Who's in charge of subcontractors' health and safety?

Question

Accepted Answer

If you’re working as an independent contractor rather than an employee, your hirer or ‘principal’ owes you the same health and safety obligations as employers owe their employees. The law treats employers, principals and some voluntary organisations as a ‘person carrying on a business or undertaking’ or PCBU. They all owe health and safety duties to their workers, which includes contractors and some regular volunteers.
If you’re a contractor and hire employees or subcontractors, your principal owes a duty to them. You will too since you are their principal or employer.

What people are asking…

Rather talk with a human?

Workbot Talk to me about your problems at work