Site controls
Health and safety management
Coordinate overlapping duties, site risks, worker engagement, task planning, plant, emergencies, incidents, and changing conditions throughout the project.
How to execute this stage
Micro-stage control plan
Work through each applicable step in order. A hold point means pause the dependent decision or work until the stated evidence and authorised review are complete.
01Confirm PCBU roles, site-specific arrangements, inductions, emergency plan, first aid, welfare, hazard/risk register, worker engagement, and contractor coordinationLevel 3 · Site controls
TaskCheckHold pointEvidenceRecordNext actionSimple explanation
Confirm PCBU roles, site-specific arrangements, inductions, emergency plan, first aid, welfare, hazard/risk register, worker engagement, and contractor coordination.
Technical context
Coordinate this work against Site logistics plan, Company H&S system, the current consent status, and the actual site condition. Confirm interfaces before releasing dependent work.
Why it matters: The main recorded risk is: Uncontrolled high-risk work. A missed check can create rework, delay, hidden defects, an inspection failure, or a departure from approved project documents.
Prerequisites
- Site logistics plan is current, approved for the intended use, and available to the people doing the work.
- Company H&S system and relevant product information have been checked.
- Access, responsibility, safety controls, preceding work and the daily site safety walk sequence are confirmed.
Checks
- Check the completed work against Site logistics plan and Company H&S system.
- Check specifically for: Uncontrolled high-risk work.
- Avoid this known mistake: Starting health and safety management without confirming the current documents and responsibility.
Evidence to save
- Wide, location-identifying and close-up photographs of the completed health and safety management work before it is concealed.
- Marked-up Site logistics plan or a precise drawing/detail reference.
- Daily site safety walk result, consultant record, trade QA record or written not-applicable reason.
Hold point
Do not cover, backfill, load, connect, certify or release the next activity until Daily site safety walk and the required project evidence are complete or the authorised reviewer confirms what may proceed.
Stop or escalate when
- Uncontrolled high-risk work
- Starting health and safety management without confirming the current documents and responsibility
- The current drawing, approval, competent reviewer or required evidence cannot be confirmed.
Documents and records
- Site logistics plan
- Company H&S system
- Current RFI/site-instruction/change record
- Inspection and evidence register
- Cost effect
- Rectification, reinspection, delay, damaged follow-on work, access loss and changed scope can increase the cost of health and safety management. Record the cause and obtain written pricing before approving a commercial change.
- Programme effect
- This activity controls the release of dependent work. Update the lookahead programme and notify affected trades if the hold point, information, inspection or evidence is not ready.
Next action
Review high-risk work before it starts, including excavation, heights, scaffolds, plant, electricity, demolition, asbestos, silica, lifting, hot work, and public interaction.
Applicability: Apply when this work package is included in the current project scope. Confirm project-specific consent, contract, design, site and authority requirements.
Use the current consented/issued project documents and competent site review. BuildPath does not approve work.
02Review high-risk work before it starts, including excavation, heights, scaffolds, plant, electricity, demolition, asbestos, silica, lifting, hot work, and public interactionLevel 3 · Site controls
TaskCheckHold pointEvidenceRecordNext actionSimple explanation
Review high-risk work before it starts, including excavation, heights, scaffolds, plant, electricity, demolition, asbestos, silica, lifting, hot work, and public interaction.
Technical context
Coordinate this work against Emergency plan, Project requirements, the current consent status, and the actual site condition. Confirm interfaces before releasing dependent work.
Why it matters: The main recorded risk is: Workers not consulted. A missed check can create rework, delay, hidden defects, an inspection failure, or a departure from approved project documents.
Prerequisites
- Emergency plan is current, approved for the intended use, and available to the people doing the work.
- Project requirements and relevant product information have been checked.
- Access, responsibility, safety controls, preceding work and the high-risk work pre-start sequence are confirmed.
Checks
- Check the completed work against Emergency plan and Project requirements.
- Check specifically for: Workers not consulted.
- Avoid this known mistake: Relying on a verbal answer without recording the source, decision, owner, and due date.
Evidence to save
- Wide, location-identifying and close-up photographs of the completed health and safety management work before it is concealed.
- Marked-up Emergency plan or a precise drawing/detail reference.
- High-risk work pre-start result, consultant record, trade QA record or written not-applicable reason.
