When something goes wrong on a multi-contractor site, "that wasn't our subcontractor's paperwork" isn't a defence the Construction Regulations recognise. The principal contractor carries real responsibility for verifying that every subcontractor on site actually has compliant safety documentation — not just for their own direct employees.
The Construction Regulations require the principal contractor to confirm that each subcontractor has a site-specific safety file before that subcontractor's work begins. It's not enough for a subcontractor to say they're compliant — the main contractor is expected to have actually verified it.
Verifying a subcontractor once, at the start of a project, catches a snapshot. Certificates expire mid-project, workers rotate onto site who weren't part of the original verification, and a subcontractor's own compliance can lapse while they're still actively working. The real difficulty isn't the initial check — it's keeping that verification current across every company on a busy site, for the full duration of the work.
The more subcontractors on a site, the more this compounds. Chasing renewed certificates and updated safety files from five different companies, each with their own admin processes and response times, is where subcontractor compliance most often quietly falls behind — not because anyone decided it wasn't important.
ZeroLapse tracks certificates, appointments, and PPE against the people actually on your site — with automatic alerts before anything lapses, whether that person is your own employee or working under a subcontractor.
Start Your Free 30-Day TrialRelated reading: Construction Regulations 2014 Compliance Checklist · What Goes in a Health & Safety File?
This article is general information for South African employers and isn't legal advice. Requirements vary by project — consult the Department of Employment and Labour or a qualified HSE professional for guidance specific to your business.