Life-Critical Activities
The activities that can cost a life.
Most serious incidents in construction come from a small number of high-risk activities. CONTECH defines 12 Life-Critical Activities — the tasks where a failure of control can lead to a fatality or life-changing injury, and where our rules are absolute.
For every one of these activities, work proceeds only with the right assessment, controls, competence and authorisation in place. If controls are not in place, we stop the job.
The 12 activities
Where our controls are absolute.
01Working at heightProtection and controls whenever a fall could cause injury.
02Lifting operationsPlanned lifts, certified equipment and exclusion zones.
03Excavations & trenchingSupport, access and protection from collapse and falls.
04Confined spacesEntry only under permit, with testing and rescue arrangements.
05Energy isolationLockout/tagout of electrical and stored energy before work.
06Hot worksFire controls, permits and watch for cutting, welding and grinding.
07Mobile plant & vehiclesSeparation of people and machines; trained operators.
08Temporary worksDesigned, checked and approved before loading.
09Hazardous substancesAssessment, control and correct PPE for harmful materials.
10Working over or near waterControls to prevent drowning and rescue readiness.
11Buried & live servicesLocate and protect underground and overhead services.
12Permit-to-workHigh-risk tasks proceed only under authorised permits.
Stop-work authority
Anyone can stop the job.
Every worker on a CONTECH site has the authority — and the duty — to stop any task that is unsafe, with no fear of blame. Work restarts only when it is safe.
01
Recognise
Spot when a life-critical control is missing.
02
Stop
Pause the task and make the area safe.
03
Resolve
Fix the control, then resume safely.
Activity-specific standards and the Life-Critical Activities handbook (PDF) to be published and linked here.