1. The purpose of our procedure
Our Contractor Safety Procedure (procedure) sets out how Adelaide University manages wellbeing and safety risks when engaging contractors for work, as required by the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA).
Please read this procedure in conjunction with our Wellbeing and Safety Policy.
2. Who our procedure applies to
Our procedure applies to:
- Adelaide University community members, including contract supervisors responsible for ensuring contractors adhere to the Contract for Service Agreement (CSA), and other staff supporting the contractor engagement process.
- Independent contractors and subcontractors engaged under a CSA, including their contractor supervisors responsible for overseeing work and ensuring compliance.
This procedure authorises the Executive Director, People, Advisory and Wellbeing to maintain associated protocols.
3. Our contractor safety procedure
The University takes the following steps when engaging contractors and managing their work for safe execution.
3.1 Our process for planning contracted work
The University’s contract supervisor and the independent contractor supervisor jointly assess risks during the planning phase by asking:
- What hazards are present in the work or location?
- How complex is the task, and what skills or licences are required?
- What is the risk level, severity, and likelihood?
- What practicable controls will ensure safe completion of the work?
Refer to our Risk Management Procedure for more information on risk assessment.
3.2 Classification of contracted work
Contracted work is evaluated across five categories, as per Table 1: Categories of Contracted Work (Table 1) (.pdf) and outlined below:
- Low-risk deliveries or services (Category 1), such as mail or catering.
- High-risk deliveries or services (Category 2), such as handling hazardous substances or forklift operations as identified by SafeWork SA.
- Consultants and contract workers (Category 3), including cleaners, IT technicians and vendors.
- Minor works (Category 4), such as maintenance, repairs or minor trade work.
- Major works (Category 5), such as construction or infrastructure projects.
A contractor is expected to maintain a risk management plan, with greater detail required for complex or hazardous work. Key considerations include:
- Determining whether the work constitutes construction work.
- Confirming if the work meets the definition of a construction project valued at $450,000 or more under the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA).
- Identifying potential hazards and necessary control measures.
- Ensuring compliance with applicable legislation and codes of practice.
- Outlining company responsibilities specific to contractors.
- Detailing the methods, workforce and equipment to be utilised.
- Arranging for necessary monitoring and consultation processes.
- Evaluating the requirement for an asbestos register or management plan.
- Preparing for all essential safety documentation, including Work Health and Safety (WHS) management plans.
When multiple contractors work on a project, contractor supervisors must create a coordination plan to ensure safety and order. The CSA must clearly outline all wellbeing and safety risks. The Wellbeing and Safety team and subject experts are available to assist contractor supervisors as needed.
3.3 Procurement of our contractors
The University’s contract supervisor must use a Contractor Safety Evaluation Checklist to assess safety capabilities before engagement and keep copies of all required documents.
Contractors must demonstrate:
- Understanding of relevant hazards and risks.
- Awareness of the University’s Wellbeing and Safety Policy and relevant procedures such as those related to incident and hazard reporting.
- Appropriate licences, qualifications, white cards and plant or equipment registrations.
- Current insurances such as workers’ compensation, public liability, motor vehicle and professional indemnity.
- Induction processes for their workers and subcontractors.
For high-risk construction work or major works, the following are also required (but not limited to):
- Principal Contractor signage.
- Secure site access controls.
- Current WHS management plan.
- Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) for high-risk construction licenses.
If these requirements cannot be met, the University’s contract supervisor must escalate the issue and wait for a resolution before proceeding.
3.4 Our process for engaging contractors
A signed CSA must be in place before the University’s contract supervisor engages a contractor.
If the work affects facilities or building systems (such as heating, ventilation or cooling), it must be approved and managed by Estates and Facilities before proceeding.
Where a project has appointed another person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) as the Principal Contractor, this must be outlined in the tender specification (if applicable) and CSA. The University’s contract supervisor must ensure that our induction requirements are incorporated into the Principal Contractor’s WHS management plan for the construction project.
The contract supervisor is expected to refer to the [Strategic Procurement Policy or relevant associated procedure] for guidance on engagement requirements.
3.5 Induction and licenses for contractors
Induction requirements must be met before contractors commence work at Adelaide University, as outlined in Table 1 (.pdf). This involves the University-wide Required Learning and induction at the local (site-specific) level.
The Principal Contractor must oversee inductions for major projects and areas with hazardous spaces, such as laboratories, must induct service contractors appropriately.
Contractors undertaking high-risk work must present a valid high-risk work licence with the applicable class(es) noted before they commence any work. 3.6 We manage currency risk within approved asset allocation limits
3.6 Our permit to work requirements
Contractor supervisors must ensure the correct permit to work is issued before starting high-risk work. Additional permits may be required for access to confined spaces, hot work, roof access, and isolation of services.
Refer to our Permit To Work Procedure for more information.
3.7 Holding pre-start meetings
Clear communication of safety requirements before work begins helps prevent risks and incidents. Pre-start meetings are essential for this purpose. Table 1 outlines where contractor supervisors are expected to hold these meetings, which must cover the following:
- The scope of work.
