Contractor Safety and Health Policy

Policy Statement

1. This policy is to assist in the provision of a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, Contractors, students and visitors to the University. The Policy will minimise the University's exposure to risk in any project involving the additions, alteration or maintenance of University buildings, grounds or services infrastructure by the use of Contractors.

   The University of Western Australia is committed to ensuring the safety and health of all employees, students and others that may be affected by the issues arising from the engagement of Contractors.

   Any project involving the additions, alteration or maintenance of University buildings, grounds or services infrastructure shall be authorised and project managed by the Facilities Management.

   No work on University premises is permitted without the appropriate authorisation as dictated by this Policy.

   University employees and Contractors are required to read and comply with the requirements of this Policy before any contract being agreed.

   In order to achieve this objective, it is recognised that Contractors need to be:

   1. Suitably experienced to perform the tasks.
   2. In possession of all necessary licenses, permits, registrations and insurance required to perform the works safely and in compliance with appropriate regulations.
   3. Notified of any potential hazards associated with the location or use of the area where the works are to be carried out.

   4. Made aware of the University Emergency Procedures, inducted in the University's Safety Policies and on campus requirements.

   5. Have completed a UWA online contractor induction and carry the UWA Contractor Safety Induction card at all times whilst performing work for the University.

   Advice regarding the application of this document can be obtained from the UWA Safety and Health on 6488 3938.

2. Definitions

   Asbestos:	The fibrous form of mineral silicates belonging to the serpentine and amphibole groups of rock forming minerals and includes actinolite, amosite (brown asbestos), anthophylite, crocidolite (blue asbestos), chrysotile (white asbestos), tremolite, or any material containing one or more of these minerals.
   Australian:	Refers to the Australian standard published by the Standards.
   Standard:	Association of Australia.
   Building Code:	The current Building Code of Australia.
   Employee:	(a) A person by whom work is done under a contract of employment; or (b) An apprentice or industrial trainee.
   Employer:	(a) A person by whom an employee is employed under a contract of employment; and (b) In relation to an apprentice, or industrial trainee, the person by whom the apprentice or industrial trainee is employed under an apprenticeship or industrial training agreement.
   Code of Practice:	A code of practice approved by the Minister under Part VIII of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984.
   Contractor:	The person, partnership or corporation bound to execute the work under the contract and shall be responsible for the supervision of the works so as to ensure the works are carried out in accordance with the contract.
   Sub-Contractor:	The person, partnership or corporation bound by the contractor to execute work under the contract.
   Hazard:	Something that has the potential to cause injury or harm to any person or property.
   Induction:	Instruction on the safety and health requirements of the workplace.
   Plant:	Any machinery, equipment, appliance, implement, or tool and any component or fitting thereof or accessory thereto.
   Responsible Officer:	A University employee nominated to the contractor as the representative of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Western Australia for the purposes of the contract.
   Risk:	The probability that a hazard will result in an injury to a person or damage to property.
   Safety Management Plan:	Written documentation detailing the safety and health policies and procedures that the Contractor, Sub-Contractors and their employees are required to adhere to.
   Scope of Works:	All the work referred to in the contract documents, all variations thereto instructed, sanctioned or required under the terms of the contract and all minor terms of work inferred therefrom for the proper execution and completion of the works.
   The University:	The University of Western Australia - including Nedlands Campus, Crawley Campus and any other areas owned and maintained by the University of Western Australia.
   Workplace:	A place, whether or not in an aircraft, ship, vehicle, building, or other structure, where employees work or are likely to be in the course of their work.
   Worksite:	The place(s) as defined in the Contract where the Contractor, Sub-Contractor and their employees are required to perform the task(s) specified in the Contract.
   Works	The whole of the work to be executed in accordance with the Contract, including variations arising out of the Contract, which by way of the Contract is to be handed over to the University. For smaller work this Contract may take the form of a Purchase Order.

