Safety requirements for different building sites vary, depending on the size of the jobsite.

If you're carrying out a site assessment at someone's home, the conditions will be quite different from those at a high rise commercial building.

Obviously, the need to work safely never changes - your number one concern should always be to finish the day as fit and healthy as you began it.

But the compliance requirements will vary according to the scale of the project and the types of activities going on around you.

Personal protective equipment

Some items of personal protective equipment (PPE) are only needed when you're using certain tools or doing particular tasks.

For example, if you're going to use a hammer drill to put test holes in a concrete subfloor, make sure you wear hearing protection, safety glasses and a dust mask.

Other items of PPE are general site requirements, and will apply to everyone who comes onto the site.

These may include a high visibility shirt and work boots.

On large projects you may also be asked to wear a hard hat while you're outside or near work being carried out overhead.

White card

The White Card is the accreditation you receive from WorkCover once you've completed the Construction Induction Certificate.

This short course is compulsory for all people who work on building sites.

Previously, different states and territories around Australia used different colours for the cards they issued, so you may still hear people calling it a Green Card or some other colour.

Whenever you're on-site you should carry the White Card with you, just in case you're asked to produce it by a builder or inspector.

If you're going to a commercial jobsite, you're sure to be asked for it at the site office when you sign in.

Electrical safety

Any electrical tools, extension leads and other mains power devices that you take onto a construction site need to have been tested and tagged by an authorised person.

Because construction sites come under the category of 'Hostile operating environment', each of these items must be tested and tagged every month.

On large building projects, the site manager is likely to check that all your power tools and equipment have been properly tagged.

They may also ask to see your 'Electrical equipment register', which lists each item together with its inspection date and the details of the person who tested it.

WorkCover produces template forms for the full range of registers and other Work Health and Safety documents commonly used on-site in their 'Subbypack'.

You can download the Subbypack by clicking on the link below.