NSW Fair Trading and SafeWork NSW have teamed up to ensure residential building worksites in the State’s Central West are being managed to ensure they’re safe.
Director for Building and Construction at the Department of Customer Service, Matthew Whitton said inspectors from both organisations are to be checking for non-compliant building work, licensing and safety in Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange
“They are also checking plumbing, gas and electrical tradespeople have a valid licence to conduct the work and apprentices are being supervised,” Mr Whitton said.
“These inspections help ensure people in regional areas have access to safe and compliant dwellings,” he said.
“The community should have confidence developers and builders are being held to account on key elements such as waterproofing, structure and fire safety that can cause huge headaches financially and emotionally for homeowners down the track.”
Mr Whitton said NSW Fair Trading could issue a range of orders on residential apartment projects under construction, including the power to require work to stop.
He said inspectors were also planning audits of electrical businesses to check they had submitted the Certificate of Compliance for electrical work (CCEW) under the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017 and associated Regulation.
He said SafeWork NSW inspectors would ensure work health and safety compliance on construction sites, particularly around key risks such as voids and scaffolding.
“There have been significant reforms to the building and construction industry that have improved the design and construction of apartment buildings in NSW,” the Director said.
“These included the introduction of the Design and Building Practitioners Act and the Independent Construction Industry Rating Tool (iCIRT), a five-star system to rate builders and developers,” Mr Whitton said.
