You hold the head contract
You're the entity whose name is on the hoarding, the SSSP cover, and the WorkSafe NZ notification under HSWA s56. Subcontractor SSSPs don't cover that — only a Main Contractor pack does.
Carpentry Framing Whero (Red) SSSP — Main Contractor (PCBU 1)
The Main Contractor's Site-Specific Safety Plan for carpentry framing projects where you are running the site — engaging the Client/Principal, vetting and accepting subcontractor SSSPs, running site induction, chairing the site-wide toolbox, leading emergency response, and notifying WorkSafe NZ of any notifiable event anywhere on the project. Drafted around HSWA s37 workplace controller duty plus s36 primary duty for your own framing workers.
⚖️HSWA s36 + s37 + s34 framing
📄§2.4 Subcontractor Management + SSSP Acceptance Log
🇳🇿Site-wide induction, toolbox, permit-to-work, WorkSafe notification
NZD 495
Instant DownloadEditable DOCX · Instant download · Use across every project you run as Main Contractor · Issue as the framework all PCBU 2 subcontractors on site must work within.
This is the heaviest of the three carpentry packs. It is structurally larger than Kākāriki and Kōwhai because of one section that doesn't exist in either: §2.4 Subcontractor Management with the SSSP Acceptance Log. The Whero pack establishes the site-wide H&S management framework that all PCBU 2 subcontractors on your project must work within — and provides the artefacts (Acceptance Log, Site Manager role, Incident Commander framework, site-wide toolbox structure) that regulators and insurers ask for first.
§2.4 — Subcontractor Management
A documented 6-step subcontractor management process with the SSSP Acceptance Log table. The artefact a regulator or insurer asks for first when they want to see how you vet PCBU 2s before they start on site.
Multi-PCBU coordination is your duty
HSWA s37 puts the workplace controller duty on the entity running the site. Whero structures that duty into §3 (Roles), §17 (Emergency Commander), §19 (Site-wide toolbox), §21 (Site-wide H&S Committee).
Who this is for
- Building / framing businesses holding the head contract
- You contract directly with the Client or Principal, engage subcontractors, run induction, and your name is on the project H&S record.
- Frame-and-truss specialists running multi-trade sites
- You run a residential or light commercial build where framing is your lead trade plus you coordinate plumbers, electricians, GIB, painters. The §2.4 Acceptance Log accepts any-trade Kākāriki or Kōwhai submissions.
- Carpenters who alternate roles
- Acting as Main Contractor on small builds and subcontracting to a head builder on larger commercial work — use Whero on head-contract projects and Kākāriki / Kōwhai on subbed work.
If you're a carpenter who only ever subcontracts to a Main Contractor, you do not need Whero — you need Kākāriki or Kōwhai.
What's inside the template
32 pages · Formats: DOCX
- Cover & Document ControlProject, NZBN, version, revision history, sign-off pages.
- 1. Scope of Carpentry Framing WorkWall, floor, roof framing; truss installation; bracing systems.
- 2. Issuance Framing (Main Contractor)You issue this SSSP to the Client/Principal and establish the site-wide H&S framework all PCBU 2 subcontractors must work within.
- 2.1. PCBU Duties (Main Contractor version)Ten duty statements covering s36, s37, s34, induction protocol, permit-to-work, aggregated SDS register, emergency leadership, WorkSafe NZ notification.
- 2.4. Subcontractor Management (UNIQUE TO WHERO)6-step process: pre-engagement vetting, SSSP submission, SSSP acceptance, induction, toolbox attendance, incident reporting. Includes SSSP Acceptance Log table.
- 3. Roles & Responsibilities (8 rows)PCBU 1 Main Contractor, Officer, Site Manager (new), H&S Officer (new), Crew Lead, Carpenter, Subcontractor Workers (new — explicit s45 duty), Apprentice.
- 4. Critical RisksFalls, nail-gun, saw kickback, manual handling, wood dust, chainsaw.
