WORKPLACE SERVICES CHRISTMAS SHUTDOWN 2018 With Christmas around the corner you need to take the time to ensure you have appropriate arrangements in place for your employees and any contracts with works in progress. Employment arrangements If you had not contemplated the shut- holidays fast approaching, it is important If you employ staff, please be aware down period within the contract period that children and members of the public in of the public holidays over this Christmas/ and now foresee the contract running general are not exposed to any hazards on New Year season: past the completion date (due to perhaps your site. Where hazards are present on other delays that have occurred prior to this your site, you need to ensure: Christmas Day time that are outside of your control), • they are controlled to prevent injury Tuesday 25 December 2018 HIA contracts entitle you to extend the or death Boxing Day time for the building period for the industry • that members of the public are not Wednesday 26 December 2018 shutdown period. exposed to them if they are uncontrolled. This however is not an automatic You will need a perimeter fence if your risk New Year’s Day extension and the procedure within the assessment identifies that this is the only Tuesday 1 January 2019 contract must be followed to claim this way to control or minimise the risks. Australia Day extension of time. This involves the giving of You should strongly consider installing a (substitute public holiday) a written notice within 10 working days after fence around the site where it is: Monday 28 January 2019 becoming aware of the cause and the extent • near a school or route where children of the delay. The notice should inform the travel to and from school Don’t forget that time taken by owner of the exact amount of extra time that • close to parks and recreational areas employees as annual leave does not include is to be added to the building period due to • in a built up area. public holidays and rostered days off. the shutdown. Remember that unauthorised persons, For any new contracts you sign up where including children, may not be deterred from Work in progress you expect to start works before Christmas, entering your site by signs alone. Ideally all If you use HIA Building Contracts, and you you should take the shutdown period into hazards onsite should be controlled however have an ongoing project that will not be account when calculating your building this may not always be achievable so fences complete before the Christmas/New Year period as this delay is anticipated. may help in restricting access. period, you should give written notice to Make sure your fencing is adequate for your client informing them of your intention Site security its purpose by checking that it is a suitable to shut down over this period. With the annual shutdown and school height to deter entry (e.g. 1.8m high) is constructed from dedicated materials, is difficult to climb, is difficult to gain access underneath, is stable and able to withstand anticipated loads, and has secure gates and joints that do not present a weak point for entry. It will also be important to take steps to ensure that items like appliances, unfixed materials and equipment are hidden, locked away or removed from site to minimise the potential for theft or injury. Finally, a Merry Christmas to everyone, from the Workplace Services team. BUILDING NEWS ISSUE 5/2018P13