- Service disruptions and hazard locations.
- Risk control measures.
- Incident reporting and site access requirements.
- Public and university community safety.
- Communication and consultation requirements.
3.8 Safe execution of contracted work
Safe systems of work must be implemented in accordance with the CSA.
Contractor supervisors must:
- Consult and cooperate with the contractor and others with wellbeing and safety responsibilities, especially on matters affecting their safety.
- Use the Contractor Site Observation Checklist to monitor wellbeing and safety compliance periodically or as needed.
- Report and investigate incidents in accordance with our incident and hazard management procedures.
- Work with the Wellbeing and Safety team to notify regulators where notifiable incidents occur.
If a contractor cannot meet wellbeing and safety obligations, the contractor supervisor may order work to stop.
Refer to our Incident Management Procedure and Hazard Management Procedure for more information on how we manage hazards and incidents, including notifiable incidents.
3.9 After completing the work
Once the work is completed, the contractor supervisor will, where relevant:
- Inspect the area, with relevant stakeholders and impacted parties, to ensure agreed safety standards are met and no hazards remain.
- Remove service isolations and close out related permits, such as fire watch after hot works.
- Confirm stakeholders have received required documentation and training for new installations.
- Provide information to the Wellbeing and Safety team for wellbeing and safety risk register updates.
3.10 Performance monitoring and improvement
We assess our wellbeing and safety performance against defined performance measures to meet regulatory obligations. This helps us highlight what is working well and take action where improvements are needed.
3.11 Managing wellbeing and safety records
We maintain document control systems to ensure wellbeing and safety documents are current, consistent, and properly managed through their lifecycle. Incident and hazard records are stored electronically in [Unisafe].
Refer to the [Records Management Procedure] for further information regarding repositories, document control, filing and archiving.
4. Who holds a responsibility within this procedure
4.1 The Vice Chancellor and President is required to:
- Exercise due diligence regarding contractor safety systems as an officer under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) to ensure their effectiveness.
4.2 The contract supervisor is required to:
- Confirm contractor engagements have a signed CSA and the necessary insurances prior to starting work.
- Classify contracted work as outlined in section 3.2 above.
- Monitor contractor documentation, including reviewing risk assessments such as SWMS, where required, to verify these are current and compliant.
- Ensure contractor inductions are complete, work is scheduled per the [insert Infrastructure process resource], local risks and controls are communicated, and supervision is arranged before access is granted.
4.3 Estates and Facilities are required to:
- Ensure the engagement of Estates and Facilities contractors for university facilities and building assets is conducted in accordance with this procedure and relevant University policies and procedures.
- Support investigations of wellbeing and safety incidents involving Estates and Facilities contractors if they are neither notifiable or high-risk.
4.4 The Wellbeing and Safety team are required to:
- Provide tools, templates, and guidance on contractor safety.
- Offer support and advice to the contractor supervisor to implement the requirements of this procedure.
- Support investigations of contractor wellbeing and safety incidents if they are notifiable to the regulator or high risk.
- Liaise with regulators regarding notifiable incidents as necessary.
4.5 Contractor supervisor (or Principal Contractor) is required to:
- Follow the CSA and directions from the University’s contract supervisor.
- Wear or carry a university visitor pass (if issued) on site.
- Oversee contractor safety compliance on site and support contractors in emergencies in accordance with the [Emergency Management Procedure].
- Provide the University’s contract supervisor with required documents, including:
- hazard management records such as permits to work, site-specific induction, training, qualifications, licence records, plant registration, crane certification as required
- SWMS and WHS management plans specific to the project (if needed)
- incident and investigation reports
- risk assessments and other documents as requested by the Contract Manager or Coordinator.
4.6 Contractors are required to:
- Carry or display their white card and Adelaide University visitor pass (or equivalent) on site, if issued.
- Complete the University-wide Required Learning and site-specific inductions conducted by the contractor supervisor (or Principal Contractor).
- Follow contractor supervisor and induction instructions.
- Obtain and adhere to the applicable permit in accordance with the Permit To Work Procedure.
- Coordinate with others to effectively manage wellbeing and safety risks.
- Stop work and inform the contractor supervisor if they are unable to comply or are deviating from their SWMS and wait for guidance.
5. Definitions used in our procedure
Please refer to our Adelaide University glossary for a full list of our definitions.
Adelaide University community refers to a broad range of stakeholders who engage with Adelaide University and includes (but is not limited to) all students, staff, and non-staff members of Adelaide University including alumni, [honorary title holders], [adjuncts], visiting academics, guest lecturers, volunteers, suppliers, and partners who are engaging with and contributing to the work of Adelaide University.
(The term Adelaide University community is used instead of the term Worker as defined in the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2012 (SA)).
Construction project is defined by the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA), where the value of construction work is $450,000 or more triggering specific safety obligations.
Construction work is defined by the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) and refers to any work involving construction, alteration, fitting-out, renovation, repair, or demolition of a structure.
