November Newsletter 2026 | New Residential Construction ACOP + When Should You Ask for H&S Help?
New ACOP for Health & Safety Responsibilities on Residential Construction Sites
Construction often sees numerous workers and businesses working on the same site, so there’s a large need for thorough risk management and clear coordination.
Who is responsible for what when several businesses share a residential construction site? WorkSafe’s new Approved Code of Practice clarifies how health and safety duties apply, particularly when responsibilities overlap between businesses. The new ACOP for residential construction sites comes into effect on 1 April 2027, but you can start familiarising yourself with the guidance now.
New workers vs. your safety system
Your health and safety system may make perfect sense to the people who use it every day, but what about someone completely new?
This blog asks you to look at your system through a new worker’s eyes and consider whether your risks, responsibilities, reporting processes and safety information are genuinely clear and easy to follow.
7 situations where a consultation can help
Not every health and safety question calls for a complete system overhaul or ongoing support. Sometimes you just need help working through a specific issue, an independent perspective, or some clarity about what to do next.
Our latest blog explores seven situations where a focused health and safety consultation could be a useful place to start.
Enjoying our services?
Please leave us a review, your feedback helps us to improve!
Consultant’s Corner
By Sara Crawford.
Don't Let the End-of-Year Rush Catch You Out
There's already talk of the end-of-year rush. While some of you are thinking, "Surely not Christmas already?", others are well and truly in that space.
The end of the year brings increased workloads, customer demands, tight deadlines and, too often, shortcuts. Finishing before Christmas should not mean compromising the controls that have kept your team safe all year.
Setting realistic expectations is particularly important at this time of year, as is reviewing workloads. Longer days and extra pressure can affect concentration and decision-making, increasing the risk of fatigue – and fatigued workers are more likely to make mistakes.
A few practical steps can make a big difference:
Plan work early and be honest with clients about what can realistically be delivered.
Check in with your team regularly and watch for signs of fatigue or stress.
Stick to your safe work procedures, even when time is tight.
Schedule breaks and rotate tasks where possible.
Keep an eye on new or temporary workers who may be less familiar with your site.
Your health and safety duties don't take a holiday. Let's finish the year strong – and make sure everyone gets home safely to enjoy the summer break.
Comments