The most confusing part for many people when they compile a safety file for the first time is what the contents need to be. And that’s why it’s so important to take the time to put together a safety file index. The question that Strat Training is most often asked by clients is whether they need a ‘generic’ safety file. The short answer is that the contents of a safety file will vary from site to site and from industry to industry. There is therefore no general generic safety file.
There are, however, documents in a safety file that will need be included in all safety files, no matter what industry you are in or what work will be performed on site. The biggest influences on the contents of a safety file are the OHS Act and Regulations, as well as the client’s site specifications (for construction sites).
The contents of the file and its index relating to the contents can become a very long and in-depth list and we will take a more comprehensive look at the various elements in future blogs. For simplicity’s sake here is a very basic index example. Note that this is just for informational purposes and should be used only as a guideline.
