- Comes after inspections in the North Coast region
- Falls is the number one killer in the industry
SafeWork NSW seems to love unexpected visits, having conducted several safety blitzes across the State during the past month.
A blitz in February saw 96 notices issued over 60 construction sites in the North Coast region.
This was followed by a blitz targeting rooftop solar panel installers, citing 90,000 installations across New South Wales during 2020.
Now construction sites scattered along the mid-north coast from Forster to Port Macquarie have been put on notice.
This blitz will focus on a range of risks associated with site housekeeping, falling objects, height safety, electrical, moving plant operations along controlling risks such as silica and asbestos.
Kevin Anderson, the Minister for Better Regulation, said the blitz is part of a regional crackdown on the industry, adding that falls are the number one killer on construction sites in the State citing most who are seriously injured or killed do so from a height of four metres or less.
“Far too often inspectors identify concerns with the way scaffolding is set up and sub-standard protections for those working from heights, so this will be a focus of this blitz. We will also be targeting those working without a high-risk work licence and anybody caught dry cutting stone or concrete on site.”
Kevin Anderson, Minister for Better Regulation
Mr Anderson added a good indicator of safety and work standards is the relative cleanliness of a site.
“A safe site starts with a clean, organised site and we’re seeing an unacceptable drop in standards across the construction industry,” Mr Anderson said.
“Having a well-maintained site is a good indicator of the quality of the work being done. If the site managers won’t remove trip and fire hazards like piles of rubbish from the site, there’s a good chance that building standards will be haphazard as well.”
Kevin Anderson, Minister for Better Regulation
On-the-spot fines can total $3,600 for corporations and $720 for individuals.
