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NZ Building Code · Health & SafetySite safety plan & hazards: the living paperwork HSWA expects
HSWA doesn’t hand you a form — it asks you to manage risk and show how, which in practice means a small stack of living documents and the habits that make them real.
The Health and Safety at Work Act doesn’t prescribe a single form. It asks you to manage risk and show how you’re doing it. In practice that’s a small stack of living documents plus the habits that make them real: a site safety plan, a hazard and risk register, method statements for the dangerous tasks, inductions and toolbox talks, and the right PPE as the last line.
The practical paperwork
These are the documents most sites run on. Head contractors and clients will usually want to see them before you start.
- SSSP (Site-Specific Safety Plan) — how H&S will be run on this site. Most head contractors and clients require one before you start.
- Hazard / risk register — list each hazard, rate the risk (likelihood × consequence), record the controls (using the hierarchy) and note who’s responsible.
- SWMS / JSA — a Safe Work Method Statement or Job Safety Analysis for high-risk tasks like height, excavation, hot work, confined space and lifting.
- Induction + toolbox talks — induct everyone before they set foot on site, then keep the day’s risks front of mind with short, regular toolbox talks. Record attendance.
PPE is the last line, not the first
PPE only protects the wearer, and only if it’s worn correctly — so it sits at the bottom of the hierarchy, after you’ve eliminated or engineered out what you can. The PCBU provides it free.
- Hard hat
- Hi-vis
- Safety footwear
- Eye and ear protection
- Gloves
- RPE (respirators) where there’s dust or fume
Dust is the slow killer — silica & wood dust
Cutting or grinding concrete, brick, tile and especially engineered stone releases respirable crystalline silica. Wood dust — especially MDF and hardwoods — is also carcinogenic.
- Control at source with water suppression or on-tool extraction (an M- or H-class vac), not a domestic vacuum.
- Wear a fitted P2/P3 respirator.
- Dry-cutting engineered stone is heavily restricted in NZ.
Hazardous substances
Store and label hazardous substances such as LPG, solvents and fuels per the Hazardous Substances rules.
Plain-English guide, not advice. This page helps you understand and navigate the rules — it is general information, not design, engineering or consent advice, and it does not reproduce the copyrighted tables of NZS 3604 or any Standard. Always check the current Standard or Acceptable Solution and your BCA, and use a suitably qualified LBP, engineer or QS where it matters.
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Common questions
Does HSWA require a specific site safety form?
No. HSWA doesn’t prescribe a single form — it asks you to manage risk and show how. In practice that means a small stack of living documents: a site safety plan (SSSP), a hazard and risk register, SWMS/JSA method statements for dangerous tasks, inductions and toolbox talks, and the right PPE.
What is an SSSP and when do I need one?
An SSSP is a Site-Specific Safety Plan that sets out how H&S will be run on this particular site. Most head contractors and clients require one before you start.
Where does PPE sit in managing site risk?
PPE is the last line, not the first. It only protects the wearer, and only if worn correctly, so it sits at the bottom of the hierarchy after you’ve eliminated or engineered out what you can. The PCBU provides it free — hard hat, hi-vis, safety footwear, eye and ear protection, gloves, and RPE where there’s dust or fume.
How do I control silica and wood dust on site?
Control at source using water suppression or on-tool extraction with an M- or H-class vac (not a domestic vacuum), plus a fitted P2/P3 respirator. Cutting or grinding concrete, brick, tile and especially engineered stone releases respirable crystalline silica, and wood dust (especially MDF and hardwoods) is also carcinogenic. Dry-cutting engineered stone is heavily restricted in NZ.
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