APA relies on a diverse contractor workforce to deliver operations, maintenance and infrastructure. We recognised that delivering safe outcomes required a shift from a transactional approach to one built on genuine partnership with our contractors.
Contractors are critical to our work but are overrepresented in serious incident exposure and recordable injuries. This highlighted that traditional, compliance-driven processes were not enough.
What changed
At the centre of this shift is the alignment meeting, which brings APA and contractors together before work begins to set clear expectations.
These conversations ensure:
We also made it easier for our people to apply this approach by digitising how information is captured and shared, improving visibility and consistency across the lifecycle of work.
Outcomes
We are in the early stages of embedding this approach across the business. Initial feedback is positive, with clearer alignment earlier in the process, improved understanding of roles and accountabilities, and stronger engagement with contractors. We continue to embed the process with a focus on building consistency in how HSEH is managed and improving visibility of risk and performance through our digital tools.
