Major infrastructure projects like the Metro Tunnel, Western Sydney Airport Metro, and North East Link are changing the face of Victoria and New South Wales.
These multi-billion-dollar investments are driving record employment and economic growth.
But what do they mean for site managers?
You’re expected to be at the forefront of these new developments, so you’ll likely face increased regulatory scrutiny, newer compliance, and more eyes on project safety.
Understanding these new standards is critical to avoiding project delays, heavy penalties, and ensuring every worker returns home safely.
Key regulatory changes site managers must prepare for
As a Site Manager, you can expect a major shift in how your team operates on-site. The regulators are moving away from "paper compliance" and toward active, verified safety on the ground.
Tunnelling
SafeWork NSW has drafted a new health & safety code for tunnelling in late 2025, and it’s likely to be implemented this year.
Silica dust exposure
Silica dust is one of the greatest hazards for Australians. It’s why Australia banned the use of engineered stone in 2024.
Yet, tunnelling workers are still exposed to it;13 workers were recently diagnosed with silicosis during Sydney tunnelling projects.
The new provision intends to reduce the exposure of tunnelling workers to harmful silica dust through proactive measures and continuous vigilance.
You are now required to have specialised Ventilation Officers and real-time air monitoring to keep respirable levels safe.
Psychosocial hazard management
In Victoria, the Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 now treat mental health risks with the same rigour as physical hazards.
This means you are expected to identify, assess, and control psychosocial risks in the same way you would a trip hazard or a faulty machine.
Essentially, failing to manage workplace stress or fatigue is now seen as a serious safety breach in the eyes of Victorian rail compliance officers.
Rail maintenance
Amendments to the Railway Safety National Law in 2025 have sharpened the focus on accountability and shared responsibility.
Emergency management
You are now expected to demonstrate that your emergency management plans are "live,” and that "controls" are verified and tested.
The Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) can conduct unannounced audits and inspections to verify if your plans are working in real-time.
Priority hazards
There’s a higher focus on fall hazards: safe operation of mobile plants, fall hazards and manual handling of hazardous materials like asbestos.
All of these were found to be major causes of fatalities in 2023/24. The new regulations also place a heavy emphasis on verified worker qualifications, so only those with the right experience get high-risk tickets.
What the new safety standards mean on active sites
The new regulations mean that you should expect a higher administrative and supervisory load to stay compliant with infrastructure safety regulations.
To keep your project moving, your site strategy must shift:
Identify silica generation points, implement a site-specific control plan, and monitor air quality in real time alongside worker health.
Ensure psychosocial support isn’t just a line in a handbook. Normalise mental health talks during pre-starts so the crew can report stress without friction.
Proactively identify hazards related to manual handling, moving objects, and fall injuries. Eliminate them before they become an incident report.
Hire qualified workers and ensure that they’re inducted correctly. Also, implement permit systems for high-risk plants or confined spaces.
Encourage toolbox talks that delve into the best practices for on-site safety using hard data like air quality readings or fatigue logs.
Workforce readiness and competency compliance
Having unqualified or incorrectly inducted workers on your site can be a risk in 2026.
Those without the appropriate induction or training are more likely to misinterpret Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS), increasing the chances of high-risk incidents and regulatory breaches.
Moreover, new regulations have removed several competencies (RISI, One Track, etc.) as evidence for Safely Access the Rail Corridor (SARC).
You now need to identify cardholders who have discontinued competencies and ensure that they are validated by 8 April 2026.
If a worker is on-site without a verified, high-risk ticket or the specific role-based training required for 2026 standards, the liability sits squarely with site leadership.
Finally, using the Rail Industry Worker (RIW) program is now the mandatory benchmark for both rail and major tunnelling projects, like the Brisbane Cross River Rail. Your site must adhere to its regulations.
How Connect People supports safe, compliant projects
Finding workers who are actually "site-ready" and fully compliant is getting harder as the skills gap widens and new regulations come in.
But with Connect People, you get a recruitment specialist who acts as an extension of your safety team.
We perform rigorous credential checks on high-risk tickets and RIW cards before a worker gets employed.
Our expertise in rail and tunnelling recruitment ensures you get crews that are not just qualified, but competent in the latest NSW and Victoria safety protocols.
From the Pyrmont Bridge to the SRAPC River Zone, we’ve helped our partners complete several projects by providing job-ready crews.
Contact us today to secure compliant, job-ready workers for your current or next critical infrastructure project.