role and function of OHS representatives, committees or other
OHS consultation arrangements
 Apply the principles of risk management: - Identify hazards - Assess risks - Control risks (including
the hierarchy of control) - Monitor and review
 Identify common hazards and control measures: - Manual handling - Hazardous substances
(including asbestos) and dangerous goods - Noise national code of practice for induction for
construction work 14 - Plant and equipment (including inspection, maintenance, licensing
requirements) - UV radiation - Electrical safety - Traffic and mobile plant - Working at heights
(including falling objects) - Excavations (including trenches) - Confined spaces - Unplanned
collapse - Hot and cold working environments - Infectious diseases
 Interpret and apply safety information and documentation: - OHS management plans - Work
method statements, material safety data sheets, safety signs
 Use safe work practices: - Drugs and alcohol - Amenities - Smoking - Bullying/harassment -
Housekeeping - Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
 Respond to OHS incidents: - First-aid - Accident & incident reporting - Emergency procedures -
Workers’ compensation and injury management
Who can deliver general induction training?
Training should be delivered under the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) by a
Registered Training Organisation (RTO) with the relevant scope of registration.
The RTO needs to ensure that the training is

delivered by a competent person who:
Holds a Certificate IV in Training
and Assessment from the Training
and Assessment Training Package,
or is able to demonstrate
equivalent competencies, and
Has vocational competencies
relevant to the construction
industry.
When should general induction training be provided?
General induction should be completed once upon entry to the industry before commencing
construction work. However, general induction may be repeated when the person with control of
the construction work decides that there is a need for re-training. This can be determined through
supervision, incidents, risk management, or when a person re-enters the industry after an extended
absence (e.g. 2 consecutive years).
What information is required for residential site induction?

Residential construction sites may not be overly complex and often present similar hazards and risks.
As indicated previously, site induction will vary between construction sectors and it may not be
practical or necessary to provide the same level of site induction in the residential construction
sector as expected for general construction. Therefore, in many cases it may be appropriate to
provide the site safety management information by phone or fax.
However, particular care needs to be taken to ensure that where there are unusual hazards or risks
associated with the site, people undertaking construction work are adequately informed of these
hazards and risks and the measures that are in place to control them (e.g. location of underground
services, site access issues, steep block issues).
However, if a worker is inexperienced, the person with control of the residential construction work
should provide information about relevant hazards and control measures, with some initial on-site
supervision to be satisfied that the worker can undertake the construction work safely. For large or
complex residential construction projects, site induction should be based on the site safety plan or
OHS management plan.
Who can develop site induction? It should be developed by the person with control of the project or
site, in consultation with other duty holders during the planning and preparation stage wherever
possible. The content should be regularly reviewed during the life of the construction project and
updated whenever there are changes to the site that may affect health and safety.
How are participants trained and assessed?

Site induction should be provided in the form of information and instructions by a competent person
who is familiar with the site and its hazards and risks (e.g. foreman or supervisor). The induction
should be tailored to overcome any language barriers. There is no requirement for assessment
attached to this training. How long does site induction take? There is no nominal duration for this
training. The timing will vary based on the nature, complexity and level of risk associated with the
47
project and/or site. It may also be influenced by such things as the size of the site, number and
variety of trades concurrently undertaking work and the extent of change as work progresses.
When should site induction be provided?

Site induction should be provided prior to commencing construction work at each new site and
whenever there are changes to the site at which work is being undertaken that may affect health
and safety.
What evidence of training is needed?

The principal contractor or person with control of the construction work should make a record of the
names of persons inducted and the date it was provided. Acknowledgement of the training may be
obtained from participants, e.g. signature on a training register.
2.7. Safety reporting processes and documentation are developed and

implemented in accordance with organisational and legislative
requirements.
It is important to document health and safety activities and keep these records for the sake of:
1. meeting legal requirements > providing information to workers
2. monitoring health and safety performance.
Induction training records provide evidence of training activities and should include names of
participants, the training content, who conducted the training and when it was provided. Training
records should be made available on request to relevant parties (subject to compliance with relevant
privacy principles), including:
persons in control of the construction work or construction project
persons undertaking the training
employers or persons engaging others for the purposes of construction work, and
OHS inspectors.
Record keeping responsibilities
RTO responsibilities
RTOs are required to document and implement procedures to assure the integrity, accuracy and
currency of records, including
1. secure storage, including backup of electronic records
2. retention, archiving and retrieval of student results for a period of 30 years
3. retention, archiving, retrieval and transfer of all other records consistent with contractual, legal
and registration requirements
4. compliance with external reporting requirements
5. safeguarding any confidential information obtained by the RTO and committees, individuals or
organisations acting on its behalf
6. ensuring that, except as required under the Standards for Registered Training Organisations or
by law, information about a client is not disclosed to a third party without the written consent of
the client, and
7. access by clients to their personal records. There may be additional records that duty holders
need to provide to the relevant OHS authority and to ensure compliance with state or territory
requirements.
Responsibilities of persons with control

A person with control of a construction project, or with control of construction work, should retain
records of induction training for the duration of employment or construction project and a further
three years after cessation of employment or completion of the construction project.
Responsibilities of persons undertaking induction training

