Contractor Safety Management Definitions and Acronyms

Term/Acronym	Definition
Organisational Unit	Faculty, School, Centre, University Institute, other University Entity, Division, Section or University Business Enterprise.
Basic Contractor	Contractors that do not undertake high risk work tasks as determined by University of Tasmania. These contractors perform activities for University of Tasmania, are fully inducted and may work under University of Tasmania WHS management system. For example, low risk facilities services, equipment servicing/calibration, delivery of stationery supplies.
Specialist Contractor	Contractors that undertake high risk work tasks or work with high risk consequences but are not given control of the worksite. These contractors follow their own safe work method procedures for the type of work they are to perform but are supervised and monitored by University of Tasmania to ensure they follow all relevant safety requirements. For example, work involving work at height, work in confined spaces, work on or near exposed live electrical parts, work involving licensed plant.
Complex Contractor	Contractors that are in control of the work site and operate under their own WHS Management System. They are usually engaged for significant works with high risk work tasks such as construction or vessel operation(but this is not a requirement). University of Tasmania would monitor and review the safety performance of the contractor to ensure that the contractor is following its own safety management system on the project. For example, marine vessel operators, contractors engaged to construct premises.
Contractor Supervisor	The person responsible for the day to day oversight of the contractor. This person may also be the Contract Manager.
Contract Manager	The person responsible for the overall management of the contract. This person may also be the Contractor Supervisor.
Construction Project	Has the same meaning as under the WHS Regulation, namely, a project that involves construction work where the cost of the construction work is $250,000 or more.
Construction Work	Has the same meaning as under the WHS Regulation, namely, any work carried out in connection with the construction, alteration, conversion, fitting-out, commissioning, renovation, repair, maintenance, refurbishment, demolition, decommissioning or dismantling of a structure, and also includes the following: any installation or testing carried out in connection with an activity referred to above the removal from the workplace of any product or waste resulting from demolition the prefabrication or testing of elements, at a place specifically established for the construction work, for use in construction work; the assembly of prefabricated elements to form a structure, or the disassembly of prefabricated elements forming part of a structure; the installation, testing or maintenance of an essential service in relation to a structure; any work connected with an excavation; any work connected with any preparatory work or site preparation (including landscaping as part of site preparation) carried out in connection with an activity referred to above; an activity referred to above, that is carried out on, under or near water, including work on buoys and obstructions to navigation. It does not include: the manufacture of plant; the prefabrication of elements, other than at a place specifically established for the construction work, for use in construction work; the construction or assembly of a structure that once constructed or assembled is intended to be transported to another place; testing, maintenance or repair work of a minor nature carried out in connection with a structure; mining or the exploration for or extraction of minerals.
Contractor Application Schedule	The WHS requirements tool to be filled in by the contractor (Appendices 2 and 3 as applicable).
Contractor Classification	Means the classification given to the contractor to be engaged as either a Basic Contractor, Specialist Contractor or Complex Contractor.
Contract Manager	Means the person nominated to engage, directly manage and monitor a contractor on behalf of University of Tasmania, this person will usually be the person engaging the contractor but may change throughout the life of the contract.
Engagement Documentation	The collection of documentation that forms the WHS contractor engagement.
High Risk Work	Work that has an inherent risk of High or Extreme as defined by the University of Tasmania’s Risk Management Policy.
High Risk Construction Work	Has the same meaning as under the WHS Regulation, namely, construction work that: involves a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres, or is carried out on a telecommunication tower, or involves demolition of an element of a structure that is load-bearing or otherwise related to the physical integrity of the structure, or involves, or is likely to involve, the disturbance of asbestos, or involves structural alterations or repairs that require temporary support to prevent collapse, or is carried out in or near a confined space, or is carried out in or near: a shaft or trench with an excavated depth greater than 1.5 metres, or a tunnel, or involves the use of explosives, or is carried out on or near pressurised gas distribution mains or piping, or is carried out on or near chemical, fuel or refrigerant lines, or is carried out on or near energised electrical installations or services, or is carried out in an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere, or involves tilt-up or precast concrete, or is carried out on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor that is in use by traffic other than pedestrians, or is carried out in an area at a workplace in which there is any movement of powered mobile plant, or is carried out in an area in which there are artificial extremes of temperature, or is carried out in or near water or other liquid that involves a risk of drowning, or involves diving work.
Notifiable Incident	Has the same meaning as any incident or event required by law to be notified to an authority, including, the death of a person, or a serious injury or illness of a person, a dangerous incident, or environmental harm.
Principal Contractor	Has the same meaning as under the WHS Regulation, namely, a PCBU that commissions a Construction Project unless another PCBU is engaged as principal contractor.
Project	A single work task or group of work tasks packaged together and managed as a single activity.
Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)	Has the same meaning as under the WHS Regulation, namely, in relation to a Construction Project, means a safe work method statement prepared or revised under Part 6.3 of the WHS Regulation. A safe work method statement must identify the work that is high risk construction work; and state hazards relating to the high-risk construction work and risks to health and safety associated with those hazards; and describe the measures to be implemented to control the risks; and describe how the control measures are to be implemented, monitored and reviewed.
Safety Share	Invitation for meeting attendees to share a personal safety story for discussion and reflection.
WHS Management Plan	Means a plan that includes the following details: the names, positions and health and safety responsibilities of all persons at the workplace whose positions or roles involve specific health and safety responsibilities in connection with the project; the arrangements in place, between any persons conducting a business or undertaking at the workplace where the construction project is being undertaken, for consultation, cooperation and the coordination of activities in relation to compliance with their duties; the arrangements in place for managing any work health and safety incidents that occur; any site-specific health and safety rules, and the arrangements for ensuring that all persons at the workplace are informed of these rules; the arrangements for the collection and any assessment, monitoring and review of safe work method statements at the workplace; and for a Construction Project, any other requirements under Part 6.4 of the WHS Regulation.
Worker	Has the same meaning as under the WHS Act, namely, a person who carries out work in any capacity for University of Tasmania, including work as: an employee, or a contractor or subcontractor, or an employee of a contractor or subcontractor, or an employee of a labour hire company who has been assigned to work in the person’s business or undertaking, or an outworker, or an apprentice or trainee, or a student gaining work experience, or a volunteer, or a person of a prescribed class.

Contractor Safety Management Home