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Painting Whero (Red) SSSP — Main Contractor (PCBU 1)

The Main Contractor's Site-Specific Safety Plan for painting 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 workers.

⚖️HSWA s36 + s37 + s34 framing

📄§2.4 Subcontractor Management + SSSP Acceptance Log

🇳🇿Site-wide induction, toolbox, permit-to-work, WorkSafe NZ notification

NZD 495

Instant Download

Editable 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 painting 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.

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.

§2.4 — Subcontractor Management

A documented 6-step subcontractor management process with the SSSP Acceptance Log table. This is 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 — not on the subcontractors. Whero structures that duty into §3 (Roles), §17 (Emergency Commander), §19 (Site-wide toolbox), §21 (Site-wide H&S Committee).

Who this is for

Painting 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.
Painter / Multi-trade Main Contractors: You run a site that includes painters, plus carpentry, electrical, plumbing, or other subcontractors. The §2.4 Acceptance Log accepts any-trade Kākāriki or Kōwhai submissions.
Painters who alternate roles: Acting as Main Contractor on small jobs and subcontracting to larger firms on commercial work — use Whero on head-contract projects and Kākāriki / Kōwhai on subbed work.

If you're a painter who only ever subcontracts to a Main Contractor, you do not need Whero — you need Kākāriki or Kōwhai.

Kākāriki (sub under main contractor) — $295 → →Kōwhai (own H&S system in parallel) — $395 → →

What's inside the template

32 pages · Formats: DOCX

Cover & Document ControlProject, NZBN, version, revision history, sign-off pages.
1. Purpose & Regulatory AnchorHSWA 2015 (s36 + s37 + s34 + s44 + s56 + s58–67 + s62), supporting regulations, ACOPs.
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, Painter, Subcontractor Workers (new — explicit s45 duty), Apprentice.
4. Hazard Register (30 rows H01–H30)5×5 inherent scored, controls drafted, residual re-scored.
5. Critical RisksHeights, lead paint, asbestos, isocyanate, spray drift, fire — same as Kākāriki/Kōwhai.
6. Task Analyses (12 cross-referenced)Heights, prep, brush/roller, spray, stripping, 2-pack, roof, lead, asbestos, hazardous substances, manual handling, confined space.
7. PPE RegisterP2 → half-face → full-face → PAPR. Coverall stack AS/NZS 4501.2 + EN ISO 13982-1 + EN 13034.
8. Training & Competency MatrixNZQA 17600, 23966, 23960, 23962, 13053, 6401. Site Safe Passport. Annual RPE fit-test.
9. Site-Wide Hazardous Substances RegisterAggregates SDS records from all PCBUs on site; tracks LCC thresholds across the whole project.
10. Emergency Response (Site Manager + Incident Commander)You lead site-wide emergency response; all PCBU 2s on site must follow your procedures.
11. Asbestos Awareness — pre-2000 buildingsFive-step painter protocol. NZ suspect-materials list.
12. Lead Paint Management — pre-1980 buildingsWorkSafe NZ BEI 10 µg/dL / BRV 3 µg/dL (WES/BEI 15th ed Feb 2025).
13. Spray Application ControlsAirless / HVLP / conventional. Drift containment.
14. Two-Pack & Isocyanate CoatingsSupplied air or PAPR. Medical clearance protocol.
15. Working at HeightsFive-level hierarchy + ten ladder rules.
16. Manual HandlingPaint pails, ladder lifts, scaffold components.
17. Site-Wide Emergency ResponseSite Manager + designated Incident Commander.
18. Site-Wide First AidMain Contractor’s site office holds primary kit; mobile kits in each subcontractor area; eyewash at every chemical decanting station.
19. Site-Wide ToolboxYou run the site-wide toolbox; all workers (yours + every PCBU 2) attend. Subcontractor internal toolboxes are in addition, not in substitution.
20. Site-Wide Incident & Notifiable Event RegisterAll incidents recorded in your site register. WorkSafe NZ notification under HSWA s56 is your duty regardless of which PCBU's work the event arose from.
21. Worker Engagement (s34 + Site-Wide H&S Committee)Site-wide H&S Committee (where project size warrants) with reps from PCBU 1, each PCBU 2, and HSRs. Annual project H&S review meeting.
22. Document ControlRevision history, legal disclaimer, NZ governing law.
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. Part of the site H&S record.

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.

Feature	Kākāriki (Green)	Kōwhai (Yellow)	Whero (Red) — this pack
PCBU position	Sub UNDER main contractor	Sub IN PARALLEL	Main contractor (PCBU 1)
HSWA framing	s36 + adoption	s36 + s37 + s34	s36 + s37 + s34 + s44 + s56
§2.4 Subcontractor Management	—	—	Yes — 6-step + Acceptance Log
Roles table	5 rows	7 rows	8 rows (Site Manager + H&S Officer + Subcontractor Workers)
Emergency response	Follows site procedure	Own + s34 interface	Leads site (Site Manager + Incident Commander)
First aid scope	Painter's work area only	Painter's work area only	Site-wide framework
Toolbox	Attends site-wide	Internal + attendance	Runs site-wide
WorkSafe notification	Through Main Contractor	Direct + Main Contractor	Direct (you are the notifying entity)
Best for	Smaller painters under PCBU 1 framework	SiteWise / ISO 45001 painters in parallel	Painter running the site as PCBU 1
Pages	31	31	32
Price	NZD $295	NZD $395	NZD $495

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. Trade content (30 hazards, 12 task analyses, lead/asbestos modules) was cross-checked against WorkSafe NZ WES/BEI 15th edition (February 2025).

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 ↗
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 60335.2.69 — Class H vacuums for hazardous dust ↗
AS/NZS 3760 Table 4 — Test & tag — 3-monthly inspection on construction sites ↗
AS/NZS 2865:2009 — Confined spaces ↗
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. You're paying for the multi-PCBU management machinery.

Do I need Whero if I'm a painter 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 jobs 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-painting 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 NZ 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.