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Health and safety is always evolving, and at HazardCo we’ve always made it our job to stay on top of changes so we can help keep your team safe, and make health and safety easier to manage.

Right now, WorkSafe’s draft ACOP for residential construction is placing a strong focus on overlapping duties on site. While the ACOP isn’t creating new responsibilities, it does provide more guidance and clarity around how builders and contractors should work together when multiple businesses are operating on the same project.

At the heart of this guidance are the three C’s:

Consultation. Cooperation. Coordination.

In simple terms, WorkSafe wants to see everyone working together when health and safety responsibilities overlap.

What does that mean in practice?

For most residential builders, this won’t be a new concept.

A typical site might have electricians, plumbers, roofers, painters, scaffolders and other contractors all working alongside each other. Every business on site has its own health and safety responsibilities, but they also need to communicate and coordinate when their work affects others.

The challenge is that this can be difficult when everyone is using different systems, different paperwork, or no system at all.

Important information gets missed.

Paperwork gets lost.

And builders often find themselves chasing contractors for safety documentation rather than focusing on getting the job done.

A shared approach to site safety

As expectations around consultation, cooperation and coordination are being clarified, we believe health and safety works best when everyone on site is working from the same playbook.

That’s why we’re streamlining our project options and moving members to Project Plus.

Many builders are already using Project Plus and seeing the benefits. Now we’re making sure all members have access to the tools needed to manage health and safety across the whole site’s, not just within their own business.

How Project Plus works

With Project Plus, when a principal contractor becomes a HazardCo member, everyone working on that site can access HazardCo for free.

That includes contractors and subcontractors such as electricians, plumbers, roofers and other trades.

They can use the HazardCo App to:

• Complete Task Analysis reports
• Conduct Risk Assessments
• Run toolbox meetings
• Carry out Site Reviews
• Record and report hazards and incidents
• Access site-specific safety information

Everything is completed from their phone and feeds back into one central system.

Instead of information being spread across multiple businesses, everyone is contributing to the same health and safety record.

Better visibility, less chasing

One of the biggest benefits of Project Plus is visibility.

Builders can see what’s happening across their sites without having to chase paperwork or rely on contractors emailing forms through after the fact.

You’ll have a clearer picture of site activity, better records of communication and stronger evidence that everyone is actively participating in health and safety.

Most importantly, it helps show that consultation, cooperation and coordination is part of everyday site activity rather than another administrative task.

Looking ahead

The draft ACOP is still working its way through the consultation process, but the direction is clear.

Residential construction sites involve multiple businesses working together, and good health and safety depends on everyone playing their part.

Project Plus helps bring builders and contractors together under one system, making it easier to share information, coordinate activities and manage health and safety across the whole site.

Because health and safety isn’t your full-time job. It should be simple, practical and help everyone get home safe at the end of the day.

Members will receive Project Plus functionality when their annual membership renews, or you can choose to upgrade earlier by getting in touch with our team.