OH&S Management Plans in Western Australia

The plan must be prepared before work starts and must be monitored, maintained and updated as the project progresses. It should be written in a way that is easy to understand, and be signed and dated by the main contractor. 

What do I need to include in the OHSMP?

The OHSMP must, as far as practicable:

• identify each person at the construction site who has a specific occupational health and safety responsibility in relation to the site
• describe how those specific responsibilities are to be coordinated
• describe what occupational health and safety induction training will take place in respect of the construction work to be done at the site. This includes the requirement for people to undertake construction safety awareness training, as well as any job-specific or site-specific induction training
• describe the arrangements for managing any occupational health and safety incidents that may occur. This should include the names and contact details of each person who will be available to prevent, prepare for, respond to and manage recovery from any such incidents
• set out the site safety rules and the arrangements for making sure that everyone at the construction site, including visitors, is informed of the site safety rules
• include information held by the main contractor that relates to:
  • the identified hazards to which a person at the construction site is likely to be exposed
  • the risk of injury or harm to a person resulting from those hazards
  • the means by which the risk may be reduced
• include the Safe Work Method Statements for any 'high-risk construction work' to be done at the site. 

Responsibilities under the OHSMP

You must keep the OHSMP up-to-date and make sure that, as far as practicable:

• each person doing construction work at the construction site has been given a copy of the OHSMP 
• if the OHSMP is amended each person is given a copy of the changes that relate to that person’s work, as soon as practicable, and…

Throughout the course of the work a copy of the plan is available for inspection by:

• any person about to commence construction work at the site
• any employee member of a safety and health committee for the site (if there is such a committee)
• any safety and health representative for the construction site. Making the plan widely available at the site and discussing its contents in, for instance, toolbox meetings, site inductions and meetings with contractors, safety and health representatives and other people involved in the project may be a way of ensuring that everyone on site is familiar with the plan.

How long do I need to keep the OHSMP?

You must keep the OHSMP at least until the construction work is completed.

Demolition contractors should note that the OHSMP required under these regulations is not the same as the Occupational Safety and Health Management Plan required as part of the demolition licensing arrangements.

For more information on how to meet these obligations please refer to the WorkSafe guide National Standard for Construction Work – Guidance for Main Contractors and People with Control of Construction Work.

To find out more, contact HIA’s Building Services team.

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