The first step is to register for an FSC Online account. Applications must be submitted online through 
FSC Online. You will need to provide details about:

• if you are tendering for projects funded under HAFFF or NHAF; 
• how your current safety system aligns with the Federal Safety Commissioners (FSC) Audit Criteria; and 
• information about your company’s operations.

There are no fees or charges to apply for accreditation under the Scheme. There are also no fees or charges to maintain accreditation.

Once your application is submitted, the OFSC will check all required information has been provided and contact you if there are any gaps. The OFSC will then triage the application based on the likely contract date for any building work and allocate a Federal Safety Officer to begin auditing of the WHS management system and practices against the Federal Safety Commissioner’s Audit Criteria. 

You will also receive a request from the OFSC to submit: 

• a declaration the builder will comply with the National Construction Code (NCC) where applicable to any work it undertakes, and
• further information about the builder’s previous WHS performance. 

This information must be returned to the OFSC before any recommendation to accredit an applicant can be made to the Federal Safety Commissioner. 

Once your application has been processed, we will contact you to arrange a Systems Validation Audit to assess the company’s WHS Management System against the Federal Safety Commissioner Audit Criteria.

The arrangements for the systems validation audit will be negotiated with the company and it may be undertaken virtually or at a company’s premises. The audit is a desktop gap analysis of the company’s WHS Management System against the FSC Audit Criteria.  

Following the systems validation audit, you will be provided with a detailed report describing where the criteria has been met and detailing any gaps that have been identified. The report is usually provided 5-10 business days after the audit.  

The Systems Validation Audit will result in one of the following outcomes; 

1. The head contractor builder’s documented safety system is assessed as suitable to progress to an on-site accreditation audit; or 
2. Gaps in the documented safety system are identified such that the head contractor builder does not demonstrate adequate compliance with the FSC Audit Criteria to warrant an onsite accreditation audit. 

 
In the case of outcome 1 and noting that 100% compliance with all systems validation audit criteria is not required to proceed to an on-site audit, a rolling systems validation audit may be implemented with the view to reducing the number of potential corrective action reports arising from the on-site audit and increasing the likelihood of the applicant achieving accreditation. 

In the case of outcome 2, a rolling systems validation audit will be implemented to assist the head contractor builder to identify and remedy system gaps so they can proceed to the next step in the accreditation process as quickly as possible. 

The Federal Safety Officer who conducted the audit will be available to the applicant to: 

• debrief applicants about the system gaps that have been reported on in greater detail.
• answer questions the applicant may have about the gap findings.
• provide general de-identified examples on what accredited companies have in place to meet Federal Safety Commissioner Audit Criteria.
• direct applicants to available resources (e.g. industry and regulatory publications, tools etc).
• review updates made to WHS management systems and processes and confirm whether the updates now meet the Federal Safety Commissioner’s Audit Criteria.

The ongoing support will be arranged between the OFSC, Federal Safety Officer and the head contractor builder. Federal Safety Officers can provide up to 40 hours of support to applicants as outlined above. The 40 hours is the time spent by the Federal Safety Officer to prepare, support the applicant and undertake follow-up administration. It does not include time spent at audits. This support is not a consulting service and Federal Safety Officers are unable to advise on, or draft, WHS management system revisions. 

The On-site Accreditation Audit will be held at a project where the head contractor builder is the Principal Contractor and where its WHS Management System is in place. 

At the On-site Accreditation Audit the Federal Safety Officer’s focus will be to verify the implementation of WHS procedures and practices on-site. 

In the case of the applicants that have received the rolling systems validation audit support (refer above to Stage 2: Systems Validation Audit), the on-site accreditation audit will focus on confirming the on-site implementation of the documented WHS management system. This audit will not re-assess the head contractor builder’s WHS management system in relation to issues already audited and addressed through the systems validation audit and post- systems validation audit rolling analysis referred to above. For any system gaps that remain open following the systems validation audit and post- systems validation audit rolling analysis, the Federal Safety Officer must review both the documented system and the onsite implementation of the processes required to meet the FSC Audit Criteria. 

The on-site accreditation audit will likely review implementation of: 

• Work Health and Safety Management Systems (WHSMS) criteria;  
• Focus Point criteria; and 
• 1-2 x Hazard criteria may be selected from hazard criteria most common to head contractor builders including Mobile Plant, Work at Heights, Electrical, Excavation and Temporary structures (depending on project stage and works occurring).  

Refer to page Scheme criteria guidance explained for head contractor builders. 

Following the on-site accreditation audit, you will be provided with a detailed report describing where the criteria has been met and detailing any non-conformances. The report is usually provided around 10 business days after the audit. 

The Federal Safety Commissioner makes the final decision on whether to grant accreditation, taking into account the findings of the on-site audit.