WorkSafe ACT has launched an updated strategy following the revelation that safety behaviours in the residential construction industry haven’t improved much since 2020.
Work Health and Safety Commissioner Jacqueline Agius said the updated Residential Construction Strategy 2022-2024 defined WorkSafe’s approach to improving safety behaviours and compliance in the residential construction industry over the next two years.
“Despite considerable effort from WorkSafe ACT, we continue to observe unsafe work practices and WHS breaches in the residential construction sector,” Ms Agius said.
“The ACT’s residential construction industry has the highest number of workers’ compensation claims for the past five years compared to other sectors in the Territory,” she said.
“Data also shows that the most common offences have not significantly changed over the past two years, with breaches for not managing the risks of falls from heights, not securing the workplace and inadequate scaffolding featuring consistently across the ACT.”
Ms Agius said WorkSafe ACT inspectors were constantly on the ground enforcing the Work Health and Safety (WHS) provisions.
The Commissioner said inspectors had issued twice as many improvement notices per visit in 2020-2021 compared to the previous year.
“WorkSafe ACT will continue its strong presence in the sector,” she said.
“Workplace injury, illness and disease are avoidable.”
Ms Agius said the new Strategy would guide the activities of WorkSafe ACT to enforce, engage and educate WHS in the ACT residential construction sector.
WorkSafe’s new nine-page Strategy can be accessed at this PS News link.
