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Principal contractors

According to the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (s293), the principal contractor is a person who is conducting a business or undertaking, and commissions building and construction work.

The principal contractor for a project can change if the previous principal contractor engages another person to take over. The new person becomes the principal contractor if they are authorised to manage and control the workplace, and they conduct the duties of a principal contractor.

For work on a residential premises, the principal contractor is the person engaged by the owner of the premises to undertake the project (as long as the person they’ve engaged manages or controls the workplace).

Please note: a construction project has one principal contractor at any specific time.

For further information relating to the appointment of a principal contractor, please contact Workplace Health and Safety Queensland on 1300 362 128.