WHS for engaging subcontractors
See the full article on WHS duties when engaging subcontractors: PCBU duties, SWMS, site inductions, and principal contractor rules for Australian builders.
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What the canonical article covers
The full article at WHS duties when engaging subcontractors covers every WHS obligation that arises when a residential builder brings subbies onto a job.
Key topics:
- Baseline PCBU duties for all jobs regardless of contract value. Engaging a subcontractor does not transfer your duty.
- Consultation, cooperation and coordination between PCBUs under WHS Act ss 46-49. When two or more PCBUs share a duty, each must consult, cooperate and coordinate with the others.
- Principal contractor duties for construction projects $250,000 and over, including a written WHS management plan, SWMS collection before HRCW begins, and visible site signage.
- SWMS obligations: who prepares them, who collects them, what happens if they are missing or obviously inadequate.
- Site-specific induction requirements for every person before they start, on top of the general white card requirement.
- Dual status of subcontractors as both PCBU (with their own workers to protect) and a worker subject to your site rules at the same time.
- WHS penalties indexed to July 2025 values (Category 1 to 3, body corporate and individual).
See also
If you landed here looking for the pre-engagement checklist (licence, insurance, ABN, SWMS commitment), start at Engaging a subcontractor: the basics. For the list of HRCW trigger categories that require a SWMS, see SWMS: When it’s required.
The Safe Work Australia model WHS laws are the primary reference for the consultation and coordination obligations discussed in the canonical article (safeworkaustralia.gov.au).