- SafeWork Inspectors will out in force across Sydney this week
- They will be targeting unsafe working systems "across all the building trades"
- On-the-spot fines of $3,600 for corporations and $720 for individuals can be issued
Construction sites across the wider Sydney area have been put on notice.
The New South Wales’ workplace health and safety regulator, SafeWork, will have its inspectors out in force this week, targeting unsafe working systems “across all the building trades”.
Earlier this month, they targetted rooftop solar panel installers.
Better Regulation Divisions’ Executive Director Tony Williams said as part of a state-wide crackdown, Inspectors will be focusing on: site housekeeping, height safety, falling objects, electrical, moving plant operations, and controlling risks related to silica and
asbestos exposure.
“From March 9-11, inspectors will be undertaking a compliance blitz on construction sites to make sure those most at risk from workplace injury are protected by safe systems of work,” Mr Williams said.
“Far too often our inspectors identify concerns with the way scaffolding is set up and other dangers involving working from heights so we will be targeting these issues in particular.
“Falls from heights are the number one killer on NSW construction sites with most people who are seriously injured or killed falling from a height of four metres or less.”
Tony Williams, Better Regulation Divisions’ Executive Director
Cleanliness is next to godliness, as the saying goes, and a clean site is often a sign of a well organised, safe site, with good standard and procedures.
“Having a well-maintained site is also 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,” said Mr Williams.
Those sites not meeting standards can expect compliance action to prevent workers from being put at risk or consumers from getting sub-standard work.
For safety offences, on-the-spot fines of $3,600 for corporations and $720 for individuals can be issued to businesses that place workers lives at risk.
SafeWork also provides advisory services to builders and people in the trades to help them make sites safe.
