Work health and safety risk occur when suppliers perform work that creates shared duties of care. This exposure is often overlooked outside construction, logistics, and field services, but is relevant in offices.
Common work health and safety risk drivers include:
- Contractors operating under informal or short-term arrangements.
- Unclear responsibility for safety and supervision.
- Inconsistent safety induction and training requirements.
- Limited visibility of subcontractor practices.
Controls that support shared duty compliance:
- Clear definition of safety responsibilities in contracts and work orders.
- Supplier prequalification for high-risk activities.
- Alignment between supplier safety practices and internal policies.
- Incident reporting processes that include supplier staff.
Work health and safety risk should be assessed as part of supplier risk management based on activity risk rather than supplier size or tenure.