Best practices for onboarding safe contractor machinery

Ensuring subcontractor machinery compliance is essential for maintaining safety and operational efficiency on construction projects. Both principal contractors and subcontractors must work together to ensure all machinery used on site meets safety standards and complies with relevant legal requirements. In this article, we’ll explore the shared responsibilities of both parties, the common challenges faced in managing compliance and offer practical tips to streamline the process. 

Who is responsible for subcontractor machinery compliance? 

Subcontractor machinery compliance is a shared responsibility between the principal contractor and the subcontractor. Both parties have distinct roles in ensuring the safety and compliance of equipment brought onto the construction site. 

A principal contractor, as the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), carries the primary duty of care under legislation. This means they are ultimately responsible for ensuring any machinery used on site, whether their own or brought to site by subcontractors, is safe and meets all regulatory requirements. 

Subcontractors, as suppliers of plant and equipment, are also legally required to ensure their machinery complies with the law. 

Failure to meet these obligations can result in significant safety risks, project delays or legal consequences for both parties. Effective collaboration between principal contractors and subcontractors is essential to ensure compliance is achieved and maintained throughout a project. 

Challenges faced by principal contractors when onboarding subcontractor machinery 

Principal contractors face many challenges when onboarding subcontractor machinery. Ensuring every piece of equipment on site is compliant and safe can be complex due to the diverse nature of contractors, machines and processes involved. Some of the most common challenges include: 

Ensuring compliance across multiple contractors 

Principal contractors often work with multiple subcontractors, each of whom may have different safety protocols, machinery types and documentation standards. Ensuring all machinery meets the necessary compliance requirements can be a logistical challenge. 

Verifying documentation 

One of the most critical tasks for principal contractors is verifying the accuracy and currency of compliance documents provided by subcontractors. This includes certificates, maintenance logs, service records, and operating procedures. Document verification across contractors with differing documentation standards, especially when it is handled manually, can be a very time consuming task. 

Maintaining efficient onboarding processes 

With tight project timelines, principal contractors must balance thoroughness with efficiency in onboarding. Delays in the verification process can cause project slowdowns. 

Mitigating risk 

Ensuring machinery compliance is essential to avoid incidents that could lead to injury, project downtime and financial or legal liabilities. Risk mitigation remains a priority throughout the lifecycle of the project. 

Ongoing communication 

Clear and continuous communication with subcontractors is vital for resolving compliance issues and ensuring all documentation remains up to date. However, it can be difficult to maintain this communication throughout the life of a project, meaning safety standards may fall behind and non-compliant machinery may be used on site. 

Audit readiness 

Principal contractors must be prepared for audits at any time. Ensuring all machinery complies with safety and legal requirements can be a labour-intensive task that needs to take place throughout the entire life of the project. 

Challenges faced by subcontractors getting accepted on site 

Subcontractors also face their share of challenges in meeting compliance requirements. Some of the hurdles they must overcome to ensure their machinery is accepted on site include: 

Understanding principal contractor requirements 

Different contractors have varying standards for compliance. Subcontractors must take the time to understand each principal contractor’s unique requirements, which may differ from project to project. 

Keeping up with legislative changes 

Compliance requirements can change as legislation is updated and subcontractors need to stay informed to avoid non-compliance. Falling behind on legal updates can result in machinery being rejected on site. 

Documenting compliance 

Maintaining detailed records of machinery maintenance, inspections and risk assessments is crucial. However, juggling multiple machines across different sites can make it difficult for subcontractors to keep documentation current and accessible. 

Managing paperwork 

Subcontractors often face paperwork headaches when trying to track down the right documents. Misplaced or outdated records can delay site entry and lead to project delays. 

Ongoing communication 

Subcontractors must maintain open communication with the principal contractor to resolve any issues, especially in cases of non-compliance or required documentation updates. 

Managing multiple compliance platforms 

Working across different projects often means interacting with multiple communication and compliance systems, adding to the complexity of ensuring timely compliance. 

Tips for principal contractors to onboard compliant machinery 

To overcome the common challenges of machinery compliance, principal contractors should implement industry best practices. The below tips can help streamline the process and ensure that subcontractor machinery is onboarded safely and efficiently. 

Establish clear compliance criteria 

Provide subcontractors with specific compliance requirements before they arrive on site, outlining the necessary documentation and safety protocols machinery must meet. Common requirements include: 

• Machinery risk assessments 

• Service and maintenance records 

• Service manuals 

• Safe work method statements (SWMS) or safe operating procedures (SOPs) 

• License and registration details 

Standardise the onboarding process: 

Develop a consistent and repeatable onboarding process for all subcontractors. Standardised procedures ensure every contractor knows what is expected, reducing the risk of delays or missed steps. 

Communicate key site information 

Provide subcontractors with essential site-specific information such as emergency plans, contact lists and site policies. This ensures everyone on site is aware of safety protocols and can act quickly in case of an emergency. 

Conduct periodic machinery audits 

Regularly audit the machinery being used on site to verify that it continues to meet compliance standards. This helps prevent non-compliance issues from arising later in the project. 

Provide training 

Offer ongoing education and training to subcontractors to ensure they fully understand their compliance obligations. This might include online courses, manuals or onsite workshops. 

How subcontractors can prepare for machinery compliance onboarding 

For subcontractors, preparation is key to getting machinery approved quickly and efficiently on-site. Here are some tips for subcontractors to follow to avoid onboarding delays and ensure compliance with principal contractor expectations. 

Complete machinery risk assessments 

Regular inspections and risk assessments help provide principal contractors with a clear understanding of the safety status of machinery. This not only ensures compliance but also highlights any issues that may require rectification. 

Stay informed

It’s crucial for subcontractors to stay up to date with the latest compliance legislation and regulations. Keeping up with changes in the law helps ensure machinery remains compliant. 

Maintain current documentation 

Ensure all documentation, including compliance certificates, maintenance logs and service records, are up to date and easily accessible. This makes it easier for principal contractors to verify compliance. 

Provide regular updates 

Subcontractors should keep the principal contractor informed of any changes to the machine’s status, especially in terms of safety or compliance. 

Resolve issues promptly 

If a compliance issue arises, subcontractors should act swiftly to address and rectify the problem before it leads to delays. 

Clarify compliance requirements 

When in doubt, subcontractors should ask the principal contractor for clarification on any ambiguous compliance requirements to avoid unnecessary delays. 

Want to learn more about onboarding safe machinery to site? 

The Ideagen Plant Assessor team is here to help! Ask our machinery experts a question by contacting 1300 728 852 or emailing info@assessor.com.au. 

You may also like to view our free, on demand webinar Subcontractor compliance on site: onboard machinery the safe way. You’ll get access to an invaluable guide complete with actionable steps for improving subcontractor machinery compliance as a thanks for watching. 

Disclaimer: This information is intended to provide general information on the subject matter. This is not intended as legal or expert advice for your specific situation. You should seek professional advice before acting or relying on the content of this information.