Contractor OHS Management

1. Engaging contractors and AIMS

Engaging contractors

Schools are strongly encouraged to use contractors for any high-risk work instead of volunteers or school staff. Schools will be required to request a quote for services, where relevant as per the Procurement – Schools policy.

Schools should use the department’s standard form contracts in the Contractors – Insurance and Contract Arrangements policy for engaging contractors for any of the following works and services:

• gardening, maintenance or painting services
• cleaning services
• school canteen licence
• hiring school premises by third parties
• personnel, financial and administration services and student and curriculum services
• school uniforms
• pre-school licence.

As part of the engagement process, it is best practice for schools to provide school site specific OHS information to potential contractors, including sub-contractors, to ensure awareness of department and school requirements prior to commencing work or services. This includes the requirement to sign in and out of the site via reception.

The department has provided an OHS induction handbook template (DOCX) for schools to tailor to their environment to assist with easily providing the required information to contractors. This template also includes a letter/email template for use when sending this handbook to a contractor.

Contractors engaged by the school/school council

The Asset Information Management System (AIMS) is a web-based, centralised portal that has replaced schools’ existing asset information management systems to manage all school-led trades-based contractor works.

Prior to the commencement of works or services, all pre-checks and documentation must be verified by the principal or delegate. This includes:

• workers’ compensation and public liability insurance. For further information, refer to Insurance for Schools and Contractors – Insurance and Contract Arrangements
• relevant suitability checks in accordance with the department’s policy on Working with Children Checks and Other Suitability Checks for School Volunteers and Visitors and any other local school policy requirements if contractors are being engaged to work with children
• Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) for any high-risk work (refer to Chapter 3 – Safe Work Method Statements).

The principal or their delegate must record approved trades-based contractors in AIMS, the OHS contractor register (XLSX) or equivalent template. The AIMS knowledge centre (staff login required) is a central repository of practical information to help schools use AIMS. It also includes information about managing contractor certificate compliance in AIMS.

For further information on AIMS, refer to the Asset Information Management System (AIMS) advice page on PAL.

Contractors engaged by the department (Victorian School Building Authority)

Where contractors have been engaged by the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) (that is, for VSBA-led projects), schools can expect the VSBA to contact them to inform them of:

• who the contractor(s) are
• what works they will be undertaking
• when and for roughly how long they will be on the school site
• who is responsible for their OHS induction and managing the site (that is, the school or the VSBA).

Additionally, the VSBA should consult the school on:

• whether the work area needs to be cordoned off to the rest of the school with temporary fencing
• traffic management for the contractors
• any risks to the site (such as heavy equipment brought on site, work processes that may impact other areas such as fumes or noise).

The principal or their delegate must give any contractors an OHS induction as described in Chapter 2: Contractor OHS induction, and are responsible for reviewing required task documentation (for example, SMWS) as per Chapter 3: Required task documentation. However, if the VSBA cordons off the area and creates a separate worksite (such as for capital works projects), the VSBA site project manager is responsible for the review and approval of task documentation, including SWMS), not the principal or their delegate.

Should the VSBA not contact the school regarding an engaged contractor, the principal or their delegate can contact the VSBA to confirm what arrangements are in place. Queries should be directed to the relevant VSBA project contact if one has been assigned, or via email at schoolasset.leadership@education.vic.gov.au

All approvals, recording information such as public liability, workers compensation or trade licences for VSBA engaged contractors is managed by the central team.

Contractors engaged in Public Private Partnership schools

In Public Private Partnership (PPP) schools, contractors engaged in project delivery or facility management activities as part of the PPP agreement are managed by the facilities management company. PPP schools are not required to manage PPP contractors but may request contractor documentation from the facilities management company as required.

If PPP schools wish to engage a contractor for approved facility works or other educational purposes outside of the facilities management contract, this policy and procedure must be applied.

For support on PPP related matters contact the central PPP team (refer to the Resources tab for contact details).