If you run a construction business and a principal, client, or prequalification scheme has asked for your health and safety documentation, this page tells you what they are looking for and why.
What Construction Businesses Need in Place
HSWA 2015 does not list specific documents by name, but in practice construction businesses need more documentation than most other industries because the risks are higher, the work changes from site to site, and multiple PCBUs frequently share the same workplace.
| Document | What it does | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|
| Health and safety management system (OHSMS) | The complete set of policies, procedures, and registers for your whole business. The foundation everything else sits on. | Prequalification schemes, principals, head contractors |
| Site-Specific Safety Plan (SSSP) | Covers the hazards, controls, and emergency procedures for one specific site or project. Created for each new job where required. | Main contractors, principals, tier-one clients |
| Hazard register and risk assessments | Identifies every hazard in your work and rates the risk. Must be current for the work you actually do. | Everyone — this is the document that proves you actively manage risk |
| Training and competency records | Evidence that your people are trained and licenced for the work they do: tickets, site-safe cards, first aid, working at height. | Principals, SiteWise, Tōtika assessors |
| Incident and near-miss reporting | A documented process for recording, investigating, and acting on incidents. Includes the process for notifying WorkSafe of notifiable events. | WorkSafe, prequalification schemes, principals |
| Emergency plan | What happens in an emergency on your site: evacuation, first aid, contacts, assembly points. | Standard requirement on every construction site |
If you are a sole trader or subcontractor, a lighter version of these applies — our Sole Trader Pack covers that scenario. If you have employees, subcontractors, or multiple sites, you need the full set.
Key Construction Risks in New Zealand
WorkSafe identifies several critical risks that drive the majority of construction injuries and fatalities in New Zealand. Your management system and SSSPs need to address all of these that apply to your work.
- Working at height: falls from height remain the leading cause of death and serious injury in NZ construction. Scaffolding, roof work, ladders, edge protection, and fall arrest systems all need documented controls.
- Mobile plant and vehicles: excavators, forklifts, trucks, and cranes operating alongside pedestrian workers. Traffic management plans are essential on every site with vehicle movements.
- Excavation and trenching: trench collapse can kill in seconds. Ground conditions, shoring, and benching requirements under the GRWM Regulations 2016 apply.
- Electrical work: overhead lines, underground cables, and temporary site power. Isolation, lockout/tagout, and electrical work certification.
- Manual handling: repetitive heavy lifting, carrying materials, and working in awkward positions.
- Hazardous substances: silica dust, asbestos (in demolition and refurbishment), solvents, adhesives, and concrete additives.
- Noise and vibration: prolonged exposure from power tools, compactors, and demolition equipment.
- Overlapping PCBUs: multiple trades working on the same site simultaneously, each with their own PCBU duties. Sections 34 and 36 of HSWA require consultation, cooperation, and coordination.
Prequalification for Construction
Most principal contractors and tier-one clients in NZ construction require prequalification before they will let you on site. The two main schemes are:
| Scheme | What it assesses | Who requires it |
|---|---|---|
| SiteWise | 13 assessment sections covering your H&S system, incident history, and risk management. Rated Amber, Blue, or Green. | Council projects, infrastructure, many commercial builders |
| Tōtika | Four assessment categories. Designed to replace multiple scheme requirements with one standard. | Government projects, large commercial and infrastructure clients |
Both schemes assess whether you have a working health and safety management system. You cannot pass either without one. Building the system first and then applying for prequalification is faster and cheaper than trying to do both at once.
Overlapping Duties on Construction Sites
Construction is the industry where overlapping PCBU duties matter most. On a typical site, the principal, the main contractor, subcontractors, and sometimes the property owner all have PCBU duties simultaneously.
Section 34 of HSWA requires all PCBUs with overlapping duties to consult, cooperate, and coordinate. In practice, this means:
- The main contractor sets the site rules and manages the SSSP
- Each subcontractor brings their own SSSP or safety plan for their scope of work
- Inductions, permits to work, and site-specific briefings ensure everyone knows the hazards
- Incident reporting flows between all parties
An SSSP is the standard document that makes this coordination work in practice. Without one, you are managing overlapping duties by guesswork.
Where to Start
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, section 36: primary duty of care for PCBUs. legislation.govt.nz
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, section 34: duty of PCBUs with overlapping duties to consult, cooperate, and coordinate. legislation.govt.nz
- WorkSafe New Zealand, construction sector guidance: managing risks in the construction industry. worksafe.govt.nz
- WorkSafe New Zealand, working at height: guidance on preventing falls in construction. worksafe.govt.nz