Product Overview

Summary: This SOP sets out a clear, practical framework for how different trades coordinate and interact safely on Australian worksites. It helps prevent clashes, delays and serious incidents by defining communication protocols, access rules and hazard controls whenever multiple contractors are working side by side.

When multiple trades are working on the same site, the risk of incidents, rework and disputes increases sharply. Confined access, overlapping tasks, shared plant, and conflicting priorities can quickly lead to unsafe conditions if responsibilities and communication are not clearly defined. This Interaction with Other Trades on Site Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, repeatable method for coordinating trades so that safety, productivity and legal obligations are all protected.

The SOP sets out how principal contractors, subcontractors and individual workers are to consult, cooperate and coordinate activities, in line with Australian WHS legislation. It covers pre-start planning, daily coordination meetings, communication channels, permit and exclusion zone management, sequencing of high‑risk work, and escalation pathways when conflicts arise. By embedding this procedure into your site management, you reduce the likelihood of trade clashes, unsafe improvisation and last‑minute changes that put people at risk and blow out timelines.

This document is particularly valuable for businesses managing complex projects or operating as a PCBU engaging multiple subcontractors. It provides clear expectations for how trades interact around shared work areas, temporary works, services, and plant, and helps demonstrate due diligence to regulators, clients and insurers by showing that you have a systematic approach to coordinating work on site.

Key Benefits

• Ensure consistent, documented coordination between all trades on site, aligned with WHS duties to consult, cooperate and coordinate activities.
• Reduce incidents arising from overlapping work areas, conflicting tasks and unplanned changes to work sequencing.
• Improve communication and decision‑making through structured pre‑start briefings, coordination meetings and clear escalation pathways.
• Minimise project delays and rework by clarifying access rules, shared resource use and responsibilities before work starts.
• Demonstrate compliance and due diligence to clients, regulators and insurers through a formalised, auditable process for managing trade interactions.

Who is this for?

• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• WHS Managers
• Principal Contractors
• Forepersons
• Subcontractor Company Directors
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• Civil Construction Supervisors
• Maintenance Coordinators
• Facilities Managers overseeing refurbishment works

Hazards Addressed

• Struck-by incidents from moving plant or vehicles operated by other trades
• Falls from height due to unexpected removal or alteration of scaffolds, edge protection or access equipment by another trade
• Electrocution from energised services or temporary power altered without communication
• Structural instability from uncoordinated cutting, demolition or temporary works
• Exposure to hazardous substances (e.g. dusts, fumes, chemicals) generated by adjacent work areas
• Slips, trips and falls from poorly coordinated housekeeping, shared access ways and material storage
• Crush and pinch injuries from simultaneous lifting operations or use of shared plant
• Noise and vibration exposures compounded by multiple trades operating equipment concurrently
• Confined space and restricted area risks when one trade enters areas made hazardous by another trade’s work
• Emergency response delays or confusion due to unclear responsibilities between contractors

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Terms
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, Principal Contractor, Subcontractors, Supervisors, Workers)
• 4.0 Legal and WHS Obligations for Coordinating Trades
• 5.0 Pre‑Start Planning and Trade Coordination (Tender, Induction and Site Establishment)
• 6.0 Daily Coordination Processes (Pre‑start Meetings, Toolbox Talks and Look‑Ahead Planning)
• 7.0 Communication Protocols Between Trades (Verbal, Written, Digital Platforms)
• 8.0 Managing Overlapping Work Areas and Shared Access Routes
• 9.0 Control of Shared Plant, Equipment and Temporary Services
• 10.0 Sequencing of High‑Risk Construction Work (HRCW) and Permit‑Controlled Activities
• 11.0 Exclusion Zones, Barricading and Signage for Multi‑Trade Workfaces
• 12.0 Managing Changes to Work Scope, Program or Method (Variation and Change Control)
• 13.0 Conflict Resolution and Escalation Pathways Between Trades
• 14.0 Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Joint Risk Controls for Interacting Trades
• 15.0 Incident, Near Miss and Hazard Reporting Involving Multiple Trades
• 16.0 Emergency Preparedness and Response Coordination
• 17.0 Training, Competency and Communication Requirements
• 18.0 Monitoring, Inspection and Audit of Trade Interactions
• 19.0 Recordkeeping and Documentation Requirements
• 20.0 Review, Consultation and Continuous Improvement of the SOP

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and harmonised state and territory laws) – Duties of PCBUs to consult, cooperate and coordinate activities
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 – Part 3.2 General workplace management and Part 6.1 Construction work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Construction Work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Cooperation and Coordination
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces
• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
• AS 1742.3: Manual of uniform traffic control devices – Traffic control for works on roads (for coordination of trades impacting site traffic management)
• AS/NZS 3012: Electrical installations – Construction and demolition sites (for coordination of electrical work and temporary power)