Reject it when the work cannot be done as written
If the controls require equipment, people or space that are not on site, the document describes a different job. Accepting it creates a record saying the work was controlled when it was not.
Reject it when high-risk work is not identified
Where the work involves elements the WHS Regulation treats as high-risk construction work and the document does not deal with them as discrete steps with their own controls, there is nothing to supervise against. This is a substantive gap, not a formatting one.
Reject it when it is not this site
A SWMS with no reference to the actual access, the actual plant, the actual adjacent work or the actual ground conditions has not been prepared for the job. Site specificity is the whole point of the document.
Reject it when the revision cannot be established
If you cannot tell which version is current, you cannot tell what the crew is working to. An uncontrolled document is not evidence of anything.
Do not reject it for these
- Formatting, logos, fonts or the order of the columns.
- Wording you would have phrased differently, where the control is sound.
- Missing detail that can be added on the spot by the person who wrote it.
- Using a different template to yours, where the content is adequate.
Rejecting on presentation trains people to treat the whole process as paperwork, which is how you lose the ability to reject on substance.
How to reject it usefully
Name the specific steps, say what is missing, and say what would make it acceptable. A rejection that says "not site specific" with no further detail produces another guess.
Record the rejection, the reason, the revision rejected and the date. If the work proceeds later, the record shows what changed.
Common questions
Can a principal contractor reject a subcontractor SWMS?
A principal contractor can decline to allow high-risk construction work to start until the SWMS adequately describes and controls the work. How that sits commercially is a matter for the contract.
What if the subcontractor refuses to change it?
Then the decision is whether the work starts. Record the position of both parties and the reason, because that record is the only thing that will exist afterwards.
Where we work. Standard service area: Gold Coast, Logan, Brisbane, Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast. Outside this area, contact Obras for availability and a tailored quote — additional travel and site attendance costs may apply.
General information only. This guide describes common construction practice. It is not legal advice and it is not a substitute for the WHS legislation applying in your jurisdiction, which differs between states and territories. Obras does not certify or guarantee compliance — nobody honestly can. Your officers keep every duty under the WHS Act.