Product Overview

Summary: This Wildlife Protection Measures Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, practical steps for preventing harm to native fauna during workplace activities across Australian sites. It helps businesses manage wildlife interactions safely, comply with environmental and WHS obligations, and demonstrate genuine stewardship of local ecosystems.

Australian workplaces increasingly operate in or near sensitive habitats, wildlife corridors and urban green spaces. Encounters with snakes, spiders, birds, bats, kangaroos and other native species can create serious safety risks for workers while also exposing businesses to legal, reputational and environmental consequences if animals are harmed. This Wildlife Protection Measures SOP provides a structured, WHS-aligned approach to planning and carrying out work in a way that minimises disturbance to wildlife, prevents injury to workers from animal encounters, and ensures compliance with relevant environmental and biodiversity legislation.

The procedure guides organisations through pre‑start environmental assessments, consultation with local authorities and fauna handlers, safe work methods around nests, burrows and roosts, and appropriate responses when wildlife is discovered during operations. It sets out clear instructions for communication, training, exclusion zones, relocation protocols (using licensed wildlife carers where required) and incident reporting. By implementing this SOP, businesses can integrate wildlife protection into everyday site management, reduce project delays caused by unmanaged wildlife issues, and provide verifiable evidence that they are meeting both their duty of care to workers and their environmental responsibilities.

Key Benefits

• Ensure safe management of wildlife encounters, reducing the risk of bites, stings and animal-related incidents for workers.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian environmental and WHS legislation, reducing the likelihood of fines, stop-work orders and legal disputes.
• Protect native fauna and sensitive habitats, supporting biodiversity commitments and corporate social responsibility goals.
• Standardise how supervisors and crews assess sites, establish exclusion zones and engage licensed wildlife handlers across all projects.
• Minimise project delays and costly rework caused by unplanned wildlife discoveries or community complaints.

Who is this for?

• Site Managers
• Environmental Managers
• WHS Managers
• Project Managers
• Construction Supervisors
• Mine and Quarry Managers
• Facilities and Grounds Maintenance Supervisors
• Parks and Recreation Coordinators
• Utility Field Operations Managers
• Arborists and Vegetation Management Teams

Hazards Addressed

• Bites and stings from venomous snakes, spiders and insects
• Exposure to zoonotic diseases from bats, birds, rodents and other wildlife
• Physical injury from larger animals (e.g. kangaroos, feral animals) entering work areas
• Psychological stress and panic reactions among workers due to unexpected wildlife encounters
• Vehicle and plant collisions with wildlife during site access and night works
• Environmental harm from habitat destruction, nest disturbance or fauna entrapment in work areas
• Community and stakeholder conflict arising from perceived or actual harm to wildlife

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Terms (including native fauna and protected species)
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, managers, supervisors, workers, contractors, wildlife handlers)
• 4.0 Planning and Pre-Start Environmental Assessment
• 5.0 Wildlife Risk Identification and Risk Assessment
• 6.0 Control Measures for Wildlife Protection (hierarchy of control)
• 7.0 Site Setup: Exclusion Zones, Signage and Access Controls
• 8.0 Safe Work Practices in Wildlife-Sensitive Areas
• 9.0 Procedures for Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
• 10.0 Engagement of Licensed Wildlife Carers and Ecologists
• 11.0 Vehicle and Mobile Plant Operation in Wildlife Areas
• 12.0 Incident, Near Miss and Environmental Harm Reporting
• 13.0 Training, Induction and Toolbox Talks
• 14.0 Communication with Regulators, Landholders and Community Stakeholders
• 15.0 Monitoring, Inspections and Continuous Improvement
• 16.0 Recordkeeping and Documentation Requirements
• 17.0 References, Related Documents and Applicable Legislation

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 and equivalent state and territory regulations
• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)
• Relevant state and territory biodiversity, flora and fauna conservation legislation (e.g. Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW), Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (VIC))
• AS/NZS ISO 14001: Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace
• Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Code of Practice