3. Responsibilities

   1. Responsibility of the University

      The University has a general duty of care to provide a safe workplace and safe work procedures for all employees, Contractors, Sub-Contractors and their employees. The University's duties at the workplace relates only to those matters over which, and the extent to which, the University has control or can reasonably be expected to have control having regard to the workplace and the work done or caused to be done by the employer or its employee.

      Prior to the commencement of any work a contractor, the Responsible Officer within the University's Facilities Management or the contracting department is to ensure that the scope of works is clearly defined to the contractor.

   2. Responsibility of a Contractor

      The duties of a contractor at the workplace are to undertake the works in a responsible and safe manner and as outlined in the scope of works and contract documentation.

      The duties of a contractor at the workplace relate only to matters over which, and the extent to which, the contractor has control or can reasonably be expected to have control at the site. Contractors may be defined as employers if they engage other Contractors to carry out some of their work.

      Contractors and their Sub-Contractors have a responsibility to ensure that new employees engaged by them are familiar with the University's procedures outlined in relevant University policies and the contract documentation.

      The Contractor is to undertake and be responsible for the works as outlined in the scope of works and contract documentation.

4. Legislative Requirements

   The Contractor shall comply with all requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984, the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996, relevant Australian Standards, Codes of Practice and Guidance Notes published by WorkSafe Western Australia and all other relevant laws. It is the Contractor's responsibility to ensure that their employees and Sub-Contractors engaged by them to undertake work on University projects comply with the above legislative requirements.

   If, during any stage of the contractual works it is brought to the attention of the Responsible Officer that standards, organisational requirements, or legislative requirements are not being adhered to, the Responsible Officer may stop the works until the Contractor has rectified the situation. Should the non-compliance activity continue the Contract may be cancelled and the Contractor struck from the University's Preferred Contractors list.

5. Policy Requirements

   1. Prior to Commencement of Work

      Prior to the commencement of any work the the Contractor will:

      • Confirm with the Responsible Officer that they are in receipt of all information regarding the contract works to be undertaken;
      • Discuss with the originator of the contract, the University's and their safety and health responsibilities necessary to undertake the contract of works. The responsibilities are to be agreed by all parties.
      • Provide the University with a copy of their Safety Management Plan, Job Safety Analysis (JSA), and copies of relevant documentation for the job, including all licenses and permits;
      • Sign and return the Prestart Safety Checklist (appendix one) to the Responsible Officer to indicate that they understand the administrative and legislative procedures expected to be followed whilst undertaking work at the University. These need to be completed and provided to the Responsible Officer at the commencement of each new job at UWA sites.
      • Ensure that the UWA Contractor's Documentation Requirement (appendix two) are submitted to the Manager, Contractor Administration and Facilities Management for inclusion in the UWA Preferred Contractor's List. This must be accompanied with the necessary insurance policies, and details of any prosecutions under safety or related legislation.

      Prior to the commencement of any work the Responsible Officer will:

      • Provide the Contractor with detail regarding the hazards that the University is aware of with respect to working at a specific site; and
      • Be in receipt of the Prestart Safety Checklist.
      • Ensure the Contractors' Documentation requirements are up to date or a new form completed and submitted to the Manager, Contractor Administration 

      Once every two years all Preferred Contractors are required to complete the UWA Contractors Online Induction. They are also required to advise of any insurance policy changes and to provide updated policies.

      It is not the responsibility of University staff to provide instructions on how to undertake work tasks, training, or supervision in the activities for which the Contractor has been engaged to undertake or would be reasonably assumed to have knowledge or control.

   2. Planning and Design

      Prior to any work being undertaken, the Contractor shall take appropriate steps to ensure that adequate planning and design of the systems of work and processes have been carried out to avoid any foreseeable safety and health issues, for example erecting warning signs and barriers. It is the Contractor's responsibility to ensure that employees under their control and supervision are aware of the appropriate legislative requirements that are to be met.