Hold point
Do not cover, backfill, load, connect, certify or release the next activity until High-risk work pre-start and the required project evidence are complete or the authorised reviewer confirms what may proceed.
Stop or escalate when
- Workers not consulted
- Relying on a verbal answer without recording the source, decision, owner, and due date
- The current drawing, approval, competent reviewer or required evidence cannot be confirmed.
Documents and records
- Emergency plan
- Project requirements
- Current RFI/site-instruction/change record
- Inspection and evidence register
- Cost effect
- Rectification, reinspection, delay, damaged follow-on work, access loss and changed scope can increase the cost of health and safety management. Record the cause and obtain written pricing before approving a commercial change.
- Programme effect
- This activity controls the release of dependent work. Update the lookahead programme and notify affected trades if the hold point, information, inspection or evidence is not ready.
Next action
Inspect controls, stop unsafe work, respond to incidents, preserve evidence, complete required notifications through the responsible duty holder, and verify corrective actions.
Applicability: Apply when this work package is included in the current project scope. Confirm project-specific consent, contract, design, site and authority requirements.
Use the current consented/issued project documents and competent site review. BuildPath does not approve work.
03Inspect controls, stop unsafe work, respond to incidents, preserve evidence, complete required notifications through the responsible duty holder, and verify corrective actionsLevel 3 · Site controls
TaskCheckHold pointEvidenceRecordNext actionSimple explanation
Inspect controls, stop unsafe work, respond to incidents, preserve evidence, complete required notifications through the responsible duty holder, and verify corrective actions.
Technical context
Coordinate this work against Temporary works/access layouts, WorkSafe guidance, the current consent status, and the actual site condition. Confirm interfaces before releasing dependent work.
Why it matters: The main recorded risk is: Public exposed. A missed check can create rework, delay, hidden defects, an inspection failure, or a departure from approved project documents.
Prerequisites
- Temporary works/access layouts is current, approved for the intended use, and available to the people doing the work.
- WorkSafe guidance and relevant product information have been checked.
- Access, responsibility, safety controls, preceding work and the scaffold/plant/temporary works checks as applicable sequence are confirmed.
Checks
- Check the completed work against Temporary works/access layouts and WorkSafe guidance.
- Check specifically for: Public exposed.
- Avoid this known mistake: Allowing the next activity to hide incomplete checks or missing evidence.
Evidence to save
- Wide, location-identifying and close-up photographs of the completed health and safety management work before it is concealed.
- Marked-up Temporary works/access layouts or a precise drawing/detail reference.
- Scaffold/plant/temporary works checks as applicable result, consultant record, trade QA record or written not-applicable reason.
Hold point
Do not cover, backfill, load, connect, certify or release the next activity until Scaffold/plant/temporary works checks as applicable and the required project evidence are complete or the authorised reviewer confirms what may proceed.
Stop or escalate when
- Public exposed
- Allowing the next activity to hide incomplete checks or missing evidence
- The current drawing, approval, competent reviewer or required evidence cannot be confirmed.
Documents and records
- Temporary works/access layouts
- WorkSafe guidance
- Current RFI/site-instruction/change record
- Inspection and evidence register
- Cost effect
- Rectification, reinspection, delay, damaged follow-on work, access loss and changed scope can increase the cost of health and safety management. Record the cause and obtain written pricing before approving a commercial change.
- Programme effect
- This activity controls the release of dependent work. Update the lookahead programme and notify affected trades if the hold point, information, inspection or evidence is not ready.
Next action
Close the health and safety management stage, link its evidence, resolve outstanding defects and release only the next applicable stage.
Applicability: Apply when this work package is included in the current project scope. Confirm project-specific consent, contract, design, site and authority requirements.
Use the current consented/issued project documents and competent site review. BuildPath does not approve work.
Trade-to-trade control
Interfaces and release gates
Use the actual consented design, specification and authorised reviewers. These controls help expose gaps; they do not approve work.
Release this stage to the next team
Prerequisites
- • Current consented/contract documents and scope are available
- • Preceding work, access, safety and materials are ready
- • Named people own open RFIs, defects, inspections and evidence
Interface checks
- • Work matches the current documents and actual site condition
- • Interfaces with the preceding and following trades have been walked
- • Cost, programme, change and evidence consequences are recorded
Evidence before release
- • Location and detail photographs
- • Dated checklist/inspection/RFI references
- • Daily report and linked action/defect records
Next team: The next applicable project team
Open the related Workspace control →What happens in this stage
- Confirm PCBU roles, site-specific arrangements, inductions, emergency plan, first aid, welfare, hazard/risk register, worker engagement, and contractor coordination.
