When do I need a WHS management plan?

You need a WHS management plan when the work is a construction project. Under the model WHS Regulations, a construction project is construction work costing $250,000 or more (reg 292). In Victoria, which runs a separate Occupational Health and Safety regime, the equivalent threshold is $350,000 — the $250,000 figure and reg 309 do not apply in Victoria.

Who is the principal contractor?

For a construction project, there must be a principal contractor (reg 293). The principal contractor is the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) that is appointed by the client to be the principal contractor, or is taken to be the principal contractor (often the person commissioning the project if no one is appointed). The principal contractor has the duty to prepare and maintain the WHS management plan.

What must a WHS management plan contain?

Reg 309(2) requires the plan to cover four areas: (a) the names, positions and WHS responsibilities of all people with specific health and safety responsibilities; (b) the arrangements for consultation, co-operation and co-ordination between PCBUs, and for managing and resolving WHS issues; (c) the site safety rules and how people at the workplace are informed of them; and (d) the arrangements for collecting, assessing, monitoring and reviewing Safe Work Method Statements.

When must the WHS management plan be ready?

The principal contractor must prepare the written WHS management plan before construction work on the project starts (reg 309). It must be kept up to date for the life of the project and made available to anyone who needs it to do their work safely.

Does Victoria have different rules?

Yes. Victoria is not a model WHS jurisdiction — it runs a separate Occupational Health and Safety regime. The construction-project threshold in Victoria is $350,000, not $250,000, and the principal contractor duties sit under Victoria's OHS Regulations rather than reg 309. Confirm your obligations with WorkSafe Victoria.

Principal Contractor WHS Management Plan Builder

Check whether your construction project needs a WHS management plan, then build one covering the reg 309(2) content areas — names and WHS responsibilities, consultation and issue resolution, site safety rules, and SWMS arrangements.

Last verified: 21 June 2026

For more work health and safety tools and guides, see the Safety Hub. If you are doing high risk construction work, also check whether you need a Safe Work Method Statement.

Step 1 — Do you need a WHS management plan?

A WHS management plan is required when the work is a construction project. Under the model WHS Regulations, a construction project is construction work costing $250,000 or more (reg 292). Victoria uses $350,000 under its separate OHS regime.

State or territoryEstimated total project costTotal cost of the construction work for the whole project.

New South Wales applies the model WHS Regulations. A construction project is construction work costing $250,000 or more (reg 292). Western Australia mirrors the model laws. Confirm your obligations with your WHS regulator.

Step 2 — Project and party details

These appear at the top of your WHS management plan.

Project / job nameSite addressPrincipal contractorClient (person commissioning the work)Date plan prepared / applies fromPrepared by

Step 3 — Plan content (reg 309(2))

Reg 309(2) sets out the four areas a WHS management plan must cover. The text below is a general starting point — tailor it to your actual project, parties and site before relying on it.

Names, positions and WHS responsibilitiesreg 309(2)(a)Everyone with specific WHS responsibilities on the project, their position, and what they are responsible for.Consultation, co-operation, co-ordination and issue resolutionreg 309(2)(b)How the PCBUs on site consult, co-operate and co-ordinate, and how WHS issues are managed and resolved.Site safety rules and how they are communicatedreg 309(2)(c)The site safety rules and how everyone at the workplace is informed of them.Arrangements for Safe Work Method Statementsreg 309(2)(d)How SWMS are collected, assessed, monitored and reviewed at the workplace.

The plan opens below. Use Print / Save as PDF to produce a clean printable copy.

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FairWork Mate is an independent commercial service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Fair Work Commission, or any Australian Government agency. Content is general information and estimates only — not legal, financial, or tax advice. Always verify with the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified professional.

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