      The Contractor shall ensure that adequate supervision of its employees, or Sub-Contractors undertaking the work are provided and that staff are appropriately trained for the tasks, which they are required to undertake. This includes possessing all relevant certificates of competency and training, and having completed the UWA online contractor induction.

   3. Deviations from the Original Contract of Works.

      If the Contractor requires to undertake any work which deviates from the original contractual arrangement, and the deviation is major such that if not noted there is a potential to cause personal harm, injury, or structural weakness to the construction at any stage, then the Contractor must, before undertaking the deviation obtain approval to proceed from the person who originated the contract of works.

6. Selection of Contractors

   A list of Preferred Contractors is to be maintained by Facilities Management and/or the School to assist in the University obtaining the services of the highest quality Contractors.

   During the selection stage, when a Contractors suitability for a specific type of work is assessed, the safety and health competence of the Contractor will be assessed as a prime consideration.

   Only Contractors who have been assessed by the Responsible Officer, as meeting the safety and health competence requirements for the work required will be considered for further evaluation for approval. Selection criteria will be assessed using information provided by Prestart Safety Checklist (appendix one), and based on the Contractors general technical competence.

   Further evaluation can be conducted e.g. document presentation, interview or an audit, depending on the size and/or complexity of the contract.

   1. Register of Preferred Contractors

      Contractors that fail to meet the University safety and health requirements may be removed from the Preferred list of Contractors and will not receive further contracts at the University until they can demonstrate compliance with this policy.

      The University reserves the right to use other Contractors should it see fit and does not guarantee work to those Contractors on the Preferred Contractor list.

   2. Preferred Contractor Renewal

      To remain on the Preferred Contractors Register a new UWA Contractors' and Documentation form (appendix two) must be completed and submitted with the relevant insurance polices and information.

Reporting Procedures and Guidelines

7. Reporting Procedures Prior to Commencing Work

Before commencing work at the University, the Responsible Officer who is coordinating the work is to ensure that the University is in receipt of:

• The Contractors Safety Management Plan or Job Safety Analysis documentation;
• The Prestart Safety Checklist (appendix one); and

• Any applicable licenses, permits, certificates etc that are required to perform the work.

On arriving at the University to perform work, the Contractor is to report to

• The Responsible Officer that they have arrived at the University and are about to commence work; and

• Security and Parking should they require parking permits.

8. Workplace Procedures

Contractors and their employees are required to comply with the designated Contractor Workplace Procedures in addition to all-applicable statutory legislation and applicable University Policies and Procedures.

A copy of the University's Contractor Safety Handbook and other policies and procedures are available from your Responsible Officer or the Facilities Management.

9. Procedures on Completion of Work

1. Contracted Work Fully Completed

When the contract work is fully complete the contractor is to notify the Responsible Officer for a final inspection of works to ensure that works have been completed to the University's satisfaction.

The Contractor and its employees are to ensure that the work site is left free from hazards and presents no risk of injury to any person who comes into contact with the site. This includes making sure that all refuse and materials are removed from the site on completion of the works.

Should there be waste left at the site on completion of works the Contractor will be required to remove it from the University at their own expense in a non-hazardous environmentally friendly manner. If the contractor fails to make a work site safe and free of hazards and waste at the completion of a contract it will be backcharged for cleanup, and may be removed from the Preferred Contractors' List.

2. Contracted Work Not Fully Completed

If the Contractor, Sub-Contractor, or their employee(s) advise the Responsible Officer that the contract work is not complete and that they are leaving the University's grounds, the contractor is to ensure that the work site is left in a clean and safe condition free from any hazards that may affect University staff, students and/or visitors.

10. Additional Information

• UWA Information for Contractors website
• Appendix One - Prestart Safety Checklist
• Appendix Two - Documentation Requirements

Last Edits:	March 2008	Previous Edits:	July 2007
Responsible:	S&H Manager	Approved by:	S&H Manager
Date for Review:	March 2011	File Ref:	F283
Previous Titles:	External Work Orders for Contractors