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Managing your safety

How to ensure workplace health and safety in the housing industry

Managing your safety

How to ensure workplace health and safety in the housing industry

Safety should always be a priority. Today is the perfect opportunity for you to assess, review and refocus on day-to-day measures to improve workplace safety. It must be at the forefront of our minds, especially in the residential building industry.
Industry has made significant strides over the last two decades and workplace safety incidents on sites are continuing to trend downwards – but it's essential that we continue to take steps to manage risks and keep our workplaces and workers safe and healthy. Remember if you see something on site like a scaffold plank that has been moved or a nail sticking up from a piece of timber – don’t walk by it, do something about it! Safety on site is everyone’s responsibility.

Safety resources

Working with silica

Silica is a harmful substance that can cause serious health problems. Learn more about working with silica and how to protect yourself from exposure.

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Dealing with asbestos

There's no excuse for not understanding the rules and correct ways to safely remove and dispose of asbestos from residential work sites and homes. Make sure you know the latest safety rules and regulations for handling and removing asbestos.

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Falls from heights

Falls are a major cause of death and serious injury on worksites which can be prevented with robust safety guidelines and control measures. Find out how you can do more to keep your employees safe when working from heights.

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Latest changes in safety

Western Australia’s new work, health and safety laws have commenced. Find out what you need to know with the help of a range of resources, developed by HIA and tailored to the residential building industry, to assist you to understand and implement the new laws. Becoming familiar with these new requirements is important to make sure that your site, and your workers, are safe.

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Safety rules

Enforcing robust safety measures is one of the most important elements of site management in the residential building industry.

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Resources & advice
Building it right Building codes Australian standards Getting it right on site Bushfire resources Kitchens & bathrooms Stairs & barriers Getting approval to build Building approvals Development & planning approvals Subdivision & strata rules Building materials & products Concrete, bricks & walls Getting products approved Use the right building products for the job Sustainable homes Energy efficiency Sustainable home design Managing your safety Working with silica Dealing with asbestos Falls from heights Latest changes in safety Safety rules Managing your business Handling disputes Working with contractors Managing compliance Managing your employees Dealing with contracts Building your business Communication for your business Growing your business Kitchen, bathroom & design COVID-19 Managing your business Managing your site

Stay in the know

Want to stay up to date on safety? Sign up for our safety newsletter. It’s easy. Just visit myHIA, select “Industry news and updates” then “Safety news.” You’ll receive regular updates from our experts.

Visit MyHIA

Training for you

Asbestos Awareness

Learn about asbestos: where it may be found, health hazards and safety control measures.

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Managing the Silica Risk

An online course created to guide you through identifying and minimising the risks of silica exposure.

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Managing risks at work

One of the most effective ways to prevent injuries and fatalities at work is through regular risk assessments. Risk management is the safety net for our workplaces.

Conducting a risk assessment means identifying potential hazards, assessing the risks, and deciding on control measures. It's important to involve all staff in this process.

Engaging with your workers each step of the way ensures that everyone is aware of the risks and has a say in the control measures.

Risk assessment resources

Learn who is responsible for what, how to work in heat and the correct use of key tools to minimise risks for your team.

Safety basics for everyone

What all workers need to know on a job site. Refresh your team on the essentials to stay safe at work in the residential building industry.

Managing your safety

While physical hazards are well known and managed on site daily, other priorities like lessening exposure to hazardous dusts are just as critical. As work methods and patterns evolve and new forms of work emerge, our WHS approach needs to adapt.

Electrical Test & Tag Register

This Safety eDoc template can be used to guide workers through the Electrical Test & Tag process and facilitate the documentation of necessary data. I...

Hazardous Chemicals Register

This Safety eDoc template can be used to guide workers through the hazardous chemicals identification process and facilitate the documentation of nece...

Risk Register template

This Safety eDoc template can be used to guide workers through the risk identification process and facilitate the documentation of necessary data. If ...

Safe Work Method Statement Template

HIA Safety Solutions has developed this SWMS template to guide you through the process of completing a SWMS

Toolbox Talk Record template

This Safety eDoc template can be used to guide workers through the Toolbox Talk process and facilitate the documentation of necessary data. If you hav...

Training Management Register template

This Safety eDoc template can be used to guide workers through the Worker Training process and facilitate the documentation of necessary data. If you ...