In industry there has been a growing trend towards the use of contractors in recent years.
This trend has been due to a range of factors including the increasing technical sophistication of the industry and the need to access specialised expertise, and the need to continually improve efficiency in an industry subject to strong international competitive pressures.
Contractors undertake a wide range of functions including specialist tasks in areas such as mine development, equipment maintenance or construction work.
The increasing role of contractors in the industry has also meant that the task of managing occupational health and safety issues has become somewhat more complex.
