Contractor prequalification
Contractor prequalification is the pre-engagement check that a contractor has the licences, insurances, certifications, training and safety record required by the principal. It is the upstream control on s46 consultation, cooperation and coordination duties between PCBUs sharing a site.
Legal context
A principal contractor (or any PCBU engaging another PCBU) needs assurance that the contractor can do the work safely before they arrive. Prequalification typically asks for: ABN / company details, public-liability and workers' compensation insurances (with current certificates), high-risk-work licences, trade qualifications, ISO 45001 or similar certifications, a sample SWMS or safe-work plan, and the contractor's safety record (incidents, prosecutions, LTIFR). Prequalification status has an expiry — insurances and licences in particular renew annually. RAE IQ's contractor module manages a prequalification state machine with daily expiry sweeps so a contractor can't silently lapse out of compliance.
Where this shows up in RAE IQ
Related terms
Induction
An induction is the structured introduction of a worker (or contractor) to a workplace before they start work: site rules, emergency procedures, hazards, PPE, supervisory chain, sign-on. Induction is a precondition for being allowed to work on most managed sites.
Permit to work
A permit to work is a formal authorisation document for a specific high-risk task in a specific location for a defined time window. Hot work, confined-space entry, energised electrical work, working at height, excavation and isolation/lockout typically require a PTW.
PCBU
PCBU stands for Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking — the primary duty-holder under model WHS legislation in Australia. It is broader than “employer”: a PCBU can be a company, a sole trader, a partnership or an unincorporated association, and the duty applies whether or not workers are paid.
Platform pillars
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47 WHS and HSWA terms with legal context, FAQs and regulator references.