Product Overview

Summary: This Wildlife and Insect Pest Management Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, safe and compliant approach for managing snakes, spiders, aggressive birds, rodents, and other pests in and around Australian workplaces. It helps organisations protect workers, visitors and contractors from bites, stings, disease and property damage while meeting WHS obligations and minimising environmental harm.

Australian workplaces frequently interact with native wildlife and insect pests, from snakes and spiders to wasps, bees, rodents, birds and biting midges. Without a structured process, responses are often ad hoc—leading to unnecessary risk-taking, avoidable bites and stings, and inconsistent decisions about when to call a licensed pest controller. This Wildlife and Insect Pest Management SOP provides a clear, step-by-step framework for identifying, assessing and controlling wildlife and pest risks while respecting Australian environmental and animal welfare requirements.

The procedure covers proactive inspection of buildings and grounds, safe housekeeping practices to deter pests, criteria for when and how staff may respond directly and when they must not intervene, and how to engage competent pest management providers. It also outlines controls for chemical use, signage and exclusion zones, communication with workers, and emergency response to bites, stings and potential disease exposure. By implementing this SOP, businesses establish a defensible, WHS-aligned system that reduces incidents, supports due diligence, and reassures workers that wildlife and pest issues are being managed professionally and humanely.

This SOP is suitable for a wide range of industries, including education, healthcare, construction, warehousing, agriculture, hospitality, and local government. It helps duty holders demonstrate that they have identified foreseeable wildlife and pest hazards, implemented reasonably practicable controls, and integrated these controls into day-to-day operations, inductions and contractor management.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of bites, stings and disease transmission from wildlife and insect pests in and around the workplace.
• Ensure responses to wildlife and pest sightings are controlled, consistent and compliant with WHS and environmental obligations.
• Streamline engagement and management of licensed pest control providers, including permits, access, and communication with workers.
• Demonstrate due diligence to regulators, clients and insurers through a documented and auditable management process.
• Improve worker confidence and reporting culture by clarifying what to do, who to call and what not to do when pests are encountered.

Who is this for?

• WHS Managers
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• Facilities and Maintenance Managers
• Site Supervisors and Leading Hands
• Pest Control Technicians
• Groundskeepers and Gardeners
• Operations Managers
• Warehouse and Logistics Managers
• Construction Project Managers
• Aged Care and Healthcare Facility Managers
• School Business Managers and Principals
• Farm and Station Managers
• Parks and Recreation Coordinators

Hazards Addressed

• Bites and stings from snakes, spiders, wasps, bees, ants and other insects
• Allergic reactions and anaphylaxis from insect stings or bites
• Zoonotic disease transmission from rodents, birds, bats and other wildlife
• Slips, trips and falls when workers react to or attempt to avoid wildlife or pests
• Inappropriate handling or relocation of wildlife by untrained workers
• Exposure to hazardous chemicals used for pest control (inhalation, skin contact, ingestion)
• Property damage and electrical hazards caused by nesting or gnawing animals (e.g. rodents, birds, possums)
• Psychological stress and anxiety in workers due to unmanaged wildlife or pest infestations

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 References, Definitions and Abbreviations
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, Officers, Workers, Contractors, Pest Controllers)
• 4.0 Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment for Wildlife and Insect Pests
• 5.0 Planning and Preventative Controls (Housekeeping, Building Maintenance, Grounds Management)
• 6.0 Wildlife and Pest Identification and Risk Categorisation (Low, Medium, High Risk Species)
• 7.0 Response to Wildlife and Pest Sightings (Do/Do Not Intervene, Escalation Pathways)
• 8.0 Engagement and Management of Licensed Pest Control Providers
• 9.0 Chemical Pest Control: Safe Use, Storage, Signage and Restricted Access
• 10.0 Non-chemical and Humane Control Methods
• 11.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements
• 12.0 Communication, Consultation and Worker Training
• 13.0 Emergency Response to Bites, Stings and Suspected Disease Exposure
• 14.0 Incident Reporting, Investigation and Corrective Actions
• 15.0 Environmental and Wildlife Protection Considerations
• 16.0 Recordkeeping and Documentation Requirements
• 17.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement of the Procedure
• Appendix A – Example Wildlife and Pest Risk Assessment Checklist
• Appendix B – Wildlife and Insect Pest Response Flowcharts
• Appendix C – Typical Signage and Barricading Examples
• Appendix D – Links to State/Territory Wildlife and Pest Control Regulators

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory variations)
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory variations)
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace
• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
• AS 3660.1:2014 Termite management – New building work (for pest management in built environments)
• AS 3660.2:2017 Termite management – In and around existing buildings and structures
• State and territory Pest Management and Pesticides legislation and licensing requirements (e.g. NSW Pesticides Act, QLD Pest Management Act)
• Relevant state/territory wildlife protection and animal welfare legislation (e.g. National Parks and Wildlife Acts, Animal Welfare Acts)