Managing High-Risk Construction Work in Australia: Safety Requirements and Best Practices

High-risk construction work is one of the most tightly regulated—and potentially dangerous—parts of the job.

Whether it’s working at heights, near live services, or in confined spaces, these tasks expose teams to serious hazards and carry strict legal requirements under Australia’s WHS Regulations. Getting it wrong can lead to injury, fines, and costly project delays.

This guide breaks down what qualifies as high-risk construction work, outlines activity types defined in law, and explains the safety systems, licensing rules, and technologies that help commercial contractors manage risk with confidence.

What is High-Risk Construction Work?

High-risk construction work refers to tasks that carry an elevated risk of serious injury or death.

Under Safe Work Australia’s model WHS Regulations, these activities require a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) to be prepared and followed before work begins.

Under WHS laws, duty holders are legally required to identify high-risk tasks and implement risk controls that go beyond standard construction safety measures.

High-Risk Construction Activities in Australia

Below are the 19 types of work identified as high risk under WHS Regulations

1. Risk of a person falling more than two metres

• Involves any work conducted at height without adequate fall protection
  Example: Installing HVAC ducting on a commercial roof using ladders and temporary platforms

2. Work on a telecommunication tower

• Includes maintenance, installation, or inspection of towers used for mobile and radio services.
  Example: Replacing antennas on a rural cell tower in high wind conditions

3. Demolition of load-bearing structure

• Structural demolition that affects a building’s integrity or stability.
  Example: Removing a supporting wall in a warehouse during redevelopment

4. Demolition impacting a structure’s physical integrity

• Any demolition work that compromises other sections of the structure.
  Example: Stripping out a mezzanine floor while leaving adjacent supports intact on a commercial site

5. Work on or near chemical fuel or refrigerant lines

• Involves tasks that risk contact with pressurised, flammable, or toxic substances.
  Example: Relocating underground fuel lines during petrol station upgrades

6. Work on or near energised electrical installations or services

• Covers live electrical systems, including switchboards and power feeds.
  Example: Running new cable near an active distribution board during a school retrofit

7. Work in an area that may have a contaminated or flammable atmosphere

• Areas where airborne contaminants, gases, or vapours pose risk.
  Example: Refurbishing cold storage rooms with residual ammonia leaks

8. Work likely to involve disturbing asbestos

• Includes renovations on older buildings where asbestos-containing materials are present.
  Example: Removing wall sheeting in a 1970s-era hospital undergoing refurbishment

9. Temporary load-bearing support for structural alterations or repairs

• Use of props or supports to stabilise structural elements during changes.
  Example: Installing temporary props while replacing structural beams in a multi-storey car park

10. Work in or near a confined space

• Involves spaces with limited entry/exit and poor ventilation
  Example: Conducting maintenance inside a water treatment tank in a regional council facility

11. Work involving tilt-up or precast concrete

• Involves lifting, positioning, and securing large concrete panels.
  Example: Installing tilt-up walls on an industrial warehouse site in Western Australia

12. Work on, in or adjacent to a road, railway, shipping lane or other traffic corridor

• Any work exposed to active non-pedestrian traffic.
  Example: Conducting bridge maintenance on the Hume Highway without full road closure

13. Work in an area where there is any movement of powered mobile plant

• Includes excavators, forklifts, and earthmoving machinery
  Example: Surveying near an operating grader on a subdivision site in Victoria

14. Work in or Near a Shaft or Trench Deeper Than 1.5 Meters or a Tunnel

• Involves vertical or horizontal excavation with collapse risk
  Example: Laying sewer lines in a 2.5m trench without adequate shoring in suburban Queensland

15. Work involving explosives

• Blasting or controlled detonation for excavation or demolition.
  Example: Using explosives for rock breaking on a road construction site in regional NSW

16. Work on or near pressurised gas mains or piping

• Risk of explosion, burns, or inhalation injury from gas leaks.
  Example: Replacing gas mains on a busy commercial street in Melbourne

17. Work in areas with artificial extremes of temperature

• Heat or cold stress from environmental controls or equipment.
  Example: Installing insulation in a freezer warehouse operating at -25°C

18. Work in or near water or other liquid that involve a risk of drowning

• Any work exposing workers to unguarded bodies of water or liquid storage
  Example: Repairing a stormwater culvert during the wet season in Northern Queensland

19. Diving work

• Underwater construction, inspection, or recovery tasks.
  Example: Inspecting jetty piles as part of a marine infrastructure upgrade in Fremantle

Safety Controls for High-Risk Activities

Every high-risk task requires controls that match the exposure. Not just to meet obligations, but to keep work moving without avoidable setbacks. 

