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WHS Management Plans

What is a WHS Management Plan?​

A WHS Management Plan is a document that describes how WHS will be managed for a construction project (≥$250,000).

Purpose:

  • Coordinate WHS across entire project
  • Ensure all contractors aware of site-specific hazards
  • Establish consistent WHS practices
  • Facilitate consultation and cooperation

When Required​

Mandatory for: Construction projects with total cost ≥ $250,000

Prepared by: Principal contractor

Principal Contractor Duties​

Principal contractor must:

  • Prepare WHS Management Plan before work starts
  • Ensure plan implemented
  • Review and revise as needed
  • Make plan available to all workers and visitors
  • Consult workers when preparing/revising plan

What Must Be Included (WHS Reg 301)​

1. Health and Safety Arrangements​

Description of arrangements for ensuring health and safety, including:

Site Management Structure:

  • Who is responsible for WHS (principal contractor, supervisors)
  • How responsibilities communicated

Risk Management:

  • How hazards will be identified
  • How risks will be assessed and controlled
  • SWMS management (collection, review, implementation)

Specific Hazard Management:

  • How common construction hazards will be managed (falls, plant, electrical, etc.)
  • Refer to site-specific controls

2. Consultation, Cooperation, Coordination​

How the principal contractor will:

  • Consult with workers (methods, frequency)
  • Facilitate cooperation between contractors
  • Coordinate work activities to avoid creating new risks
  • Share WHS information

May include:

  • Regular site meetings schedule
  • Health and safety representative arrangements
  • Safety committee structure
  • Communication protocols

3. Site-Specific Induction​

Induction program covering:

  • Site layout, emergency exits
  • Site-specific hazards
  • Location of facilities
  • Emergency procedures
  • Key personnel
  • Site rules (PPE, permits, etc.)

Records:

  • How induction attendance recorded
  • Who conducts inductions

4. Incident and Emergency Management​

Incidents:

  • Reporting procedures
  • Investigation process
  • Corrective action implementation
  • Notification to regulator (notifiable incidents)

Emergencies:

  • Emergency procedures (evacuation, medical, fire)
  • Emergency contact numbers
  • Location of emergency equipment
  • Assembly points

5. Monitoring and Review​

How WHS performance will be monitored:

  • Site inspections (frequency, who conducts)
  • SWMS compliance checks
  • Incident trend analysis
  • Worker feedback mechanisms

When plan will be reviewed:

  • Regularly (e.g., monthly)
  • After significant incidents
  • When work scope changes
  • At worker or HSR request

Preparing a WHS Management Plan​

Step 1: Gather Information​

About the Project:

  • Scope of work
  • Duration and program
  • Number of contractors and workers
  • Site location and constraints

Existing Information:

  • Previous WHS plans (similar projects)
  • Designer's safety reports
  • Asbestos registers
  • Service location plans
  • Site-specific hazards

Step 2: Consult​

Consult with:

  • Workers (through HSRs or directly)
  • Contractors and subcontractors
  • Client/building owner
  • Designers

Topics:

  • Hazards and risks
  • Control measures
  • Emergency procedures
  • Site rules and arrangements

Step 3: Document​

Write plan covering all required elements (see above).

Keep it:

  • Clear and concise
  • Specific to the project (not generic)
  • Practical and usable
  • Cross-referenced to SWMS and procedures

Step 4: Implement​

Communicate plan to:

  • All workers (during induction)
  • All contractors
  • Visitors to site

Ensure:

  • Plan readily accessible (site office, displayed)
  • Everyone knows their responsibilities
  • Arrangements described in plan actually happen

Step 5: Monitor and Review​

Regular review:

  • Is plan being followed?
  • Are arrangements effective?
  • Any changes needed?

Revise when:

  • Work scope changes
  • New hazards identified
  • Incidents indicate gaps
  • Workers or HSRs request

Relationship with SWMS​

WHS Management Plan:

  • Covers entire project
  • High-level coordination
  • Prepared by principal contractor

SWMS:

  • Covers specific high-risk construction work
  • Detailed task-level controls
  • Prepared by contractor doing the work

Integration:

  • Principal contractor collects all SWMS
  • Reviews for adequacy and conflicts
  • SWMS must align with WHS Management Plan

Practical Example​

Project: Multi-storey apartment building construction

  • Total cost: $12 million
  • Duration: 18 months
  • Peak workforce: 80 workers
  • 15+ subcontractors

WHS Management Plan Contents​

1. Health and Safety Arrangements:

Site Management:

  • Principal contractor: ABC Builders Pty Ltd
  • Site Manager: John Smith (overall site WHS responsibility)
  • WHS Coordinator: Jane Doe (daily WHS management)

Risk Management:

  • Weekly site inspections by WHS Coordinator
  • SWMS required for all HRCW (principal contractor reviews before approval)
  • Hazard reports to Site Manager within 24 hours

2. Consultation, Cooperation, Coordination:

Consultation:

  • Weekly toolbox talks (all trades)
  • Monthly safety committee meetings (management + worker reps)
  • HSRs elected for major contractor groups

Cooperation:

  • Fortnightly coordination meetings (all contractors)
  • Shared site emergency procedures
  • Joint traffic management plan

3. Site Induction:

Content:

  • Site tour (exits, facilities, hazard areas)
  • Emergency procedures and assembly point
  • PPE requirements (hard hat, hi-vis, boots mandatory)
  • High-risk work areas (exclusions, permits)
  • Incident reporting

Process:

  • Conducted by WHS Coordinator
  • Must complete before site access
  • Sign-in register maintained

4. Incident and Emergency Management:

Incident Reporting:

  • All incidents reported to Site Manager immediately
  • Incident forms in site office
  • Investigation within 48 hours
  • SafeWork NSW notification (13 10 50) for notifiable incidents

Emergency Procedures:

  • Evacuation alarm: 3 long blasts of air horn
  • Assembly point: Front gate on Smith Street
  • Site first aiders: 3 trained first aiders (names displayed)
  • Emergency contacts displayed in site office

5. Monitoring and Review:

Inspections:

  • Daily walk-through by Site Manager
  • Weekly documented inspection by WHS Coordinator
  • Monthly external WHS audit

Performance Indicators:

  • Zero lost-time injuries target
  • SWMS compliance > 95%
  • Incident frequency rate tracked monthly

Review:

  • Plan reviewed monthly at safety committee meeting
  • Updated after any serious incident
  • Final review at project completion

Implementation​

  • Plan displayed in site office
  • Induction program established (80+ workers inducted in first month)
  • Weekly toolbox talks commenced
  • SWMS collection system implemented
  • Regular monitoring conducted

Results​

  • Effective coordination between 15 contractors
  • Consistent WHS standards across site
  • Early identification and control of hazards
  • Strong safety culture developed

Code of Practice Reference​