Persons who undertake general OHS induction training should keep their own copies of evidence of
training to indicate to relevant parties that they have satisfactorily completed OHS induction
training. Persons attending site specific or work activity induction should sign a training attendance
register and should provide copies of all relevant qualifications and licences to the employer or
principal contractor for their records.
49
51
3. Manage supply of materials and installation of equipment.
A construction project depends upon having the right people with right skills and equipment that are
able to deliver the project on time and on budget. Having the right materials in the right place at the
right time is equally important, and having the cash flow and capital to procure the labour and
materials is also important.
The materials on a project can represent anything from 30% to 70% of the cost of the work, yet
material management has not received a lot of attention from researchers.
Labour, material, tools, equipment and cash are the main parts of any construction project. Material
management is the system for planning and controlling to ensure that the right quality and quantity
of materials and equipment are specified in a timely manner.
Materials should be obtained at a reasonable cost, and be available for use when needed. The cost
of materials represents a large proportion of the cost. Analysis of project cost for civil engineering
projects showed the materials and plant component can be up to 70% of the project cost dependent
upon the type of project and the extent of mechanisation and plant used, whilst on commercial
building and housing projects the proportion is around 45%-50%.
3.1. Process for placing orders for materials is established and managed
to ensure the timely and cost effective supply of materials and
installation of equipment.
Material Management Challenges on a Construction Site
Material management can be divided into five categories:

1. The measurement and specification
2. The procurement and purchasing process where the order is
transmitted to the supplier
3. Delivery to site and logistics of checking the order, off loading,
and storing on site
4. The administrative and financial process of payment
5. Using the materials in production on the job site and
removing the waste.
53
Research has identified a gap between the procurement and ordering of materials and the delivery
and use of the material on site at the production stage. This paper deals with this one aspect of
materials management and focuses upon how technology can help to improve the tracking and
delivery of the materials. Consideration will be given to how GPS and GIS can be used to help SMEs
in managing the process.
There are numerous problems that may arise when purchasing and managing the supply
of materials.
These may include:

 Not matching materials with the ordering purchase
 Forgetting to order materials
 Over or under ordering resources
 Materials arriving early or late
 Failing to properly implement a JIT strategy
 Lack of training and adequate management
 Lack of communication and effective relationships between contractors and supply chain
companies (this can be the main obstacles.
 Failure to order on time which delays the projects;
 Delivery at the wrong time which interrupts the work schedule;
 Wrong materials or error in direction of materials requiring re-work;
 Theft of materials from delivery into production;
 Double handling of materials because of inadequate material.
 Materials arriving to the site at the wrong time or in the wrong amount
 Lack of information regarding when material will arrive at the site
 Lack of knowledge about existing site stock
 Missing materials,
 Unavailability of storage space
 Labourers wasting money by spending a long time searching for materials on site.
Construction Material Management
Material management is defined as planning, identification, procuring, storage, receiving and
distributing materials. The purpose of material management is to assure that the right materials are
in the right place, in the right quantities when needed. The material management department for is
responsible for the flow of materials; from the time the materials are ordered, received, and stored,
until they are used.
Material management is a vital function for improving the productivity of construction projects
because:
 The management of materials should be considered at all the phases of the
construction process and throughout the construction and production periods.
 Poor material management can often affect the overall construction time,
quality and budget.
The Aim of Material Management is to get:

1. The Right quality
2. Right quantity of supplies
3. At the Right time
4. At the Right place
5. For the Right cost
6. The administrative and financial process of payment
7. Using the materials in production on the job site and
removing the waste.
Material Planning
Material planning includes measuring, ordering and scheduling. It should be emphasized that
planning is a very important process that can be used to increase productivity and profit, and assist
in the timely completion of construction projects.
The productivity of the construction project will be at serious risk if the material planning process is
not implemented properly.
Purchasing
Purchasing is the means by which companies obtain the services and resources required from a
supplier. Without this vital step running efficiently, companies will not get the support they need to
run their construction projects. All operations require purchasing, from production to marketing,
sales and logistics.
Co-ordinating purchasing by creating a detailed material list is critical step in assuring the material
will available on construction site.
55
According to Ninad Shah and Manish Dave, a purchasing procedure can be described as
below:
Step 1 – Material Indent
Step 2 – Enquiry to Vendors
Step 3 – Vendor Comparison
Step 4 – Vendor Selection and Negotiations
Step 5 – Purchase Order
Step 6 – Vendor Evaluation
Inventory control department

The job of the inventory control department is to decide about:
 the types of ordering system
 fixing the safety stock limits
 fixing up the reorder level & maximum / minimum stock levels.
Receiving, inspection and despatching

The responsibility of the receiving, inspection and despatching department is to receive the
materials when they are delivered by the suppliers. After receiving it, the quantity and quality must
be checked. Production parts and materials are checked against blueprints and specifications. Non-
production items are also reviewed. When it is compared with the specifications given, the goods
will be accepted.
The Value Analysis and Standardization

The Value Analysis and Standardization offers the greatest scope in reducing the cost of materials. It
also reduces the number of variables and helps in finding the substitute for the materials at a lesser
cost.
Logistics
Logistics is a concept that stresses the movement of the materials. It involves planning,
implementing, and controlling the movement and storage of all things from raw materials to the
finished product, in order to meet client requirements. During construction project, routing of the
materials will affect the cost and time it takes to complete the construction projects.
Disposal of Scrap and Surplus/ Material Preservation

 Stock control can be categorized as a technique used to cover and ensure all materials or
equipment are available when needed.
 Stock control manages raw materials, processed materials, assembly components,
consumable stores, general stores, maintenance materials and spares, works in progress
and finished products.
 It is very important that construction materials are delivered as requested and with the
progression by the proper management of stock control.
 At the same time, construction activities will generate a big amount of the waste and it
will cause difficulty to the construction industry.
 However, if planning of the material management is effective, it will help to reduce the
waste of material and increase the profit of the companies.
Problems of Material Management

Organisation Structure: the coordination and communication between the estimating department,
research and development department, purchasing department, and plant and machineries
department should be maintained at the highest level.
Main issues occurring in an organisational structure:

 Undefined scope
 Lack of communication between parties involved
 Incomplete drawings
 Plans not completed or details missing
 Lack of conformance to requirements
 Nonstandard specifications that are not commonly used
 Incomplete / ineffective meetings
 Difference between plans and specifications
 Communication not being specific enough
Procurement problems include:

 Availability of material
 Availability of quantity
 Price reduction to match competitor’s price
 Late deliveries
 Materials not delivered as per the schedule
 Late or incorrect submittals
 Poor communication between parties
 Lack of conformance regarding requirements
 Unrealistic delivery dates
 Re-handling of materials
57
 Storage areas are limited or are far from the working area
 Theft or damaging during handling or other conditions
Storage Space
The term storage space implies both enclosed and open space that can be used to keep materials of
work safe until the need for it arise.
Large numbers of materials are required depending on the magnitude of the project.
 All materials need protection against many threats such as pilferage, theft, damage or
loss
 Material such as aggregates, bricks/blocks may not require enclosed storage protection;
they simply require proper outdoor positioning and stacking. However, other materials
such as reinforcement bars, steel columns, timber, and galvanized steel for trusses must
be protected against contact with water in order to avoid rust/corrosion.
 The size of the proposed building may occupy 60% of the total project site, enabling the
remaining 40% to be used for temporary access and site facilities. In such case, the
planners must arrange for periodic delivery of certain materials to avoid cluttering the
space, and maintain constant operation.
Security Problem
Security of materials onsite is of paramount importance. Gradual pilferage and theft are issues of
concern to the project managers. Loss of materials through pilferage and theft represent financial
lost to the project as a whole, and in the end it increases the cost of the entire project. Materials are
prone to be stolen despite being in storage. Some materials, as earlier mentioned, may not require
indoor storage; therefore, a well designated monitoring system must be implemented and
maintained 24 hours onsite.
Availability of Materials on the Market

Steady flow of materials throughout the project duration is among the primary function of material
management. However, this can be affected by the market availability of the material of work.
Occasionally manufacturers can run out of raw material or be affected by government policy to the
extent that production may have to be slowed down or suspended. Unavailability of materials in the
market place can affect material management by either increasing competition in material
purchases or delaying the general work progress.
Importance Benefits of Effective Materials Management Includes:

 Lower prices for material and equipment.
 Faster inventory turnover.
 Continuity of supply.
 Reduced lead time.
 Reduced transportation cost.
 Less duplication of efforts.
 Elimination of bulk- passing.
 Reduced number of obsolete materials.
 Improved supplier relationship
 Better records and information storage.
 Better inter-department cooperation & Personnel development
 The better accountability generated by the materials handling procedures, the less likely
it is for departments to blame others for areas where they hold responsibility.=
 Materials management departments ensure a better quality of materials provide. This
can lead to a better performance of the organization.
If the responsibility for the management of materials is taken by a single authority, this can lead to
better coordination, because it becomes the central point of resolution for any resource-related
problems.
A materials management system is usually controlled through a system, therefore, can help
decision-making related to the material in the organisation.
The competent person should:

 through a process of elimination identify any faulty tool or equipment that may have
caused the tripping
 remove faulty equipment that may have caused or been damaged by the tripping
 check if water has affected any area and the tools and equipment in that area
 refer the matter to a licensed electrician if:
o The cause of the tripping cannot be readily identified
o tripping may have been caused by the switchboard or construction wiring
(including a lighting sub-circuit)
o circuit breaker or RCD cannot be reset.
Construction sites are dynamic workplaces where permanent wiring or construction wiring may be
at risk of mechanical damage from changes to the site.
Inspection and testing

Before every use, plant (including portable electrical tools and equipment, appliances and flexible
extension cords) should be inspected for wear and mechanical damage. Plant must be inspected
before it is used for the first time and tested every three months for earth continuity, and insulation
resistance in accordance with AS/NZS 3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical
equipment. Inspection and testing needs to be undertaken by either:
a) a licensed electrician
b) a licensed electrical inspector
c) a person who has successfully completed a structured training course and been deemed
competent in the use of a pass-fail type portable appliance tester and the visual inspection
of electrical equipment. (Refer to Appendix C).
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Generators
When a generator supplies a fixed installation it must be:
1. Installed and certified by a licensed electrician and a certificate of electrical safety must be
provided
2. Inspected by a licensed electrical inspector before it is used for the first time, and after any
alteration to the location or installation of the generator. Where generators are supplying
fixed switchboards, the RCD may be mounted on the switchboard
Lift shafts
Where a permanent lift installation is connected to construction wiring, the following conditions
must be met:
 the wiring must comply with AS/NZS 3013 Electrical installations – Classification of the
fire and mechanical performance of wiring system elements
 the cables must be fire rated
 the electrical supply must not be subjected to other main switches
 all other safety requirements of AS/NZS 3000 must be met
When installing plant an installer should ensure:

1. Plant is erected or installed having regard to the manufacturer’s instructions, including
ensuring that specialised tools, jigs and necessary appliances used to minimise risk of injury
during installation are used.
2. Access to and egress (unused space) from plant complies with relevant standards
3. Plant is stable during installation.
4. The interaction of plant with people, work processes and other plant is considered
5. Environmental factors affecting installation and use (eg wet conditions) are considered
6. All electrical installations associated with plant comply with AS 3000 (also known as the
Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules) as far as it is relevant.
Commissioning plant
Commissioning plant involves performing the necessary adjustments, tests and inspections to ensure
plant is in full working order, matching specified requirements before the plant is used.
Commissioning also includes recommissioning.
The person who commissions plant should ensure that:

 the commissioning sequence is in accordance with the design specifications, and
tests, such as dummy runs, are carried out to check that the plant will perform
within the design specifications.
Instruction, training and supervision