A Contract for Service Agreement (CSA) applies to independent contractors engaged for their trade or profession, who manage their own employees, supply equipment and materials, may delegate tasks, are not directly supervised by the University, and receive payments without income tax deductions from the University.
Contractor refers to:
- temporary/Agency staff hired through recruitment or labour hire agencies
- service contractors engaged via purchase agreements (e.g. technicians, delivery personnel)
- maintenance and event contractors, including sub-contractors (e.g. equipment servicing, marquee setup, catering)
- Estates and Facilities and Information Technology (IT) contractors for construction, capital works, and managed services (e.g. maintenance contracts, Service Level Agreements, trade agreements).
Contract supervisor means the appointed University staff member responsible for the engagement and monitoring of a Contractor to perform work in accordance with the Contract for Service Agreement.
Contractor supervisor means the independent contractor responsible for supervising the work of contractors onsite to ensure compliance with safe work practices and regulatory requirements.
Due Diligence is being proactive in keeping up to date with knowledge of work, health and safety matters and ensuring we meet our work, health, and safety obligations. Due diligence obligations are designed to make sure our Officers take reasonable steps to ensure the use of appropriate resources, policies, procedures and safety and wellbeing practices when undertaking overall and daily business operations.
High-risk construction work is defined in the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) and refers to construction work involving significant hazards such as working at height, hazardous materials, or in confined spaces.
High-risk work licences refer to licences required for activities including scaffolding, rigging, crane operation, forklift driving and pressure equipment work.
Incident refers to an occurrence arising out of, or in the course of, work that could or does result in damage, injury, and/or adverse health implications, including a near miss.
Induction refers to the provision of local level information designed to introduce new or transferred members of the Adelaide University community (for the purposes of this procedure this refers to Contractors) to their workplace and provide them with information concerning hazards and associated risks, and their control measures.
Notifiable incidents refer to the death, serious injury or illness of a person or a dangerous incident including near misses, arising from the conduct of a business or undertaking. These incidents must be reported to SafeWork SA.
An Officer is defined in the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) as a person who makes or helps make a decision which affects either the whole or a major part of a business or undertaking. If a person has the capacity to significantly affect the financial standing of the organisation, they are recognised as an Officer.
Performance measures are quantifiable metrics used by an organisation to evaluate the effectiveness of their work, health, and safety management system, identify areas for improvement, and ensure compliance with applicable legislation.
Permit to Work refers to formal authorisation granted to undertake specific high-risk work, and once controls have been approved by university management in accordance with relevant WHS legislation. It may also serve as authorisation for conducting work when all conditions outlined in the associated protocol are satisfied.
Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) refers to any individual or organisation conducting a business, whether for profit or not, under the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2012 (SA).
Principal Contractor is defined by the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) as referring to the PCBU (by default) with management control of a construction project, typically where the project value is $450,000 or more.
Required Learning refers to the University-wide mandatory learning for new staff, introducing them to the University's values, strategic priorities, and relevant policies and procedures. It also provides essential information and resources specific to their roles.
Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is a structured procedure whereby contractors identify specific high-risk construction work, outline detailed aspects of the task, assess potential hazards and risks, and prescribe controls to facilitate safe execution. While similar to a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) as both are forms of risk assessment, a SWMS specifically addresses high-risk construction activities, whereas a JSA applies to non-construction work.
Subcontractor refers to a PCBU contracted by a Contractor or Principal Contractor to perform part of the contracted work.
White Cards refer to the nationally recognised general construction induction card certifying WHS training to work in the construction industry.
6. How our procedure is governed
This procedure is categorised, approved and owned in line with the governance structure of Adelaide University and the offices and officers listed below.
| Parent policy | Wellbeing and Safety Policy |
| Policy category | Corporate |
| Approving authority | co-Vice Chancellors/Vice Chancellor and President |
| Policy owner | Deputy Vice Chancellor - People and Culture |
| Responsible officer | Director, Wellbeing and Safety |
| Effective from | 1 January 2026 |
| Review date | [3/4/5 years after date this version is approved, TBC] |
| Enquiries | Interim Central Policy Unit/[Central Policy Unit] staff.policy.enquiries@adelaideuni.edu.au |
| Replaced documents | N/A |
7. Legislation and other documents related to our procedure
Refer to the [Delegation Policy] for all delegations at Adelaide University.
| Category | Documents |
|---|---|
| Associated procedures | [Emergency Management Procedure] Hazard Management Procedure Incident Management Procedure Permit To Work Procedure |
| Referenced legislation |
Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 |
| Related legislation | |
| External references | SafeWork SA |
8. History of changes
| Date approved | To section/clauses | Description of change |
|---|---|---|
| 4 December 2025 | N/A | New procedure |
At the time of writing, Adelaide University’s organisational structure, position titles, and committee names have not been confirmed. Square brackets [ ] indicate placeholders for these details. Brackets are also used to identify policy elements that are subject to further decision-making or confirmation. These will be updated once final decisions are made.