Contracting and consulting

Download Guidelines for Contractors of Forbes Shire Council during Covid-19 (PDF 220KB) here

Forbes Shire Council engages contractors to undertake various projects, works or services for a diverse range of facilities, activities and functions.

When a contractor has been evaluated and selected to perform a task for Council, the contractor is required to meet the Work Health Safety Policy (WHS) requirements set by the Work Health Safety Act 2011 and Work Health Safety Regulation 2011. Council uses formal systems such as tenderlink and government contracting sites to procure the services of contractors and consultants. Please click here.

Work Health Safety for Contractors

Forbes Shire Council is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for everyone including contractors who play a key role in our operational model. Our focus is firmly on:

• Safe behaviours and decisions every day
• Positive safety communication and culture
• Embedded risk management and Work Health Safety (WHS) management framework

Council has an obligation to ensure that people and the natural environment are not exposed to hazards or damage and that a safe workplace is provided for all workers where Council has direct control over the activities so far as is reasonably practicable.

Our Safety Management System is designed to ensure that our workplace is healthy and safe and that incidents are prevented. We are all responsible to adhere to safe systems of work and take reasonable care not to expose ourselves, others or the environment to unnecessary risk.

The Safety Management System is designed to comply with AS 4801 and includes:

• Appropriate policies and supporting procedures
• Consultative processes framed around continuous improvement
• Systems to implement our procedural requirements
• Health Safety Representative (HSRs) for all workgroups and projects
• Internal scrutiny and reporting of our systems and the results they produce
• Periodic review of the effectiveness of our efforts by our leaders

For further information please refer to:

www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

www.safework.nsw.gov.au

All contractors/suppliers working for Council or on Council controlled work sites, facilities or projects shall meet the requirements of their own policies, procedures and all relevant WHS and Environmental legislation as a PCBU so far as is reasonably practicable. Contractors are expected to comply with Council’s Life Preserving Rules at all times:

For further information please contact: whs@forbes.nsw.gov.au or phone 02 6850 2300.

What to Expect of Council when working on a Council Site/Project

Council's number one priority is to ensure the health and safety of all workers. This includes contractors and sub-contractors. Council representatives will conduct due diligence checks at any work site/projects to ensure compliance.

You may be asked to provide evidence of your licences or qualifications, equipment servicing, inductions etc. Council will also ask to review any Safe Work Method Statements/procedures and your work will be monitored.

For further information please contact whs@forbes.nsw.gov.au or phone 02 6850 2300.

If you are a contractor or consultant onsite and involved in an incident. please refer to our incident reporting procedure flow chart here. (PDF 223.4KB)

Contractors Induction and Safety Systems

Contractors and sub-contractors (and anyone who will be working or visiting Council sites) must complete Council’s online e-learning module ‘WHS Induction’ prior to commencing work for Council. This will take 30 minutes and you will receive a contractor induction card once completed.

 Council's Induction Request form can be found here. (PDF 336.2KB)

Step 1: Notification to Council

To access Council’s online e-learning system you need to contact Council on whs@forbes.nsw.gov.au with the following information contained in this form.

Step 2: Online induction

Once we receive the email, we will make arrangements for usernames and passwords, and then send this information and the link to the online induction back to the individual, and it must be completed at least 10 business days prior to attending site.

Step 3: Site inspection induction

All workers and any visitors who enter a work site must be inducted into the site. The purpose of the induction is to identify hazards within the site and controls to be implemented. A Council representative will induct any contractor/worker/visitor into a work site initially. If the work site is then being controlled by a principal contractor, it will be their responsibility to induct any worker/visitor from this point on.

WHS inductions are valid for two years only and you will receive a reminder to re-complete from our system when it has expired. If any of your workers have learning or literacy difficulties, we can arrange face to face inductions. You will need to contact Council to make these arrangements.

CENTROC Contractors

Contractors and sub-contractors who work across the CENTROC region, need to contact Council to confirm their CENTROC induction number if completed, or to arrange a time to complete the CENTROC induction which is run twice per month. 

For further information please contact whs@forbes.nsw.gov.au or phone 02 6850 2300.