Before plant is used in your workplace, you must provide your workers and other persons who are to
use the plant with; information, training, instruction and/or necessary supervision to protect them
from risks arising from the use of the plant. You must also provide the necessary safety information
to persons who are involved in installing, commissioning, testing, maintaining or repairing plant, as
well as decommissioning, dismantling or disposing of plant. This safety information should include
descriptions on the types of hazards and risks the plant may pose to the person when they are
carrying out these activities.
Safe work procedures need to include instructions on:

 the correct use of guarding and other control measures
 how to safely access and operate the plant
 who may use an item of plant, for example only authorised or licensed operators
 how to carry out inspections, shut-down, cleaning, repair and maintenance
 traffic rules, rights of way, clearances and no-go areas for mobile plant, and
 emergency procedures.
Any emergency instructions relating to an item of plant should be clearly displayed on or near it.
Training programs should be practical and ‘hands on’ and take into account the particular needs of
workers, for example literacy levels, work experience and specific skills required for safe use of the
plant.
Supervisors should take action to correct any unsafe work practices associated with plant as soon as
possible, otherwise workers may think that unsafe work practices are acceptable.
Managing the Risks when Inspecting plant Regulation

A person with management or control of plant at a workplace must ensure that maintenance,
inspection, and if necessary testing, of plant is carried out by a competent person in accordance with
manufacturer’s recommendations, or if those aren’t available, in accordance with recommendations
of a competent person.
If it is not reasonably practicable to comply with the manufacturer’s recommendations or the

recommendations of a competent person, the inspection and testing must occur annually.
The inspection of plant should be conducted in accordance with a regular maintenance system to
identify any:
potential problems that were not anticipated during plant design or task analysis
deficiencies in plant or the equipment associated with use of plant, for example wear and
tear, corrosion and damaged plant parts
adverse effects of changes in processes or materials associated with plant, and
inadequacies in control measures that have been previously implemented.
3.2. Procedures are established, managed and monitored for equipment

hire and maintenance.
The decision to purchase plant should consider the following:
 The working life of the plant - depends on use and maintenance.
61
 Utilisation of plant. A rate is set by the time it is available for use on a contract. Standing time
and maintenance time must also be considered.
 Depreciation. This will be greater in the first few years.
 Obsolescence. Plant can become obsolescent before it has finished its useful working life.
 Replacement costs should allow for inflation, and this should be built into the rate set, this may
mean revising the rate annually.
 Interest charges or loss of interest.
 Maintenance costs, including labour, materials, any plant department overheads.
 Insurance, licenses.
Ensuring Correct Use and Maintenance
A number of legal requirements relate to plant, these are covered by a number of pieces of
legislation including:
 Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

 Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992
 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
 Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994
 Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996
 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998(PUWER)
 Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
 Work at Height Regulations 2005 (amended 2007)
It is essential that only qualified personnel are allowed to use plant and that any tickets or licences
are current. The site manager should check to ensure that operators are current prior to allowing
them to use the plant. Many types of plant require that operators undergo training on a regular
basis and the site manager should be aware of what the requirements are.
Various types of plant need other personnel i.e. banks men; and plant should not be operated
without these being present.
Plant should only be used for the purpose it is designed to be used for and in the conditions it is
designed for. It will also be necessary to ensure that all safety aspects are conformed to with regard
to protecting the public and other operatives from the plant when it is in use and in ensuring all
maintenance is carried out and recorded.
Maintenance
The maintenance of plant is the responsibility of the plant department if owned by the company, or
the Hire Company if hired. Each piece of plant will have its own records which will be maintained
throughout its’ life so that a complete history of the plant is available. This will show all usage, a
record of all inspections and testing and any services and maintenance.
Although maintenance is not the responsibility of the site manager servicing is, although it tends to
be delegated to the person who is in charge of the plant. It is important that servicing is carried out
and recorded so the site manager should ensure that this has been done.
Prior to purchase of new or second-hand plant, a risk management process is to be conducted, (for
medium to high risk plant), and should include:
 Completion of a pre-purchase checklist. HS663a can be used for this task (unless the work
unit has an alternative form that meets the same intent). (Please refer to HS316, Health and
Safety Purchasing Guideline section 1 for when a Pre-purchase checklist is to be used).
 Hazards and risks associated with storage, transport, installation and commissioning and
how the risks will be controlled.
 Any safety specifications required, such as compliance with specific safety or technical
standards
 Whether the plant is registrable under schedule 5 of the WHS Regulation. (NSW or ACT)
 Whether the plant is suitable for its intended use, including the environment it will be used
in.
 Consideration of noise levels to be introduced (see HS708 Noise Management procedure).
 Any modification of the plant and the environment it will be in. For example, if the plant is
from overseas you will need to check for compliance with electrical wiring rules and plug
connections at least.
When buying a new plant consider the following:

 Where you will locate the plant – does it need its own restricted area, line marking or
fencing, does it need fixing in place or is it safe to use anywhere,will it be an obstruction or
emit any odours or fumes that need ventilation, can maintenance be performed safely?.
 The need to change any existing safe work procedures.
 How the plant may interact with existing equipment or processes (e.g. additional noise or
space impingement)
 Any special skills or licences required for operators or those installing, commissioning,
inspecting and maintaining the plant.
o (See also section 3.7 High risk work licences)
Second-Hand Plant Particular care should be taken when purchasing or acquiring second-hand plant.
In particular:
1. Where plant has been in service prior to purchase and information regarding safe use is not
available, a competent person should be engaged to assess the plant and develop this
information.
2. Safety features currently required on new plant may need to be retrospectively fitted to the
second-hand plant to effectively control the risk in the new workplace.
3. The supplier must provide information in writing about the condition of the plant and any
identified faults or, if the plant is supplied only for spare parts or scrap, that it is not to be
used as plant.
63
Hiring plant
When you hire plant, both you and the person you have hired it from must ensure that the plant is
safe to use. Factors for consideration:
 Before hiring you must assess that the plant is suitable for its intended use.
 Check that the plant has been inspected and maintained by the supplier according to
manufacturer’s specifications. This may involve checking log books or maintenance manuals.
 Ensure the supplier provides manufacturer’s information about the proper use of the plant.
In most cases the supplier is responsible for inspecting and maintaining the plant.
However, if the plant is to be hired for an extended period of time, you and the supplier will need to
develop arrangements to ensure the plant is adequately inspected and maintained throughout the
lease.
Install the plant

Where the plant is found not to conform to safety specifications identified prior to purchase then
any deficiencies must be rectified prior to being put into operational use. Install the plant according
to the manufacturer’s instructions, taking into account the hazards and risks involved in transporting
and setting up the item in the new location and consider environmental factors affecting installation
(e.g. wet conditions).
Commission the plant

Commissioning includes recommissioning of plant and is done to ensure the plant is in full and safe
working order. Commissioning includes testing:
I. That the plant operates as specified in the manual or if no manual exists that it operates
as you expect (this is often done by the manufacturer’s representative on site).
II. the functioning of any safety devices, guards or other engineering controls to ensure
they work and are easy to operate.
III. the functioning of safety controls which are not on the plant itself but assist to control
hazardous events arising from the plant, e.g. gas monitors, smoke alarms, electrical
safety switches.
Use of the Plant (Existing or New Plant)
Instruction, Training and Supervision

1. Determine the level of instruction, training and supervision required to ensure safe
operation and maintenance of the plant.
2. Identify what people need to know to operate the plant.
3. Identify the standard of performance required for different levels of supervision.
4. Identify how and by whom their competency will be assessed.
5. Document the training required according to the HS Training Procedure.
6. Maintain a register of trained personnel.
Complete risk management forms

The following should be considered in the process:
I. All the hazards and risks involved in use,
II. maintenance, alteration,
III. dismantling, storage and disposal of the plant.
How those risks will be managed. Refer to Modification Guideline for more information to ensure
particular risk controls and design standards are being implemented for the plant you are purchasing
or already using.
Safe Work procedure (SWP) A SWP is required where the lack of a procedure would increase the
risk of injury when operating the plant. Obtain and keep the Manufacturer’s instructions/manual for
the plant. These instructions will provide information to help complete the risk management
process, maintenance schedules and if necessary a Safe Work Procedure.
Inspection and Testing Plant requiring periodic inspection, testing, monitoring or maintenance,
must be identified and records need to be kept.
Testing and Monitoring Schedule: Identified problems arising from plant inspection and testing
should be documented and the recommendations for fixing the problem should be recorded.
Operate the plant

Use the plant according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you wish to deviate from them you will
need to risk assess and justify that aspect before continuing.
 Train personnel in the safe use of the plant if that is required. Where an SWP exists then the
training should at least be in the demonstrated ability to accurately follow that procedure.
 If the plant or work on the plant is considered as “High Risk” then use a permit to work
system, e.g. confined spaces, hot work in hazard zones, etc. Refer to HS820 Permit to work
procedure.
 Monitor that the plant is being used correctly and all risk controls are in place and used
correctly. Record that this monitoring takes place.
Report any incidents or malfunctioning of the plant to the owner/custodian.

If it is a matter which you cannot rectify yourself then you may report using the Online HS hazard
reporting system.
Any plant identified as unsafe must be quarantined or withdrawn from service
Monitoring
Recordkeeping refer to for record keeping duration and disposal requirements.
Records to be kept include:
I. Risk Management Form and/or operations manual relating to the plant.
II. A Safe Work Procedure which describes the safe manner of operation of the plant.
III. Plant Inspection, Testing and Monitoring (ITM) Schedule for all plant identified as requiring
ITM.
IV. Record of any alteration made to the plant
V. Records related to the inspection, testing, maintenance and monitoring of plant, such as log
books, checklists, timetables, etc
65
Electronic versions in the form of spreadsheet or database applications of these forms are permitted
e.g. SafeSys.
Monitoring the impact of major infrastructure construction – Noise and Vibration

As development continues and the population in major cities grows, construction noise may affect a
greater number of people. For these reasons, the construction industry needs to respond by
appropriately managing noise and vibration issues.
Construction often generates community noise/vibration complaints despite the limited time frame
over which it takes place. Complaints typically arise when the community has no clear understanding
of the extent or duration of the construction. Misunderstandings can arise when the contractor is
considered to be insensitive by the community even though he believes he is in compliance with
local regulations. This situation emphasizes the need for early identification and assessment of
potential problem areas.
In addition, community consultation is an essential part of managing noise from a construction

project. As part of a community consultation strategy, neighbouring premises should be given
written notification of the project. The information should outline the type and duration of works,
likely noise impacts, and provide contact details for feedback and/or complaints resolution.
Managing Environmental Issues in the Construction Projects

