Construction Site Signage Checklist
A practical, site-stage-by-stage checklist of signage a typical Australian construction site needs — mapped to the Model Work Health and Safety Regulations Chapter 6 (Construction Work) and AS 1319 sign conventions. Use as a planning tool for new sites and a gap-audit tool for existing ones.
Last reviewed:
Regulatory context
- Model Work Health and Safety Act & Regulations.Chapter 6 specifically covers construction work — principal contractor duties, WHS management plans, construction induction (“white card”), site information, high-risk construction work, and the Site Safety Board. Adopted by every state and territory except Victoria, which runs the OHS Act 2004 and OHS Regulations 2017 (broadly similar but not identical).
- AS 1319. Sets the visual format (colour, shape, pictogram) for the prohibition, mandatory, warning, danger, emergency-information and fire-equipment signs used on site.
- AS 1742.3. Manual of uniform traffic control devices — signs and plans for traffic control at works on roads. Applies where the site interfaces with a public road.
- Council / LGA conditions.Most development approvals include site-specific signage conditions (after-hours contact, noise restrictions, dust control, complaints contact). Read the DA conditions carefully — they’re additional to WHS.
Full site signage checklist
Use this as a planning tool or gap audit. Not every sign is required on every site — scale to the hazards actually present.
1Site perimeter & entry
- □Site Safety Board (project name, principal contractor, site supervisor, induction requirement, emergency contacts)
- □Authorised Personnel Only — No Unauthorised Entry
- □Visitors Report to Site Office
- □Mandatory PPE required beyond this point (hard hat, hi-vis, boots)
- □Vehicle entry / truck turning / crane zone warning
- □Site address & contact number for emergency services
2PPE & general safety
- □Hard Hat Must Be Worn
- □Hi-Vis Clothing Must Be Worn
- □Safety Footwear Must Be Worn
- □Safety Eyewear Must Be Worn in designated zones
- □Hearing Protection Must Be Worn near noisy plant
- □Respiratory Protection Must Be Worn in dust/silica zones
3Hazard identification (AS 1319 warning & danger)
- □Danger — Confined Space — Permit Required
- □Danger — Deep Excavation / Open Trench
- □Danger — Live Electrical — Qualified Persons Only
- □Warning — Overhead Work / Falling Object Hazard
- □Warning — Uneven Surface / Slip Hazard
- □Warning — Machinery Operating / Stay Clear
- □Warning — Crane Operations Overhead
- □Caution — Wet Paint / Curing Concrete
4Electrical
- □Danger — Live Electrical Equipment (switchboards, pits)
- □Danger — Isolate Before Working — Lockout/Tagout point
- □Temporary Site Supply Switchboard identification
- □Underground cable warning (where applicable)
- □Overhead Power Line — Maintain Safe Clearance
5Silica, asbestos & hazardous substances
- □Warning — Silica Dust — PPE Required (where cutting concrete, stone, masonry)
- □Asbestos Containing Material — Removal Area (if asbestos present — see dedicated asbestos guide)
- □HAZCHEM placard for bulk chemical storage over Schedule 11 threshold
- □GHS-labelled chemical containers with SDS location sign
- □Fuel/LPG storage warning signs
6Emergency & first aid
- □Emergency Assembly Point (external, clearly visible from all work zones)
- □First Aid Station / First Aid Kit location
- □Fire Extinguisher location (AS 2444)
- □Fire Hose Reel / Fire Blanket location
- □Emergency Eye Wash / Emergency Shower (for chemical/concrete-slurry work)
- □Emergency Evacuation Plan displayed at site office and entry
- □Site Evacuation Alarm description / test schedule
7Traffic management & public interface
- □AS 1742.3 traffic control signs at site entry/exit (where vehicles enter public road)
- □Pedestrian Diversion / Footpath Closed signs where footpath affected
- □Speed Restriction signs within site (5 km/h common)
- □Truck Entering / Exiting warnings to road traffic
- □Hoarding signage with project info (shopfront fit-outs)
- □After-Hours Contact signage for complaints and emergencies
8Scaffolding, EWPs, height work
- □Scaffold Tag — Inspected / Do Not Alter
- □EWP Operating Zone — Do Not Enter
- □Fall Hazard — Harness Required
- □Edge Protection warning (where work is near an unprotected edge)
- □Roof access restrictions
9Environmental & neighbour relations
- □Dust Control / Water Suppression Active
- □Noise Restriction Hours (varies by council — often 7am-6pm weekdays)
- □Wash Bay — Wash Wheels Before Exit (prevents mud on road)
- □Sediment Control / Silt Fence signage
- □Complaints / Site Contact Number (council approval condition in many LGAs)
Product ranges we manufacture
Construction Signs
Site safety boards, site-specific hazard, crane operations and scaffolding signs.
