Repeat Offenders in Residential Construction Put on Notice
It is no secret that WorkSafe ACT has made a significant commitment to protecting workers in the residential construction industry. In 2020, we developed a Residential Construction Strategy, supported by Operation Safe Prospect; WorkSafe ACT’s ongoing campaign focused on increasing workplace visits to the Territory’s residential construction sites to drive improved compliance.
Since the launch of Operation Safe Prospect in late 2020, WorkSafe ACT has undertaken 2,101 proactive workplace inspections and had extensive engagement with industry bodies, unions, builders, tradespeople, workers, and their representatives.
During the 2022-23 financial year, WorkSafe ACT visited 868 residential construction sites, issued 44 infringement notices, 1,002 improvement notices and 430 prohibition notices.
Disappointingly, despite repeated enforcement notices and engagement with WorkSafe ACT Inspectors, we have seen little change in safety behaviours and recurrent non-compliance by a number of residential construction businesses.
In the 2022-23 financial year, there were 20 businesses issued with between 17 and 83 enforcement notices. These included prohibition, infringement, and improvement notices for a variety of offences, including for high-risk activities like working at heights and scaffolding non-compliance.
Despite being issued with several enforcement notices on multiple occasions, some businesses have been repeatedly non-compliant with work health and safety (WHS) laws.
In response to these findings, the ACT’s Work Health and Safety Commissioner, Jacqueline Agius, wrote to repeat offenders advising them that WorkSafe ACT is strengthening its regulatory approach to ensure the safety message gets through. The Commissioner informed builders:
“Continued non-compliance will not be tolerated. I will now be focusing on investigating and prosecuting identified repeat offenders that are continuously failing to keep their workers safe.”
The Commissioner said some responses to these letters have been concerning, showing a complete lack of understanding of the importance of WHS.
“It is clear to me that some builders in the ACT do not understand their WHS obligations. I want to remind businesses that it is their duty to ensure the health and safety of their workers.
“Having workers across multiple sites at the same time does not dilute your WHS duties.
“I am committed to improving safety standards in the ACT’s residential construction industry and ensuring that all workers get home at the end of the day.
“It is clear to me some PCBUs in the residential construction industry are on relying on WorkSafe ACT to ensure they have a safe system of work instead of fulfilling their obligations to create a safe workplace for workers.”
“There are many reputable residential builders who understand safety is not an option it is law”.
The CEO of Master Builders ACT, Michael Hopkins, also stressed the impact repeat offenders have in the construction industry:
“It is important that every employer and worker on a residential building site make safety their number one priority. People who show repeated and blatant disregard for safety laws have no place in our industry and only make it harder for the many reputable companies who exemplify workplace safety.”
Statement ends.
Media contact
0466 927 213
On this page
