New safety rules from 1 July 2008

In Victoria, health and safety in the construction industry has been regulated through the OHS Act and a number of hazard-specific regulations, such as those for falls prevention and plant, but not through construction-specific regulations.

To help you work more safely, new regulations apply from 1 July 2008.

The requirements, which are consistent with the National Standard for Construction Work, build upon industry’s existing safety practices by setting out specific OHS responsibilities for principal contractors, employers, workers and self-employed people.

Minimum safety requirements

The new regulations include requirements for:

• principal contractors to prepare health and safety co-ordination plans for construction projects costing $250,000 or more
• employers and self-employed people to prepare safe work method statements for high-risk construction work
• employees to be given OHS induction training before undertaking construction work, and
• employees to be trained about site-specific risks and control measures before starting work on a construction site.

OHS training for construction work is mandatory from 1 July

To book in for training, contact a Registered Training Organisation

How can I find out more?

If you work in the general construction industry, you should read the WorkSafe publication Working safely in the general construction industry.? A handbook for the construction regulations.

If you work in the housing construction industry, you should read the WorkSafe publication Working safely in the housing construction industry.? A handbook for the construction regulations.

If you do not work in the construction industry, but you or your employees may carry out construction work, you should read the WorkSafe publication Is construction work part of your business? to help you understand if the regulations apply to you.

If you are an owner builder, the regulations only apply where:

• the value of the works is $250,000 or more, and
• persons are engaged to perform all or part of the works, and
• the owner builder does not engage the services of another person (such as a builder) to manage or control the workplace. 

Contact the WorkSafe Advisory Service for copies of these publications or to find out more.  

Frequently Asked Questions

• Frequently asked questions from employers and self-employed people
• Frequently asked questions from principal contractors
• Frequently asked questions from employees
• Frequently asked questions from visitors to construction sites