Safety and health plan template: Excel, PDF and guidance

First establish whether a plan is required

Under section 2(3) BaustellV, a plan is required before the site is established where employees of several employers will work and either advance notice is required or Annex II particularly hazardous work is involved. The requirement to appoint a coordinator is a separate question under section 3.

A smaller project is not automatically exempt. Review the planned activities and employers involved using the actual project plan. The linked guide separates the three checks for coordination, advance notice and the safety and health plan.

Information to gather before completing the template

Gather the current programme, work-area breakdown and contact details. Add known site conditions and any ongoing operations. A list of isolated hazards is insufficient: the important connections are between location, time, trade and protective measure.

• Trades and work sections with planned start and finish dates.
• Shared access routes, traffic routes and protective installations.
• Hazards associated with adjacent areas, existing installations and ongoing operations.
• Available drawings, surveys and their current revisions.

Work through the template step by step

1. Describe each relevant activity and assign a location. 2. Record its planned period. 3. Identify which other activities or people may be affected. 4. Set out agreed measures with an identifiable responsible party. 5. Assign the applicable safety rules and reference supporting documents.

RAB 31 explains this content structure. Avoid generic entries such as “observe regulations”: they do not explain which protection must be arranged at a particular interface. Keep missing information visible as an open question with an owner and a date; do not silently treat it as resolved.

Fictional example: two trades sharing an access route

Teaching example only, not a protection plan to copy: at the fictional “Musterhof” project, the fit-out team uses an entrance in the morning while deliveries are also planned there. The plan records the area, period and contractors involved. A proposed approach for agreement is to separate the activities in time and define a clear handover process.

Whether that approach is sufficient depends on the real traffic arrangements, equipment and hazards. The finished plan must contain the measures actually agreed. A fictional example cannot be transferred to a real site as professional approval.

Revisions, coordination and changes

Identify the project, scope, revision and preparer. Check dates and responsibilities before distribution. Section 3(3), item 3 BaustellV requires the plan to be updated when execution changes affect subsequent coordination. A printout does not automatically stay current.

The template replaces neither coordinator competence nor employers’ risk assessments. Record the coordination process and ensure the parties receive the revision relevant to them. Professional responsibility remains with the responsible people.