Site Compliance Sydney: WHS Fencing & Amenities Checklist for Builders

Why This Checklist Exists

SafeWork NSW inspectors visit thousands of Sydney construction sites every year. The pattern of what gets pinged is depressingly consistent — it's not the technical safe-work-method-statements that trip most builders up, it's the boring baseline stuff: fence gap, missing sign, no first-aid kit, no shade for the crew at smoko.

This checklist covers what every active Sydney construction and demolition site needs in place from day one. It's written for principal contractors, small builders, owner-builders and site supervisors — the people whose signature is on the site plan and whose name goes on the improvement notice if things aren't right.

1. Perimeter Fencing

• ☐ Continuous 2.1m mesh perimeter — no gaps larger than a person can slip through.
• ☐ Lockable pedestrian gate and vehicle gate. Both closed and locked when site unattended.
• ☐ Panel clamps at every join.
• ☐ Shade cloth or privacy screen if DA requires or if site is in a built-up residential street.
• ☐ Fence entirely inside property line (or hoarding permit in hand for footpath encroachment).
• ☐ No panels leaning or fallen — walk the perimeter each morning.

Common ping: A gate left open at lunch. Public wanders in. Inspector arrives 30 minutes later. Improvement notice for inadequate site security.

2. Signage

• ☐ Principal contractor sign — name, licence number, telephone, project address.
• ☐ "Authorised access only" / "Construction site — keep out" on every gate and at 20m intervals along the perimeter.
• ☐ Emergency contact number visible from the street.
• ☐ SWMS / hazardous materials warning where relevant (asbestos, silica dust, working at height).
• ☐ Speed limit signs on longer sites with vehicle movement.

3. Toilets & Amenities

Under the WHS Regulation and the Construction Work Code of Practice, workers must have access to:

• ☐ Toilets — one per 20 workers, minimum one on any site with workers on it. Serviced weekly minimum.
• ☐ Hand-washing — soap and clean water at each toilet. Hand sanitiser is a supplement, not a replacement.
• ☐ Drinking water — cool, clean, accessible at all times. Water cooler or reliable esky refill.
• ☐ Meal area / smoko shed — shaded, seated, protected from weather. For small sites this can be as simple as a shaded table under a gazebo, but it has to exist.
• ☐ Change area / storage — somewhere workers can leave personal belongings securely.

Common ping: No hand-wash at the site toilet. A pump bottle of sanitiser doesn't count if there's no soap and water available.

4. First Aid

• ☐ First aid kit on site — Type B for construction (bigger than the standard workplace kit).
• ☐ Nominated first aider identified and their name displayed.
• ☐ Emergency evacuation plan — even for small sites, a written point where crew will muster if things go wrong.
• ☐ Fire extinguisher near any hot works, fuel storage or generator.

5. Dust, Sediment & Environmental Controls

• ☐ Shade cloth or dust screening on demolition and bulk earthworks — especially in tight residential streets.
• ☐ Sediment fencing at the low side of the site to stop mud tracking into stormwater.
• ☐ Truck wheel-wash or shake-down grid at the exit if you're moving significant earth.
• ☐ Water spray plan for demolition — dry demolition of anything friable is a fast track to a stop-work notice, especially with any potential asbestos content.
• ☐ Waste bins and skip location clearly marked.

6. Working at Height

• ☐ Edge protection on any surface over 2m where a fall is possible.
• ☐ Scaffolding tagged and inspected weekly by a competent person.
• ☐ Ladders in good condition, tied off, extending 1m past the landing.
• ☐ Harness & anchor points where scaffold isn't practical — with a rescue plan (not just "call 000").

7. Electrical

• ☐ Site power via a proper builder's temporary board — not an extension cord from next door.
• ☐ RCD (safety switch) on all portable outlets.
• ☐ Leads tagged and tested every 3 months.
• ☐ Leads off the ground — hung on hooks or stands, not run through mud.

8. Documentation On Site

• ☐ Development consent / CDC certificate.
• ☐ Construction certificate.
• ☐ Site-specific safety management plan (SMP) for jobs over $250k.
• ☐ SWMS for every high-risk construction work activity.
• ☐ Register of workers and inductions.
• ☐ Asbestos survey and clearance certificates where applicable.

9. Public Interface

• ☐ Footpath clear where the DA requires it, or pedestrian gantry / diversion in place with a Traffic Control Plan.
• ☐ No materials, spoil or vehicles blocking the footpath or street unless permitted.
• ☐ Neighbours notified of demolition or noisy works in advance — especially in strata / townhouse settings.

10. End-of-Day Walk

The single cheapest compliance measure available to any site supervisor: a 5-minute walk around the perimeter at end-of-day. Check:

• Fence intact, gates locked.
• No tools, ladders or materials outside the fence.
• Nothing precarious that could fall or be pushed over overnight.
• Toilet door closed, no waste around it.
• Site lit if it's an urban location prone to intrusion.

This walk stops 80% of the overnight incidents that end up as insurance claims, break-ins or complaints to council.

How Direct Site Hire Fits In

We're a fencing and portable toilet supplier — items 1 and 3 on this checklist. Where we add value beyond just dropping the gear:

• We supply the compliant 2.1m mesh, shade cloth, hand-wash-fitted toilet units and signage as a standard bundle — no need to piece it together from three different suppliers.
• We deliver, install and pick up with our own crew — so the perimeter goes up correctly first time.
• Our weekly toilet service happens on the same day each week so it's easy to slot into your site routine.

The other 8 items are on you — but if the fencing and amenities are handled cleanly, the rest of the checklist gets a lot easier.

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