Coorong District Council Approved Contractor Induction

Coorong District CouncilApproved Contractor Induction

Coorong District Council is committed to achieving a high level of pro-active Work Health and Safety (WHS) management during the application of contracts.

To facilitate this Coorong District Council is dedicated to a contractor management system which provides for the selection of contractors with appropriate safety controls, the exchange of information between Coorong District Council and its Contractors to facilitate the identification of hazards, risk management, and the appropriate monitoring of the contractors engaged by Council.

Coorong District Council Approved Contractor Induction

The Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations 2012 came into effect on 1 January 2013.

PCBU – Person conducting a business or undertakingUnder the act both Council and the Contractor are classified as PCBU’s.

In regards to Contractor Management both the Council and the Contractor are defined as a PCBU and have the same responsibilities under the WHS Act 2012.

Work Health Safety Act 2012

Contractors working at any Council work site must place health and safety at the centre of their work and ensure that they do not create risks for themselves or any workers.

They must meet all requirements of relevant WHS legislation, codes of practice and standards and must include the process of hazard identification, risk assessment and control in their work planning.

Contractor Responsibilities

Council ContractorManagement Policy

Policy ObjectiveTo achieve high level of pro-active WHS management during its application of contracts by;

• utilising Contractors who can demonstrate WHS management system capability; and

• achieving specific WHS issues focus,to optimise safety management for the workforce contracted by Council.

Council ContractorManagement Policy

Key Elements• A defined process for the selection of Contractors with

appropriate WHS Controls;

• Communication process with Contractors to ensure hazards are identified and controlled; and

• Appropriate monitoring by Council of WHS systems/work practices undertaken by Contractors to confirm safe systems are followed.

In order for Council to execute the principles of the Contractor Management Policy, the Approved Contractor Program has been developed.

The Approved Contractor Program is designed to ensure compliance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 and the Performance Standards for Self Insurers.

Council’s Approved Contractor Program

Approved Contractors are required to provide:• proof of public liability insurance – minimum $10M;• identification of a person within the organisation

responsible for safety;• copy of current relevant licences and certifications;• Job Safety Analysis’ (JSA), risk assessments or safe

work method statements (SWMS) for the activities to be undertaken by the Contractor;

• proof of current workers compensation authority registration (if applicable);

• proof of Professional Indemnity coverage (if applicable); and

• evidence of WHS policies and procedures that comply with Council’s minimum standards.

Approved Contractor Eligibility

1. Documentation provided meets Council requirements.

2. Contractor placed on Approved Register.

3. Council Contractor Selection process.

4. Review safety requirements specific to the contract.

5. Site induction.

6. Monitoring of contract by Contract Manager.

7. Review of Contractor performance.

Approved Contractor Program Process

Where a Principal Contractor utilises a sub contractor, it is the Principal Contractor’s responsibility to ensure:

• selected subcontractor has safe systems of work;

• all workers are inducted into the work site; and

• identified hazards and control measures outlined.

Subcontractors

General Safety ExpectationsAll Contractors, their workers, sub contractors and their workers must abide by the following

Hazard and Incident Reporting

Whilst performing work for Council all hazards and incidents must be reported to your Council contact AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, but no later than 24 hours after the event.

Incidents include any near miss, accident, damage or injury.

General Safety Expectations(cont.)

UV Procedure

For effective protection against UV Radiation, workers engaged in outdoor work are to adopt the following, at a minimum:

• A broad brimmed hat or legionnaires style cap;• Long sleeve shirts and long trousers;• Water resistant sunscreen, with a 30+ sun protection

factor, to be applied at least two hourly on exposed parts of the body; and

• Sun glasses with UV absorbing lenses.

General Safety Expectations (cont.)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Contractors are responsible for ensuring appropriate PPE for all workers. They are also responsible for ensuring that any site visitors are wearing appropriate PPE.

At a minimum, the following is expected:• safety footwear;• high visibility vest;• long pants/long sleeved top wide brimmed hat (as

outlined in UV procedure);• hard hat – where overhead works are undertaken; and• safety gloves, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, fall

prevention/arrest systems where required.

First aid• It is the contractor’s responsibility to ensure that they

have adequate first aid facilities available.

White Card• All “outdoor” Contractors must ensure that workers have

undertaken the six hour Construction General Induction Training – know as “WHITE CARD” (previously known as “green”, “red” or “blue” card).


Licences, Qualifications and Competencies

• The contractor shall only utilise such persons or sub contractors who are careful, skilled and experienced in their respective trades and professions.

• The contractor must establish and maintain procedures for identifying the training needs and provide training to all workers.

• Approved contractors must supply all documentation and copies of licences/certificates of competency, insurances etc, on an annual basis.


Plant Safety• All plant must be appropriately licensed or registered

and there are systems in place for maintenance and inspection.

Portable Electrical Equipment• All must be tested and tagged in accordance with

AS:NZ3760:2010 prior to being brought onto or used at any Council site.


Chemicals and Substances• All chemicals must be stored and handled in

appropriately marked containers, with appropriate documentation.

• Current Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and appropriate DOCUMENTED risk assessments must be held for all chemicals used on site and made available if requested.

• Contractor must advise Council Contract Manager of any hazards associated with the chemical being used.

• Appropriate PPE worn and first aid provisions made.


Working at Heights• Where there is a requirement to work at heights,

Contractors must comply with the WHS Act and Regulations, Part 4, Regulation 78 Management of Risk of Fall.

Confined Spaces• Coorong District Council maintains a Confined Space

Register and has in place a Confined Spaces Management Procedure. All confined space work must be undertaken in accordance with the WHS regulation, code of practice and Council’s procedures.


