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Editable checklist
A labour hire induction checklist gives your supervisors one document to follow before an agency worker touches a forklift, a machine or a pallet. This free, editable checklist is written for warehouse, manufacturing and trades sites in Victoria and New South Wales, and it covers four stages: before day 1, day 1 before work starts, the first shift and the first week.
Every line names who is responsible and has a tick box and a date, so nothing depends on memory on a busy morning. If you also want an outside view of how your site handles agency workers, take the free OH&S scorecard.
Enter your details below and we will send the editable Word file straight to your inbox. Print it, adapt it to your site and keep a signed copy for each worker.
Why an agency worker's first shift needs its own induction
An agency worker arrives knowing the trade but not your site. They do not know where the forklift routes run, which machines have lockout tags, or which exit to use. WorkSafe Victoria states that under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 a host has the same health and safety duties to labour hire workers as to any other employee. SafeWork NSW sets out similar expectations for hosts, including a workplace-specific induction, showing the worker how to do the job safely and supervising them. The detail is on the WorkSafe Victoria labour hire induction page and the SafeWork NSW host employer guide.
The first shift is also when habits form. Our own OH&S scorecard asks whether new workers get a site-specific induction before starting and whether they are paired with an experienced worker on their first shift, because those two practices are among the first things a host should have in place.
What is inside the checklist
Before day 1: confirm the role and hazards with the agency, agree PPE, check licences and work rights, check the agency's licence where your state requires it, and name a buddy.
Day 1 before work starts: site and people, emergencies, hazards in the work area (forklift traffic, manual handling, machinery, racking, loading docks, chemicals, noise and temperature), PPE and equipment, and safe work procedures.
First shift: buddy cover for the full shift, supervisor check-ins, no unsupervised licensed work and an end-of-shift review.
First week: a day-three check-in, extra induction before the worker rotates to a new area, fatigue and PPE review, and incident follow-up.
Sign-off: worker, supervisor, WHS representative and agency consultant, plus an actions table for anything left open.
Who should use it
Operations managers, supervisors, WHS representatives and HR teams at warehouses, factories, food producers and trades sites that use casual or agency workers. It suits sites taking on their first labour hire workers and sites that bring in large seasonal crews. Permanent starters can use it too: delete the agency lines and keep the rest.
How to get the most from it
- Adapt it before you use it: add your own hazards, procedure numbers and emergency details, and delete lines that do not apply.
- Deliver the induction in the work area, not only in a meeting room.
- Ask the worker to demonstrate each task back before they work unsupervised.
- File the signed copy and send one to the agency.
Related Resources
- how to onboard seasonal workers safely
- building a chain of responsibility induction
- the free OH&S scorecard for host employers
- WorkSafe Victoria on labour hire induction and training
- SafeWork NSW guide for labour hire hosts
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for inducting a labour hire worker, the agency or the host?
Both. WorkSafe Victoria says the agency and the host should each provide an induction. The agency covers its own general induction, and the host covers the site-specific hazards, procedures and emergency arrangements.
How long should a site induction take?
There is no single correct length. It should last long enough for the worker to understand the hazards of their tasks and to show you they can do each task safely. A practical approach is a day-one induction before work starts, followed by task training and supervision during the first shift.
Do I need to induct a worker who has worked at my site before?
If the site, the tasks or the hazards have changed since their last shift, repeat the relevant parts. At a minimum, confirm they know the current emergency procedures and who their supervisor is.
Can I use this checklist for permanent employees?
Yes. Delete the agency-specific lines and use the rest for any new starter.
Is the checklist legal advice?
No. It is a practical starting point. Your obligations depend on your state, your industry and your site, so check the regulator guidance linked above and involve your own WHS adviser.
A consistent induction protects the worker, your team and your business, and it takes less time than most sites expect once the steps are written down. Download the checklist, adapt it to your site and use it on the next agency worker who walks through the gate. If you need pre-screened casual or temp-to-perm workers for that next shift, request staff from Chandler Personnel.
