Construction & Trades · Employer knowledge

Contractors & site coordination

Make shared responsibilities visible before work starts, coordinate changing site risks, and check that agreed controls continue to work.

Construction sites and contracting chains commonly involve more than one PCBU. Under section 34 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, PCBUs with duties in relation to the same matter must, so far as is reasonably practicable, consult, cooperate and coordinate activities with each other.

WorkSafe is clear that a PCBU cannot contract out of its health and safety duties or simply push risk down a contracting chain. Each PCBU manages overlapping duties to the extent it has the ability to influence and control the matter. Reasonable arrangements can divide practical tasks, but they do not remove the underlying legal duties.

What should a manager have in place?

Site coordination should make it clear who is doing what, which risks overlap and how businesses will communicate when work or conditions change. The process should be proportionate to the work and risk rather than paperwork for its own sake.

Before work startsIdentify the PCBUs involved, the work each will perform, foreseeable interactions and shared risks. Exchange the information needed to plan the work safely.

Roles & controlsAgree which PCBU is best placed to manage particular risks and clearly define responsibilities and actions. Do not assume a contract transfers the legal duty.

Site communicationUse suitable briefings, inductions or other communication for the site and work. Make sure relevant contractors and workers know the current controls, changes and interfaces that affect them.

Monitor & reviewUse reasonable and proportionate monitoring to check arrangements are working. Raise unsafe conditions or practices, coordinate corrective action and review contractor performance where appropriate.

Manager check

Have we identified the other PCBUs whose duties overlap with ours for this work?
Have we agreed who is best placed to manage each important shared risk and how the parties will coordinate?
Do contractors and workers receive the site and task information they need before and during the work?
When work, sequencing, people or site conditions change, is relevant information shared and are controls reconsidered?
Are we monitoring the arrangements in a way that is sensible and proportionate to the work and risk?
Could we explain the steps we took to consult, cooperate and coordinate if asked?

WorkSafe contracting guidance →Overlapping duties quick guide →Back to Construction & Trades Hub

NZQC provides practical educational information. It is not legal advice and does not certify that a provider is compliant. Check the official source and the requirements that apply to your service, contracts and scope.