Sam is a self-employed floor sander. He often does sanding on residential renovations for his friend the builder, Bruce.
Although Sam may only come on-site for a few hours or days, he is still a PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking) and has responsibilities.
The extent of his duty will depend on how far he can control the risk. The more influence and control he has over the risk, the more responsibility he has.
Because Sam usually shares a site with other crews or workers, he needs to consult with these other businesses to make sure everyone on-site is kept safe.
As a minimum, we would suggest Sam:
- Meets with the main contractor before starting work to discuss the job, any risks and what to do in an emergency.
- Completes a Site Specific Health and Safety Agreement with the main contractor, a Hazardous Products and Substances Register for his varnishes and stains, and a Site/Job Hazard Risk Register. The Hazardous Products and Substances Register may be the same for most of his jobs and might just need minor changes for each job.
- Does a quick 'Step Back 5x5' to think through the job.
By talking to the main contractor and completing the Agreement, Sam is helping to communicate what he is doing about safety. By completing the Hazardous Products and Substances Register and Site/Job Hazard Risk Register, he is communicating what the risks of his work might be and how he will manage them on-site. By completing the right safety documentation, he is not just “ticking the boxes” but taking a systematic approach to managing risks. This reduces the chances of miscommunication and mistakes. In the event of an accident or injury, it is also evidence that Sam is on top of safety.
In a nutshell, the job is not there to create paperwork, the paperwork is there to support the job.
This is just an example of one scenario - it is important to remember that each job is different and will require a different approach depending on the circumstances.