Major construction projects, such as roads and freeways, are important to Victoria's economic
development. During construction, however, such projects pose a significant risk to the
environment, which must be addressed by developers and contractors.
Construction practices that fail to control pollution can cause damage to waterways and wetlands,
kill fish, upset aquatic ecological systems and wildlife communities, and result in contamination of
land and groundwater. The risk to the environment is particularly high when work is done near
coastal areas, streams and creeks, or along a river valley. When construction occurs near built-up
areas, poor practices may result in air and noise pollution which may cause annoyance and affect the
health of neighbouring communities.
An initial assessment of the site should be conducted to identify sensitive environmental areas or
uses that require protection. These may include:
 sensitive or endangered flora and fauna
 aquatic plants and animals, if a natural waterway is affected
 groundwater recharge areas
 Depending on whether or not the construction site is near houses, schools or hospitals, the
impact of air discharges, noise and vibration on the health and amenity of adjacent residents
will need to be included in the assessment
Hazard identification
Hazard identification involves identifying activities that could lead to an adverse effect on the
environment, impair human health, result in a nuisance, or decrease the amenity of residents
adjacent to a construction site. It is necessary to consider both direct and potential causes of hazard,
which could cause water, air, land or noise pollution. Hazards may arise out of features of the site, or
the nature of construction activities. For example, clearing vegetation from large areas and exposing
erodible soil is a high-risk activity which may lead to dust generation and sediment run-off. Proposed
pollution prevention and control measures should be considered when identifying hazards, because
if they fail, there will be an adverse impact on the environment.
Consequence analysis
Consequence analysis determines the effect on the environment should a risk be realised. For
example, if a temporary river crossing should collapse it could be disastrous for a waterway. The
failure of a sediment fence will have less impact on the river. Two factors that should be considered
in the consequence analysis are: · significant long-term consequences, such as permanently altering
the ecology of an environmental system · significant short-term consequences, where the effects are
temporary The consequence analysis is independent of the probability of an event occurring.
67
Land Disturbance
Large projects usually involve extensive land

disturbance, involving removing vegetation and
reshaping topography. Such activities make the
soil vulnerable to erosion. Soil removed by
erosion may become airborne and create a
dust problem or be carried by water into
natural waterways and pollute them. Measures
to address the impact of land disturbance on
the environment should be included in the
planning and design phase of the project,
before any land is cleared. These measures
should be placed into the framework of the
segment environment control plan.
Noise and Vibration
While no specific statutory controls exist for noise from construction sites, all noise nuisances should
be reduced wherever possible from vehicles, fixed machinery within the site, blasting, general
construction activities, and from movements of vehicles servicing the site.
Operating hours
One of the most effective means of reducing noise nuisance from construction activities, where
there are residents nearby, is to limit the times of operation of noisy equipment vehicles, and
operations. There are occasions when it is necessary to work beyond these times. Exceptions can be
made in cases where an activity that has commenced cannot be stopped, such as a concrete pour,
and deliveries may need to be made outside normal working hours to avoid a major traffic hazard.
Waste Minimization
When choosing between waste minimisation options, the following hierarchy for waste
management is preferred:
(a) waste avoidance and/or reduction
(b) reuse
69
(c) recycling or diverting the waste stream in these ways means that waste treatment
and waste disposal options can be reduced.
Construction sites should pursue this hierarchy and seek out waste reduction opportunities.
Manage on-site operations
Site is the piece of land where something was, is, or is intended to be located
Operations are Jobs or tasks consisting of one or more elements or subtasks, performed typically in
one location.
Operations transform resource or data inputs into desired goods, services, or results, and create and
deliver value to the customers. Two or more connected operations constitute a process, and are
generally divided into four basic categories: (1) processing, (2) inspection, (3) transport, and (4)
storage.
Operational activities and management continue to be of central importance in developing

construction. Seen from a management perspective, organisational, quality and productivity issues
on the site still are very important explanations for the lack of economic success for contractors,
with important implications for clients, architects and consulting engineers.
4. Manage on-site operations.
In the element of ‘Manage on-site operations’, you will learn two performance criteria i.e. on site
operations and managing subcontractor.
4.1. On-site operations are managed to implement and maintain a safe and cost-
effective work environment in accordance with appropriate schedules and the
contract.
4.2. Subcontractor operations are managed and coordinated to ensure compliance

with company obligations.
Manage on-site operations
Site is the piece of land where something was, is, or is intended to be located
Operations are Jobs or tasks consisting of one or more elements or subtasks, performed typically in
one location.
Operations transform resource or data inputs into desired goods, services, or results, and create and
deliver value to the customers. Two or more connected operations constitute a process, and are
generally divided into four basic categories: (1) processing, (2) inspection, (3) transport, and (4)
storage.
Operational activities and management continue to be of central importance in developing

construction. Seen from a management perspective, organisational, quality and productivity issues
on the site still are very important explanations for the lack of economic success for contractors,
with important implications for clients, architects and consulting engineers.
4.1. On-site operations are managed to implement and

maintain a safe and cost-effective work environment in
accordance with appropriate schedules and the contract.
Managing a construction site is a lot of work. A construction manager must keep the project within
budget, on time, and of course, in accordance with numerous codes, laws, guidelines, etc.
With so many factors to keep track of, the more efficient you can be, the easier the job itself will be.
Your job will directly affect the quality of the project itself as well as the profits made and the time
taken.
71
Since we work predominately with construction companies, we decided to share some tips we’ve
gathered from different people over the years.
Tips for Your Construction Site
1. Know the Codes

It’s sometimes shocking how much red tape there is when building something. Even the simple
things. Every city and state is going to have slightly different rules, laws, and codes to abide by. It’s
best to know what you’re getting into right away as these will directly affect your schedule and
probably your budget too.
 Meet with your local building inspector. Adapt to your area.
2. Map out your schedule appropriately and effectively