The following systems form the foundation of reliable on-site risk management and give frontline teams the tools they need to execute safely and confidently.

Risk Assessments

A formal risk assessment should be completed before high-risk tasks begin. This process starts with a site walkthrough and review of project drawings, scope, and sequencing to identify potential hazards.

To ensure complete coverage:

• Include supervisors, subcontractors, and safety personnel in hazard identification
• Use a structured risk matrix to assess the likelihood and consequence
• Prioritise high-severity risks with targeted mitigation strategies
• Link all risks to nominated control measures and responsible individuals

Assessments must be reviewed at key stages (such as before major milestones) or whenever site conditions change.

Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS)

WHS Regulations mandate a SWMS for all high-risk construction work. This document must define the task, outline associated hazards, and describe the control measures and sequencing required to manage those risks. The SWMS should be:

• Developed during planning and reviewed with the relevant team
• Signed by all workers involved in the high-risk task
• Kept onsite and made accessible to all team members
• Updated if site conditions or work scope changes

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE must be tailored to the specific hazards of each task. For example, respiratory protection is essential when disturbing asbestos, while insulated gloves are critical when working near energised electrical systems.

To manage PPE effectively:

• Conduct fit testing where required, especially for respirators and fall protection
• Train workers on correct use, limitations, and maintenance procedures
• Require daily PPE inspections before work begins
• Replace any damaged, expired, or non-compliant gear immediately
• Monitor compliance through toolbox talks and supervisor-led checks

Training and Licensing

High-risk activities must only be performed by licensed, competent workers.

Each worker should be verified against relevant High Risk Work Licence requirements, such as for scaffolding, rigging, or crane operation. A competency-based training approach should include:

• Site-specific inductions covering known hazards and WHS expectations
• Task-specific modules and refresher training aligned with project risk profiles
• Clear recordkeeping of training history and licence expiry dates
• Supervisor coaching and toolbox talks to reinforce knowledge onsite

Temporary Barriers and Site Controls

Physical controls prevent unauthorised access to high-risk zones. Effective site controls include:

• Fencing and barricades for excavations, height work, and electrical areas
• Access management through permits, locked gates, and sign-in procedures
• Visual cues like tape, signage, or paint markings to indicate exclusion zones
• Routine inspections to ensure barriers remain effective and properly positioned

Site layout plans must be reviewed regularly to confirm that risk zones are clearly separated from general work areas.

Communication and Signage

Everyone on site needs to understand where hazards are, what procedures apply, and what protections are required. To support this, strong communication systems include:

• Pre-start meetings, task handovers, and real-time updates vi digital tools
• Clear signage displaying PPE requirements, exclusion zones, and specific hazards
• Multilingual or pictogram-based signage for diverse workforces
• Regular site walks to check visibility and placement of signs
• Reinforcement of key messages during toolbox talks and team briefings

The Role of Technology in Managing High-Risk Construction Work

Technology strengthens compliance and streamlines risk management on high-risk construction sites. A digital-first approach reduces manual error, enhances visibility, and enables teams to act proactively rather than reactively.

• Enhancing Compliance

  Centralised safety documentation and automated workflows ensure WHS procedures are applied consistently, regardless of site changes.
  Real-time monitoring aligns teams with regulations on height work, confined spaces, and energised services.
  Digital checklists minimise missed steps and ensure compliance with the NCC, NATSPEC, and other standards.
  Linked records and inspection data create clear audit trails for faster, easier regulator queries.

• Improving Reporting

  Mobile tools capture incidents instantly with photos, timestamps, and GPS.
  Standardised templates collect consistent data: hazard type, location, responsible party, actions, and evidence.
  Integrated dashboards flag recurring issues, highlight early warning signs, and direct resources where needed.

• Advancing Safety Monitoring

  IoT, predictive analytics, and automated alerts enable continuous oversight of high-risk work.
  Safety data links to planning, procurement, and sequencing to resolve risks early.
  BIM visualises hazards, identifies clashes, and reduces rework.
  Workforce tracking ensures only trained, qualified staff work on high-risk jobs.

Strong safety systems are critical for managing high-risk construction work.

High-risk construction work requires task-specific controls, skilled workers, and tight coordination across every phase of the job. When safety systems are designed with rigour and built and made part of worksite culture, teams are better able to prevent incidents without sacrificing production.

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