South African Health and Safety (H&S) legislation and the Construction Regulations require wide ranging H&S interventions on the part of all stakeholders including ensuring that adequate financial allowance is made for H&S. Given the afore mentioned, a study was conducted to determine the perceptions of general contractors (GCs) and quantity surveyors (QSs) with respect to financial provision for construction H&S. A survey of literature informed the development of the survey instrument in the form of a questionnaire, which was administered among GCs and QSs. The salient findings include: H&S preliminaries should be included in Bills of Quantities, and the inclusion of thirty-nine items therein is perceived as more than important, as opposed to less than important. It is concluded that a scientific approach through the inclusion of detailed H&S Preliminaries items will: "level the playing fields"; engender scientific calculation of the costs related thereto, and enable clients, with the assistance of QSs, to ensure that principal contractors (PCs) have made adequate financial provision for H&S in their tenders. Recommendations include: H&S preliminaries should be included in the BoQ based on the project specific H&S specification provided by the client, and a CHSA should be appointed in the early stages of projects to assist the QS with respect to interpreting the H&S specification when compiling H&S items for the BoQ.