
Contractor Management at Qantas Group
How Qantas Group uses Smartek’s Contractor Management Software to manage risk within their vast contractor network.
Overview
Qantas, Australia’s flagship airline, is one of the largest and oldest airlines in the world, founded in 1920. It operates an extensive domestic and international network, serving over 85 destinations across more than 20 countries. The Qantas Group manages a fleet of approximately 120 aircraft, catering to both passenger and freight services. As a dominant market leader in Australia, Qantas plays a pivotal role in connecting the nation to the global travel network.
With a workforce of approximately 30,000 employees, including pilots, cabin crew, ground staff, and maintenance personnel, the Qantas Group also relies on a comprehensive network of specialised workforces and contractors for essential support services.
Safety is a cornerstone of the Qantas Group’s operations. Renowned for its exceptional safety record, the airline invests significantly in advanced technology, rigorous training programs, and comprehensive safety management systems. This dedication to safety is reflected in their high performance in internal and external audits and their proactive approach to continually enhancing safety practices, solidifying Qantas’s reputation as one of the safest airlines in the world.
Challenge
The Qantas Group takes pride in delivering safe and efficient workplaces for employees, customers, contractors, and visitors. However, prior to partnering with Smartek, the Qantas Group’s safety management system faced challenges in meeting the reporting capabilities, compliance, and operational demands required in the dynamic aviation industry.
Goals
During their search for a new safety management system, the Qantas Group outlined the following requirements:
- A flexible and dynamic safety platform that ensures adherence to relevant WHS legislation, standards, and industry best practices.
- Capability to design, develop, and support SCORM-compliant inductions and training programs.
- Systems that facilitate regular reviews and improvements to safety processes, policies, and practices based on feedback, audits, and incident analyses.
- Tools to promote employee engagement through training, resources, and opportunities to contribute to safety initiatives.
- Accurate, comprehensive, and robust reporting capabilities that meet rigorous audit requirements and are configurable to individual business units.
- A timestamped digital monitoring and site induction system with instant messaging functionality for incident notifications or urgent communications.
- A digital Authority to Work permit system to streamline permissions and approvals.
- A user-friendly interface accessible to internal personnel, management, and contractors.
- Transparent pricing with no hidden costs for upgrades or training uploads.
Outcomes
Smartek successfully addressed all the goals outlined by the Qantas Group, delivering a effective, comprehensive, real-time solution for contractor compliance management. By providing visibility, flexibility, and opportunities to streamline operations, Smartek enabled Qantas to consolidate and adapt effectively. Together, Qantas and Smartek continue to evolve the platform to maintain transparency and adapt to industry changes.
Testimonial
“Smartek and the team provide Qantas with a reliable WHS compliance management system that is easy to navigate for both ourselves and our suppliers. The Smartek system offers accurate, robust reporting capabilities that meet rigorous audit requirements and adapt to our compliance standards in an ever-changing market. Our relationship with Smartek is positive, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration to streamline processes and improve compliance results.” – Qantas Group Representative
Smartek modules Qantas Group uses to manage contractor compliance.

Compliance Management
The Smartek Compliance Management module allows for customised compliance control over staff, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. Workforce members can be invited via unique codes, with compliance requirements tailored to specific roles or locations. A customisable reporting dashboard provides clear oversight of workforce compliance.

Site Access
The Site Access module uses NFC chips or QR code-based digital check-ins to enhance workforce and visitor transparency and security. This module integrates with the Compliance Management module to approve or deny site access based on compliance status.

Inductions
The Smartek Induction module streamlines contractor onboarding. SCORM-compliant files can be uploaded for inductions, and knowledge retention is tested through built-in Q&A functionality.



Permit-to-work
The Permit-to-Work module revolutionises the management of safety-critical tasks. With customisable workflows, Smartek’s platform empowers teams to issue and manage permits efficiently, reducing risks and prioritising workplace safety.
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