Sexual and gender-based harassment is a work health and safety risk, including on construction sites. Builders, subcontractors and supervisors should identify where it could occur, consult workers and other duty holders, put practical controls in place, and respond early to warning signs or reports. It can cause both psychological and physical harm, even when behaviour is dismissed as banter.
Information current: 5 August 2026. Local requirements vary, so check current material from the WHS or OHS regulator for the jurisdiction where the work is performed. A national Model Code is useful general orientation; it is not automatically the applicable law in every state or territory.
What the hazard can look like
Sexual and gender-based harassment may be a single incident or repeated behaviour. It may be obvious, subtle, verbal, physical or online. On a building site it can involve:
- sexual comments, images, messages, rumours, gestures or intrusive questions
- unwanted touching, cornering, staring, invitations or sexual advances
- sexist or gendered jokes, insults, misgendering or comments about sexuality
- excluding someone from work, training or opportunities because of sex, gender or sexuality
- threats, stalking, assault or sharing intimate material without consent
- conduct by employees, supervisors, subcontractors, clients, visitors or members of the public.
The workplace extends beyond the immediate site. Risks can arise in site sheds, amenities, vehicles, remote locations, client homes, worker accommodation, work functions and digital communications.
What to sort before work starts
Plan for the actual crew, location and working arrangements rather than relying on a generic policy. Before mobilisation or a new stage of work:
- consult workers and health and safety representatives about when, where and how exposure could occur
- coordinate expectations, reporting routes and controls with the principal contractor, subcontractors, labour-hire providers and other duty holders
- consider young or inexperienced workers, apprentices, isolated workers, insecure work arrangements and power imbalances
- inspect lighting, access, amenities, change areas, confined passageways, site sheds, accommodation and communication coverage
- set behaviour standards for inductions, pre-starts, site communications, travel and work events
- provide more than one safe, accessible reporting option and nominate trained people to receive concerns
- explain immediate escalation and emergency arrangements for threats, assault or other serious conduct.
Controls and documents that should work together
Good risk control changes the conditions in which work happens. Useful measures include suitable supervision, avoiding unnecessary isolated work, secure amenities and accommodation, reliable communications, controlled access, clear contractor expectations, prompt action on harmful behaviour, and support for affected workers.
Documents commonly include a psychosocial hazard risk assessment, respectful behaviour or prevention policy, site rules, induction and toolbox content, consultation records, reporting and response procedures, investigation arrangements, training records and control-review records. Keep them consistent, easy to find and matched to what happens on site.
Training should cover expected behaviour, how to report, how supervisors respond, bystander action, confidentiality, support and the controls workers must use. Supervisors need enough authority and skill to act promptly, without making the affected person repeat their account unnecessarily.
When a SWMS or site-specific document applies
A SWMS commonly applies when the construction activity is high risk construction work. Sexual and gender-based harassment does not generally require a standalone SWMS, but site-specific psychosocial risks can affect how work is organised, supervised and coordinated. Record those controls in the most suitable site documents and make sure they align with any relevant SWMS, project WHS plan, site risk assessment, induction and emergency arrangements.
Warning signs and response
Warning signs include recurring sexualised banter, offensive material in sheds or group chats, workers avoiding a person or area, unexplained turnover, reports being minimised, poor privacy, isolated shifts, retaliation, or different standards for different workers.
Do not wait for a formal complaint before checking the risk. Make the situation safe, preserve privacy, offer support, consider the affected worker’s preferred way forward, and use a fair, timely and proportionate process. Review whether controls failed or stronger controls are available. Serious threats, assault, stalking or image-based abuse may also require urgent contact with police or another appropriate authority.
How Blue Safe can help
Blue Safe provides compliant WHS documents tailored to the client's activities, applicable Australian WHS/OHS requirements, jurisdiction and industry. This can include policies, risk assessments, procedures, consultation tools, training and induction content, reporting processes and supporting records that work together for the job.
Blue Safe guarantees the document compliance of the WHS documents it provides, including eligible customer documents after Blue Safe has reviewed and upgraded them. Customers actively put the compliant documents into practice through controls, consultation, training, actions, records and evidence.