- 5. Hazard Register (30 rows)5×5 inherent scored, controls drafted, residual re-scored.
- 6. Legislation, Codes of Practice and StandardsHSWA 2015, NZS 3604, NZS 3640, NZS 3602, AS/NZS 1170, AS/NZS 60745.2.16, WorkSafe NZ wood-dust guidance.
- 7. Hierarchy of ControlsEliminate → substitute → engineering → admin → PPE.
- 8. Task Analyses (12 cross-referenced)Wall, floor, roof, truss, bracing, opening framing.
- 9. Site-Wide Hazardous Substances RegisterAggregates SDS records from all PCBUs on site (framing, painting, plumbing, electrical).
- 10. Notifiable Work DecisionTrigger checklist; you are the notifying entity for any event on the project.
- 11. Asbestos Awareness — pre-2000 buildingsStop-work protocol applies site-wide.
- 12. Power Tool and Plant SafetyNail-gun sequential trigger mandatory site-wide; chainsaw NZQA competency required.
- 13. Working at Heights — Specific ControlsFive-level hierarchy + truss-lifting + crane permit-to-work.
- 14. Plant and Equipment Register (site-wide)AS/NZS 3760 Table 4 — 3-monthly T&T on all leads and tools.
- 15. PPE Register (site-wide)Hard hat, eye, hearing, footwear, P2 wood-dust.
- 16. Training & Competency MatrixNZQA carpentry / heights / scaffold / first aid. Site Safe Passport. Annual RPE fit-test.
- 17. Site-Wide Emergency ResponseSite Manager + designated Incident Commander.
- 18. Site-Wide First AidSite office holds primary kit; mobile kits in each subcontractor area.
- 19. Site-Wide ToolboxYou run the site-wide toolbox; all workers attend. Subcontractor internal toolboxes are in addition.
- 20. Site-Wide Incident & Notifiable Event RegisterAll incidents recorded in your site register. WorkSafe NZ notification under HSWA s56 is your duty.
- 21. Worker Engagement (s34 + Site-Wide H&S Committee)Site-wide H&S Committee for larger projects. Annual project H&S review meeting.
- 22. Environmental ControlsNZS 6803 noise. Treated-timber waste. Dust suppression site-wide.
- 23. Sign-Off (PCBU 1 + Client/Principal + Crew Lead)Main Contractor (PCBU 1), Client / Principal Acknowledgment (optional), Crew Lead / Site Supervisor.
- Appendix D — Accepted Subcontractor SSSPsFiled copies of every PCBU 2 SSSP accepted under §2.4.
How this template compares
Whero sits at the top of the three-pack ladder. Use it when you're running the site, not when you're subbing in.
Reviewed by OH Professionals
The Whero pack was drafted around HSWA s37 (workplace controller duty) with explicit machinery for vetting PCBU 2s and coordinating multi-PCBU work under s34. The §2.4 Subcontractor Management process and SSSP Acceptance Log align with the artefacts WorkSafe NZ inspectors and Site Safe NZ auditors look for when reviewing a Main Contractor's H&S record. Framing content (30 hazards, nail-gun + wood-dust + saw-kickback modules) cross-checked against WorkSafe NZ guidance and AS/NZS 60745.2.16 / NZS 3604.
Legislation referenced
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 — Section 30 — Management of risks ↗
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 — Section 34 — Duty of PCBUs to consult, cooperate, and coordinate ↗
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 — Section 36 — Primary duty of care ↗
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 — Section 37 — Duty of PCBU with management or control of a workplace ↗Principal contractor duties anchor — the Whero (Red) pack carries this; subcontractors operate within it.
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 — Section 44 — Officer due diligence ↗
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 — Section 62 — Worker engagement (and Schedule 2 override for construction) ↗
- Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016 — Risk management, first aid, emergency plans, PPE, plant ↗
- Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017 — SDS register, inventory, training, location compliance, LCC triggers ↗
- Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 — Regulation 10 — Identification ↗
- Worker Engagement, Participation, and Representation Regulations 2016 — Schedule 2 — Prescribed high-risk industries (construction included) ↗Construction is Schedule 2 — the HSWA s62(2) small-business HSR exemption does not apply.
- Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 — Classification framework — applied to paints, solvents and strippers ↗
- Building Act 2004 — Fire-retardant coatings; building consent triggers ↗
- Resource Management Act 1991 — Regional plans — spray-drift, runoff, discharge controls ↗
- NZS 3604 — Timber-framed buildings — light timber framing for residential and light commercial ↗
- NZS 3640 — Chemical preservation of round and sawn timber — H1, H3, H4, H5 treatment classes ↗
- NZS 3602 — Timber and wood-based products for use in building ↗
- AS/NZS 1170 — Structural design actions (loads on timber framing) ↗
- AS/NZS 60745.2.16 — Hand-held motor-operated electric tools — particular requirements for nailers / fastener drivers ↗The nail-gun safety standard. Sequential-trip trigger required; contact-actuation trigger prohibited on framing sites.
- WorkSafe NZ Guidance — Wood dust — health monitoring and exposure controls ↗Hardwood dust is a Group 1 carcinogen (IARC). Softwood dust is a respiratory sensitiser.
- WorkSafe NZ Approved Code of Practice — Management and removal of asbestos ↗WorkSafe NZ approved code of practice — referenced for methodology.
- WorkSafe NZ Best Practice — Working at Height in New Zealand ↗Hierarchy of controls: eliminate → EWP/scaffold → harness as last resort.
- AS/NZS 1892.1 — Portable ladders — industrial rated ↗
- AS/NZS 1576 / 4576 — Scaffolding — erection and operational use ↗
- AS/NZS 1715 — Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment ↗
- AS/NZS 1716 — Respiratory protective devices ↗
- AS/NZS 1337.1 — Eye and face protection ↗
- AS/NZS 2210.3 — Safety footwear ↗
- AS/NZS 1891 — Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices ↗
- AS/NZS 3760 Table 4 — Test & tag — 3-monthly inspection on construction sites ↗
- AS/NZS 4501.2 + EN ISO 13982-1 (Type 5) + EN 13034 (Type 6) — Coverall stack for lead, asbestos and spray work ↗
Frequently asked
Why is Whero $100 more than Kōwhai and $200 more than Kākāriki?+
Because Whero carries an entire section (§2.4 Subcontractor Management with SSSP Acceptance Log), three new roles in the §3 table (Site Manager, H&S Officer, Subcontractor Workers), an Incident Commander framework in §17, a site-wide toolbox structure in §19, and a site-wide H&S Committee in §21 — none of which exist in the subcontractor packs.
Do I need Whero if I'm a carpenter who only ever subs to a Main Contractor?+
No — you need Kākāriki or Kōwhai. Whero is for the entity running the site.
What if I sometimes act as Main Contractor on small builds and sometimes sub to a larger firm?+
You probably want both Whero and Kōwhai (or Kākāriki). Use Whero on projects where you hold the head contract; use Kākāriki / Kōwhai on projects where you're subbed in.
Does Whero work for non-carpentry trades on the same site?+
Yes — Whero establishes a site-wide framework. Subcontractors of any trade submit their own trade-specific Kākāriki or Kōwhai SSSP. The §2.4 SSSP Acceptance Log accepts subcontractor SSSPs of any trade.
Will WorkSafe NZ accept this format?+
WorkSafe NZ doesn't certify SSSPs — there is no official "approved" SSSP format under HSWA. What WorkSafe inspectors and Site Safe NZ auditors look for is a documented framework that demonstrates how the PCBU is meeting its s36/s37 duties and its s34 coordination duty. Whero's structure is drafted directly around those duties.
Is it editable?+
Yes — DOCX. Replace [Insert your company legal name], NZBN, project name and address, Site Manager and Incident Commander details, and complete the SSSP Acceptance Log as subcontractors are engaged. The framework and trade content are pre-written.