Browse range →Mandatory PPE
Hard hat, hi-vis, safety boots, eye protection, hearing protection — AS 1319-styled blue discs.
Browse range →Warning Signs
Electrical, machinery, overhead work, uneven surface — AS 1319 yellow warning triangles.
Browse range →Danger Signs
Confined space, live electrical, deep excavation, authorised personnel only — AS 1319 red/black danger.
Browse range →Emergency Signs
Assembly point, first aid station, emergency eyewash, emergency shower — green emergency-information format.
Browse range →Official references
- Safe Work Australia — Model WHS Act and Regulations (Chapter 6 Construction)
- Safe Work Australia — Construction Work Code of Practice
- SafeWork NSW — Construction, WorkSafe Victoria — Construction, Workplace Health and Safety QLD — Construction.
- Standards Australia — AS 1319 and AS 1742.3 (Traffic Control Devices)
Frequently asked questions
What is a Site Safety Board?
A Site Safety Board is the large project-information sign typically displayed at the main entry to a construction site. Model WHS Regulations Chapter 6 (Construction Work) requires the principal contractor of a construction project above a prescribed value to display prescribed information visible from outside the workplace — typically project name, principal contractor, principal contractor contact, site supervisor contact, and emergency contact details. The exact value threshold that triggers 'construction project' obligations varies — check your state/territory WHS regulator.
Are hard-hat/hi-vis signs legally required?
PPE duties under the Model WHS Regulations (Part 3.2) require a PCBU to provide PPE where a risk can't be adequately controlled by other means, and workers to use it. The signs themselves aren't specifically prescribed — but clearly identifying where PPE is required, via AS 1319 blue mandatory discs, is how site managers practically discharge the duty to ensure PPE use and how Safe Work inspectors expect to see the control communicated. Nearly every construction site in Australia runs a 'PPE required beyond this point' sign at entry.
Do I need different signs for residential vs commercial construction?
The core WHS duties are the same — a PCBU is a PCBU regardless of project type. But commercial/industrial sites typically carry broader scope: traffic management interfacing with a public road (AS 1742.3 signs), HAZCHEM placarding (bulk chemical storage), larger confined-space and electrical hazards, and more formal emergency planning. Residential renovation and small new-builds often run a leaner set — site safety board, PPE mandatory, first aid, emergency contacts. Scale to the actual hazards present on your site.
How big should a Site Safety Board be?
There's no single Australian Standard size. Industry practice is around 900 × 600 mm for smaller sites and 1200 × 900 mm (or larger) for major commercial projects, mounted at the primary pedestrian and vehicle entries at eye-level visibility. The content and layout matter more than the dimensions — text must be readable from outside the boundary, include emergency phone numbers, and identify who is responsible on site.
Does the signage need to be in multiple languages?
WHS law doesn't prescribe a specific language requirement, but a PCBU's duty is to consult and communicate with workers in ways they can understand. Where a significant portion of the workforce is non-English-speaking, pictogram-led signage (AS 1319 formats are already designed around pictograms), multilingual safe work method statements, and multilingual induction materials are standard practice — and strongly encouraged by Safe Work inspectors.
Full construction site signage pack
Site safety board, PPE mandatory, hazard & danger signs, emergency assembly, first aid, fire equipment, traffic management, scaffold tags and custom site hoarding. Corflute, Aluminium or ACM materials — weatherproof for the duration of the project.
Planning signage for a specific site? These interactive checklists bring together the sign families covered above alongside the rest of what the workplace typically needs.