On a construction site, you need to keep in schedule. But when do things ever go perfectly? The key
to scheduling is being locked in on the areas where you’re most confident and looser in the areas
where problems tend to arise.
 Have a shaky history with electrical work? Give a little padding to the time frame
surrounding that. Worst case scenario: everything goes smoothly and you’re ahead of
schedule.
3. Get Bids from Subcontractors

It might seem easier to just pick a subcontractor you’ve used before or run with the first
recommendation you get. But just like you had to bid on the construction job in the first place,
subcontractors should bid for you. That way, you get a more accurate idea of the budget and time
frame, and you also get the most for your money.
 Make these people work for you and earn your business.
4. Keep a Close Eye on Everything

Once you get the work started and everything scheduled in, it can be tempting to take a step back.
This, however, can potentially set you up for disaster. Once the work has started, follow along with
everyone’s progress, assisting when needed, commending workers when it’s deserved.
 You’re the project manager. Manage!
5. Use the Best Software Available to You

Keeping tabs on everything is hard. If you’re doing it by yourself, it’s practically impossible. That’s
why you need project management construction software. With software like Sage 300
Construction and Real Estate, you can track your budget to make sure it’s staying within your original
estimation.
It also has reactive technology built into it, so if something doesn’t go as planned, the software
changes things accordingly. With this kind of software, you can relax a little bit knowing that you’re
ready to face whatever challenges your project might contain.
4.2. Subcontractor operations are managed and coordinated to ensure

compliance with company obligations.
In economic terms, a building design is deemed to be cost-effective if it results in benefits equal to

those of alternative designs and has a lower whole life cost, or total cost of owner ship
The challenge is often how to determine the true costs and the true benefits of alternative decisions.
For example, what is the economic value in electric lighting savings and productivity increases of
providing daylight to workplace environments?
The following five overarching principles associated with ensuring cost-effective construction reflect
the need to accurately define costs, benefits, and basic economic assumptions.
1. Utilize Cost and Value Engineering Throughout the Planning, Design, and Development
Process
As most projects are authorised/funded without a means of increasing budgets, it is essential that
the project requirements are set by considering life-cycle costs. This will ensure that the budget
supports any first-cost premium that a life-cycle cost-effective alternative may incur. Once a budget
has been established, it is essential to continually test the viability of its assumptions by employing
cost management throughout the design and development process
2. Use Economic Analysis to Evaluate Design Alternatives

In addition to first costs, facility investment decisions typically include projected cost impacts of,
energy/utility use, operation and maintenance and future system replacements. At the beginning of
each project, establish what economic tools and models will be used to evaluate these building
investment parameters.
3. Continuous communication
The primary responsibility of any project leader is to ensure that there is a platform and regularity to
all team communication. Designers and contractors need something much closer to continuous
communication with no particular portion of the project de-emphasized or less important.
Technology allows for geographically diverse people to communicate with each other easily (but
beware technology as the cure-all for the entire team). Unless all parties are aware of current
challenges, progress to-date, constraints being addressed, near-term workload forecasts and the
satisfaction of all customers (paying or otherwise), the project will suffer from optimal performance.
73
4. Foresee potential obstacles (constraints)
Secondly, a PM must work to foresee potential obstacles (constraints) to efficient progress and
identify the party most able to remove this obstacle. Construction in particular, has many roles
dedicated to details of physically assembling a building. The PM sits in the key role of looking
beyond today's details and seeing a future not yet tangible enough to definitively declare "ready".
Efficient progress is a, if not the, key component to construction costs. The only (ethical) way to be
financially successful on a project is to proceed efficiently and apply resources to the next project
while still meeting the needs of the customer.
Certainly skills like negotiation and procurement can help a contractor keep costs down, at least
initially. Good contractors can even do this without jeopardizing the overall project or the
subcontractor/supplier potential profitability. But these do little or nothing to keep costs
down throughout a project.
5. Stepping down from "ivory tower" and work on ground.

A good PM will constantly step down from his "ivory tower" and connect with tradespeople and
subcontractors and suppliers and dealers and whomever else to get input from the real experts. The
people that know cost-effective construction the best are the ones who practice their craft every day
Managing a construction site is a lot of work. A construction manager must keep the project within
budget, on time, and of course, in accordance with numerous codes, laws, guidelines, etc.
With so many factors to keep track of, the more efficient you can be, the easier the job itself will be.
Your job will directly affect the quality of the project itself as well as the profits made and the time
taken.
Subcontractor operations are managed and coordinated to ensure compliance with company
obligations.
What is a Contract?
Contract: An agreement between two or more parties that creates an obligation to perform a
particular duty
Prime Recipient/Contract
The prime recipient is the organization/entity that is the direct recipient of the sponsor’s
funds/contract and in this capacity assumes a number of responsibilities, including management of
subcontracts. There is a growing number of prime recipients using subcontracting as the principle
means of delivery; this makes management of contracting important
What is a Subcontract?
A subcontractor is any contract or agreement to perform work in support of or on behalf of a prime.
The subcontract provisions are influenced by the prime’s contract. Any modification to the
provisions in the statement of work by a subcontractor will require approval from the prime
Statement of Work
The statement of work outlines the procedures and methods the subcontractor will employ in
accordance with the goals of the project proposed by the prime recipient of the contract.
Roles of Prime Contractor

The role of Prime Contractor is to:
 determine and justify proportion of work to be subcontracted
 Assess and approve contracting arrangements
 Remain accountable to the sponsor for the performance of subcontractors
 Monitor subcontractors’ compliance with rules, regulations, etc.
 Prepare written contracts or agreements with subcontractor, with detailed expected
performance and monitoring arrangements
 Appoint personnel to lead monitoring and evaluation with subcontractors
 Manage the surveillance plan
Prime Contract Surveillance Plan

