NSW Construction Safety Roundtable Targets Deadly Site Risks

The Minns Labor Government has underlined its commitment to safer workplaces with the inaugural Construction Safety Roundtable held in Parramatta, aimed at driving down fatalities and serious injuries across New South Wales construction sites.

The construction sector employs around 400,000 people in NSW and remains one of the State’s highest-risk industries. Since July 2025, 13 workers have lost their lives in construction incidents, underscoring the need for stronger work health and safety (WHS) management systems, robust Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) and effective on-site controls.

Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis and SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer convened the roundtable with senior representatives from major construction firms, peak industry bodies, unions and community organisations. The forum focused on current safety performance, critical risks and practical opportunities for collaborative improvement.

SafeWork NSW compliance activities indicate that many construction businesses are meeting their WHS obligations. However, too many employers are still exposing workers to preventable harm by failing to implement adequate policies, procedures and systematic risk management. In particular, the absence of comprehensive WHS management systems and project-specific SWMS continues to feature in enforcement actions and incident investigations.

Falls from height remain the leading cause of traumatic fatalities in the building and construction industry in NSW, as well as a major contributor to serious injuries. Other key risk areas include mobile plant operations, site traffic management and inadequate supervision. The roundtable examined these issues and discussed how stronger planning, documented controls and better worker consultation can reduce the likelihood of catastrophic incidents.

Psychosocial hazards were also a central topic of discussion, with mental health claims and requests for assistance continuing to rise across the sector. High job demands, remote or isolated work, long hours and insecure employment are contributing to psychological harm, adding to the traditional physical risks on construction sites.

To strengthen regulatory oversight, the NSW Government established SafeWork NSW as a stand-alone regulator in 2025, with a mandate to improve accountability and transparency. At the same time, penalties for WHS non-compliance have been increased, and new industrial manslaughter laws introduced, carrying potential jail terms of up to 20 years for the most serious breaches.

The Minns Labor Government has also invested $127.7 million into SafeWork NSW, funding the largest expansion of its inspectorate. An additional 52 inspectors have been appointed, including 20 dedicated psychosocial inspectors and five psychosocial investigators, to better respond to mental health and psychosocial risk issues in workplaces.

Construction businesses are being urged to strengthen their WHS frameworks by implementing integrated management systems, clear policies and procedures, and task-specific SWMS that address high-risk construction work. Resources to support businesses in developing compliant WHS documentation, including management systems and SWMS, are available from specialist providers such as BlueSafe WHS Management Systems and BlueSafe SWMS templates.

Workers who have concerns about WHS can raise issues anonymously with SafeWork NSW by calling 13 10 50 or via the Speak Up Save Lives online reporting tool. Guidance on managing work at heights, mobile plant safety and psychosocial risks in construction is available on the SafeWork NSW website.

Minister Sophie Cotsis emphasised that every fatality and serious injury is unacceptable, reinforcing that every worker has the right to return home safely at the end of the day. SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer noted that the construction sector remains one of the most high-risk industries in the State and highlighted the roundtable as a key opportunity to address common failings and drive industry-led safety improvements.

The outcomes of the Construction Safety Roundtable will inform future regulatory strategies, industry guidance and targeted enforcement activities, with a clear focus on preventing fatalities, reducing serious injuries and embedding a culture of safety across all levels of the construction industry.