Asbestos• Councils maintain asbestos registers for all Council

owned buildings. If work relates to an area identified as having asbestos the Contract Manager will advise the Contractor and make the information in the asbestos register available. If a Contractor accidently encounters asbestos on site, they must inform the Contract Manager immediately.

Excavation and Trenching• For all excavation, trenching, digging, post driving,

drilling etc, the Contractor must telephone “Dial before you dig” (1100).


Hot Work• Hot work is defined as any grinding, welding, thermal or

oxygen cutting or heating, and other related heat or spark producing operations. A risk assessment must be undertaken prior to the commencement of hot work.

Remote work• If any subcontractor or employee of a contractor works

alone, the contractor’s supervisor is responsible for ensuring that appropriate precautions are included in the risk assessment or Job Safety Analysis.


Traffic managementAny required traffic management carried out by the contractor will be in accordance with Australian Standards and be carried out by qualified staff only and in line with Council’s Work Zone Traffic Management procedure.


Conduct of Contractors on Council sites

• Council does not tolerate any form of offensive

behaviour, particularly harassment, bullying, discrimination, and vilification.

• Contractors are responsible for ensuring that they, their employees, their subcontractors and their employees do not harass, vilify or discriminate against any person on any basis.

• Council will enforce on contractors the standards of health and safety it considers necessary, as it would for its own staff.

Conduct of Contractors on Council sites

• Contractors must place health and safety at the centre of their work.

• Contractors must meet all requirements of relevant health and safety legislation, risk assessment and control in their work planning.

• Contractors are expected to act promptly to address any evidence or report of inappropriate behaviour on any Council worksite.

The Council is responsible for conducting a Site Induction for the Principle Contractor prior to the commencement of work. It is then the Principle Contractor’s responsibility to ensure that all workers are inducted into the work site.

NOTE: Where the Contract Manager deems a site induction is not reasonably practicable due to the location, duration or frequency of the contract works, the Contract Manager may arrange to advise the contractor of the know hazards through a different method, by telephone, fax or email.

Site Induction Council & the Contractor

The Contractor will be inducted into the work site and provided with the following information:

• how to access Council contact;• daily start/finish times;• access to work area/any restricted access;• known hazards;• amenities;• emergency equipment and assembly points;• environmental cleanup; and

•no children on site

Site Induction Council & the Contractor

Should the nature of the contracted work necessitate interaction with indentified vulnerable people (i.e. aged, children, disabled) the Contractor shall ensure that they or their employee’s have required police clearances, and that evidence of this is provided to Council contact. This is in accordance with Council’s Safe Environment Policy.

Interaction with vulnerable people

Councils are committed to eliminating or minimising hazards in the workplace.

Core principles of Hazard Management are to:• identify• assess• control• monitor

Contractors must effectively control all hazards which are identified and/or arise from the course of their work.

Hazard ManagementCore principles

When awarding contracts the Council will ensure that the Contractor chosen can effectively address the identified hazards and suggested controls.The identified hazards and controls will be monitored throughout the contract.

Hazard ManagementCore Principles

A JSA/SWMS must be undertaken for all contract work that involves:

• electrical work• fall risks or falling objects• hot work• remote or isolated work• hazardous manual tasks• demolition• excavation• confined space work

Hazard ManagementJob safety analysis (JSA)/ Safe work method

Statement (SWMS)

• JSA/SWMS are completed at the time of the job being undertaken. This should address any hazards identified by the Council prior to the commencement of work.

• The information contained in the JSA/SWMS must be communicated to all workers and be signed off accordingly.

• A copy of this document should be forwarded to Council and shall be made available to view by the Contract Manager during the works.

Hazard ManagementJob safety analysis (JSA)/ Safe work method

Statement (SWMS)

• Contractors should have documented Safe Work Procedures for routine tasks. These documents should be made available to the Contract Manager when requested.

• These documents should form part of the Contractor’s work health and safety management system.

Hazard ManagementSafe work procedures

• The Contract Manager will monitor the Contract and retains the right to inspect safety measures and if necessary, interrupt work if safety standards are considered insufficient.

• The frequency of inspections will be determined by, but not limited to the level of risk, complexity and the duration of the contract.

• Monitoring will be documented.• Council reserves the right to reject the work systems

proposed if the hazards are not eliminated or adequately controlled.

Monitoring/Inspection

Monitoring will be undertaken on:

• hazards which have been identified for the Contract• control measure identified and implemented• availability of risk assessments/job safety analysis/safe

work method statements• reporting processes• legislative compliance• housekeeping• non-compliances• any corrective and preventative actions identified.

Monitoring/Inspection

If, during the performance of the works under the Contract, the Superintendent informs the contractor that it is his opinion that the Contractor is not conducting the work in a safe manner and within the agreed risk assessment processes, procedures or legislation, Council may:

• direct the contractor to suspend works until all issues are resolved to Council’s satisfaction (costs incurred will be the contractor’s responsibility including the right for council to claim any costs);

WHS non-compliance

• terminate the contract and seek damages for consistent breaches or substantial breaches of WHS practices;

• remove the Contractor from the Council’s Approved Contractor Register;

• report the Contractor to Safe Work SA.

WHS non-compliance (cont.)

Congratulations, you have completed the Coorong District Council Approved Contractor Induction. Please return the completed induction questionnaires and induction contractor sign off by:• post to Coorong District Council, PO Box 399, Tailem

Bend, SA 5260;• via email [email protected] • fax 08 85723822; or• in person at any Council office

Woohoo you made it!

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Coorong District Council Approved Contractor Induction