- Review high-risk work before it starts, including excavation, heights, scaffolds, plant, electricity, demolition, asbestos, silica, lifting, hot work, and public interaction.
- Inspect controls, stop unsafe work, respond to incidents, preserve evidence, complete required notifications through the responsible duty holder, and verify corrective actions.
Before work starts
- Confirm the latest issued-for-construction and consented documents for health and safety management are on site, including Site logistics plan.
- Check Company H&S system, approved product data, RFIs, minor variations, and amendment status before work starts.
- Confirm the subcontractor understands the scope, hold points, access, protection requirements, H&S controls, and quality evidence required.
- Check the programme sequence so this stage does not start before earlier work, inspections, testing, or concealed-work photos are complete.
- Confirm materials delivered to site match the specification, are dry/undamaged, and are stored according to manufacturer instructions.
During the work
- Walk the work face early, mid-shift, and before close-up. Compare actual work with the consented drawings, specification, and manufacturer details.
- Check set-out, levels, falls, clearances, penetrations, fixings, bracing, waterproofing, or protection points that will be difficult to see later.
- Ask trades to show their own quality checks rather than only saying the work is complete.
- Keep weather, site condition, delivery, delay, inspection, RFI, variation, and safety notes in the daily report.
- Photograph any work before it is covered, backfilled, lined, clad, tiled, painted, or otherwise hidden.
After the work
- Complete a close-out walk with the subcontractor and mark defects immediately while access is still available.
- Confirm required inspection bookings, council results, producer statements, LBP Records of Work, warranties, test certificates, or installer declarations are obtained.
- Update as-built notes where service routes, drainage, fixings, penetrations, or dimensions differ from the design.
- Confirm the area is protected from weather, other trades, impact damage, contamination, or premature loading.
- Update the lookahead programme and tell affected trades what is ready, what is blocked, and what must not be covered.
Common problems and step-by-step solutions
Health and safety management information is incomplete or conflicting
- 1Stop the affected health and safety management activity if continuing could hide defective work, create unsafe work, or move away from the consented design.
- 2Photograph the condition from wide, medium, and close-up angles. Include a tape, level, datum mark, gridline, or drawing reference where useful.
- 3Check the latest consented architectural, structural, civil, services, and specification documents before giving an instruction.
- 4Ask the subcontractor to explain the cause, proposed fix, timing impact, and whether the fix changes consented work.
- 5Escalate to the builder/project manager, designer, engineer, council inspector, or client when the fix affects structure, weathertightness, drainage, H1, fire/safety, cost, programme, or consent.
- 6Record the decision, responsible person, drawing/RFI/variation reference, photos, and follow-up inspection in the daily report.
Health and safety management is not ready when the programme requires it
- 1Stop the affected health and safety management activity if continuing could hide defective work, create unsafe work, or move away from the consented design.
- 2Photograph the condition from wide, medium, and close-up angles. Include a tape, level, datum mark, gridline, or drawing reference where useful.
- 3Check the latest consented architectural, structural, civil, services, and specification documents before giving an instruction.
- 4Ask the subcontractor to explain the cause, proposed fix, timing impact, and whether the fix changes consented work.
- 5Escalate to the builder/project manager, designer, engineer, council inspector, or client when the fix affects structure, weathertightness, drainage, H1, fire/safety, cost, programme, or consent.
- 6Record the decision, responsible person, drawing/RFI/variation reference, photos, and follow-up inspection in the daily report.
Health and safety management evidence or approval cannot be located
- 1Stop the affected health and safety management activity if continuing could hide defective work, create unsafe work, or move away from the consented design.
- 2Photograph the condition from wide, medium, and close-up angles. Include a tape, level, datum mark, gridline, or drawing reference where useful.
- 3Check the latest consented architectural, structural, civil, services, and specification documents before giving an instruction.
- 4Ask the subcontractor to explain the cause, proposed fix, timing impact, and whether the fix changes consented work.