The surveillance plan is a proven performance support tool which:
 Sets out the prime’s arrangement to monitor the subcontractor’s compliance with contract
provisions
 Identifies the critical work processes, delivery schedule, deliverables, costs, etc.
 Used in identifying the challenges inherent in the contractor performance
(NB: Best practices clearly indicate that proper planning, selection of a reputable
subcontractor, and appropriate oversight of subcontractor performance will most likely yield
the best results.)
As a prime contractor, you should rely on the subcontractor for quality control—your responsibility
is quality assurance!
Basic Information for Evaluating the Suitability of Subcontractors

Company details, including history, financial systems, and competence
Management, capability/skills of employees, appropriate accreditation, relevant experience,
and desired resources
Approach to risk management at work and continuous improvement Verify that
subcontractors are fully aware of your requirements (e.g., quality, timeliness, available
funds, complaint handling) General Issues to Consider When Subcontracting • Requirements
for grant application preparation
Policies and procedures governing the prime
Project monitoring and evaluation procedures
Records management
Accounting systems and reporting
Budgeting, costs, and expenditure controls
Personnel management
Procurement and assets management procedures
Travel regulations
75
Performance measures (deliverables and milestones) Subcontract at Grant Application
Process
For some sponsors, a signed “letter of intent/commitment to form a subcontract
agreement” is required
Information on scope of work, contract arrangements and contact information of the
subcontractor may be required
When making budgets, follow the instructions of the call for application (e.g., calculating
F&A costs) • For NIH grant applications, the requirements are well stated (e.g., NIH
attachment on subcontract arrangements, budget, etc.) Guiding Questions for Self-
Assessment and Subcontract Review—Role of Prime Recipient
How do subcontractors keep you informed of progress?
How is your quality system applied to your subcontractors?
How do you keep your subcontractors informed of client requirements?
How do you measure the effectiveness of your subcontractors?
How do you ensure that subcontractor-related problems are resolved swiftly?
Guiding Questions for Self-Assessment and Subcontract Review—Role of Prime Recipient

 How do you check external reports of subcontractors?
 How do you seek continuous improvement of the subcontractor?
 How do you deal with underperformance by the subcontractor?
 How do you ensure that your subcontractors protect research participants and the project
image?
Common Challenges in Subcontracting

 Subcontractors’ failure to understand or not being fully aware of clients’ requirements
 Payment terms received by the prime not passed on to subcontractors at all or as agreed in
the provisions
 Weak operational management of prime or subcontractors
 Poor performance management of subcontractors
 Relationships between prime and subcontractors being largely informal
 Bias in subcontractor selection Common Mistakes
 Noncompliance with special terms and conditions of the sponsor and as required by the
prime in the subcontract provision
 Approval of subcontractors without proper assessment
 Making unallowable costs
 Misallocation of costs
 Conflict of interest
 Inaccurate effort reporting for personnel
 Weak performance monitoring and evaluation
Characteristics of Effective Subcontract Arrangements

 Transparency and clarity about which subcontractors are being used
 Formal agreements between prime and sub contractors
 Subcontractors have high degree of awareness of prime’s methods of working and client’s
expectations
 Subcontractors are allowed to attend client/contractor progress meetings
 Subcontractors are encouraged and rewarded for innovation
 Adherence to formal procedures for selection, surveillance plan, following the statement of
work, etc.
 Prime receives/reviews copies of subcontractor progress meetings, post-inspection reports,
accreditation, etc.
 Subcontractor performance is a standing agenda item in meetings
77

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OPIE Student Guide

CPCCBC5010B Manage construction work

(For training purposes only)

About this guide

What is the purpose of this handbook?

You will find in this document:

 Links to delivery sequence

This involves identifying, analysing, treating and monitoring project

The unit applies to individuals responsible for managing and leading a

As-built Also called Record Drawings: Construction drawings revised by the

Submittal: Documents, drawings, samples, or other items, required of the

This element will address the following two performance criteria.

 work by architects or engineers in on-site offices, conducting on-site inspections (this

Definition of construction manager

The role of a construction manager

1.1. Site communication processes are established and managed to

Effective Workplace Communication

The communication process

The communication process is the means by

Catch a contractor: Contaminated cabinets

1. Communication between clients and the consultants

1. The print media: 3. Written materials:

5 Tips for Effective Construction Communication

1. Establish clear lines of communication. It’s important to determine a chain of command

The following video provides and example of such jargon:

Funny business video - Stuff managers say (business jargon)

This is a GOOD example of a clear, concise and professional email communication:

The average business professional attends 60

Why are site meetings important?

Make sure everyone knows the time and place

Make sure the room is open (or the site is ready)

You need consider the following areas:

During the meeting

Encourage group discussion to get all points

Turn questions back to the group for their input.

Don't use your position as

If you have strong feelings on a particular issue,

Non-verbals are important, too

After the meeting

Follow up with people

2.3. Hazard management procedures are established and implemented, and

The most common hazards in the construction industry are:

It is advised the planning process involves:

 Clearly defining objectives using risk assessment process

The meaning of key terms

First aider is a person who has successfully

First aid equipment includes first aid kits and

First aid facilities include first aid rooms, health

First Aid in the Workplace

 provide first aid equipment

What is required in providing first aid?

First Aid in the Workplace

The risk management approach involves the following four steps:

How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks

A person conducting a business or undertaking must consult, so far as is reasonably practicable,

Consultation should include:

Consulting, Co-Operating and Co-ordinating Activities with Other Duty Holders

In these circumstances, it will be necessary to:

This duty includes ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable:

 identified so as to indicate their nature, function and direction of operation

Operator control devices should be designed:

2.3. Hazard management procedures are established and implemented, and