Getting a construction site set up correctly before the first trade arrives isn't just good practice — it's a legal obligation. Under Australia's Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation, principal contractors and site managers bear significant responsibility for ensuring their site is safe, compliant, and properly equipped from day one.
1. Site Perimeter Fencing
Temporary fencing is the first and most visible layer of site safety. Panels should comply with AS 4687-2022, fencing must form a continuous barrier with no accessible gaps, gate panels must be fitted at designated entry/exit points, and bracing must be installed at intervals appropriate to site wind exposure.
2. Concrete Safety Barriers
Where vehicles operate near pedestrians, roads, or work zones, concrete barriers provide a level of protection that temporary fencing cannot. Common applications include separating plant movement areas from pedestrian pathways, protecting site offices from vehicle strike, and traffic management at site entry and exit points.
3. Crowd Control Barriers
For sites with public interaction — heritage works in pedestrian zones, utility works on footpaths — crowd control barriers provide a pedestrian-grade perimeter that's quick to set up and reposition.
4. Portable Toilets and Welfare Facilities
The WHS Regulations specify minimum welfare facility requirements based on the number of workers on site. At minimum, most sites require one toilet per 15 workers, access to hand-washing facilities, and drinking water.
5. Site Sheds and Offices
Workers need somewhere to eat, change, store tools, and take shelter. When sourcing site sheds, consider floor area relative to peak workforce numbers, power and lighting requirements, security, and positioning relative to work zones.
6. Shade Cloth and Screening
Shade cloth serves both a safety and regulatory function. It contains dust, debris, and small materials that could otherwise project beyond the site boundary, and provides visual screening required by many councils.
7. Safety Signage
Every entry point to a site must be clearly signed with site name and principal contractor contact details, mandatory PPE requirements, no unauthorised entry signage, and emergency contact numbers and first aid location.
TFH Site Direct supplies the core physical safety equipment your site needs: temporary fencing panels, clamps and bracing, concrete barriers, crowd control barriers, portable toilets, site sheds, and shade cloth. Browse the complete range at /products.