- 5Escalate to the builder/project manager, designer, engineer, council inspector, or client when the fix affects structure, weathertightness, drainage, H1, fire/safety, cost, programme, or consent.
- 6Record the decision, responsible person, drawing/RFI/variation reference, photos, and follow-up inspection in the daily report.
Verification
Source / where to check
Use current official information and the controlled documents for the actual project.
Use WorkSafe NZ for construction health and safety duties, risk management, and practical guidance for residential construction work.
Use for excavation risk management, trenching, collapse, services, access, exclusion, and emergency planning.
Use before demolition, refurbishment, or disturbance of possible asbestos-containing material.
Insufficient data to verify — confirm against the current consented drawings, specifications, Auckland Council requirements, Auckland Unitary Plan, NZ Building Code, relevant NZ Standard, consultant advice, manufacturer instructions, insurance broker, insurer, lender, lawyer, accountant or project contract.
The issued consent drawings, stamped specifications, engineering drawings, RFIs, minor variations, and amendments control the specific project.
Use the exact current installation manual, warranty requirements, BRANZ/Appraisal information where applicable, and product data sheet for the product on site.
Insufficient data to verify — confirm against the current consented drawings, specifications, Auckland Council requirements, Auckland Unitary Plan, NZ Building Code, relevant NZ Standard, consultant advice, manufacturer instructions, insurance broker, insurer, lender, lawyer, accountant or project contract.
Project-specific consented documents and professional advice override generic guidance.
Common inspections required
- Daily site safety walk
- High-risk work pre-start
- Scaffold/plant/temporary works checks as applicable
Common risks
- Uncontrolled high-risk work
- Workers not consulted
- Public exposed
- Incident not escalated correctly
Common mistakes
- Starting health and safety management without confirming the current documents and responsibility
- Relying on a verbal answer without recording the source, decision, owner, and due date
- Allowing the next activity to hide incomplete checks or missing evidence
Required documentation
- Latest consented drawings and specifications
- Relevant RFIs, site instructions, amendments, minor variations, and variation approvals
- Subcontractor scope, QA checklist, delivery dockets, product data, and installation records
- Inspection booking/result records and photos before cover-up
- Daily site report notes covering labour, weather, progress, delays, risks, and decisions
Photos or diagrams needed
- Wide photo showing where health and safety management is happening on the site
- Close-up photos of critical details, fixings, laps, seals, penetrations, clearances, levels, or falls
- Photo of product labels, batch numbers, delivery dockets, and installer marks where relevant
- Marked-up drawing or simple diagram showing any changed location, clash, defect, or agreed remedial detail
Construction manager checklist
- 1Scope, drawings, specification, product data, and latest revision confirmed
- 2Trade briefed on hold points, tolerances to verify, evidence required, and inspection sequence
- 3Access, storage, protection, temporary works, and safety controls in place
- 4Work checked against drawings during installation, not only at completion
- 5Photos and records captured before work is concealed
- 6Defects, RFIs, delays, and variations recorded with owner and due date
- 7Inspection/producer statement/warranty/Record of Work requirements tracked for CCC
Questions to ask the subcontractor
- Which drawing, detail, or manufacturer instruction are you working from?
- What needs to be checked before this is covered or handed to the next trade?
- What could stop you today: weather, access, materials, information, inspections, or other trades?
- Does anything on site differ from the drawings or specification?
- What evidence will you provide for the quality file and CCC file?
Red flags to stop work
- Work differs from consented drawings or specification and no approved variation/RFI exists
- A structural, weathertightness, waterproofing, drainage, fire/safety, or H1 detail is unclear
- The trade wants to cover work before inspection, testing, or photos are complete
- Specified materials are missing, substituted, damaged, wet, expired, or installed outside manufacturer instructions
- A safety control is missing for excavation, heights, plant movement, electrical work, asbestos, silica, or public protection
What to record in the daily report
- Exact location and quantity of work completed
- Trade headcount, company names, plant used, deliveries, and material batch/product details
- Weather, site conditions, delays, instructions received, RFIs raised, and inspections booked/passed/failed
- Photos taken before cover-up and any defects or non-conformances found
- Next-day lookahead, blockers, and who is responsible for each action
Use this in my project
Turn health and safety management into controlled action
Open the relevant workspace register, create the project-specific record, link the controlling documents and preserve evidence. The guide does not automatically approve or verify the action.