Bluesafe SWMS reinforces that SafeWork NSW Inspectors are ready to visit emerging residential construction sites in Wilton and Menangle this week. The motive behind their on-site presence is to certify work safety compliance and enforcement amidst the bustling Wollondilly development zone.
Undoubtedly, the construction sector in NSW is among the industries posing the highest risk incidence. As stipulated in the 2024-2025 SafeWork NSW’s Annual Regulatory statement, several focal points will garner the inspectors’ attention during their monitoring visits:
- The disproportionate fatalities resulting from falls from heights cannot be ignored; hence inspectors will observe a no-compromise approach. It’s alarming to note how workers’ lives continue being endangered due to haphazard job planning, inadequate site supervision, and an absent-minded attitude toward established and facile preventative control options such as edge protection.
- On a construction site, working securely in proximity with mobile plants cannot be understated, necessitating constant monitoring of people and plant interaction, like with excavators and trucks. The need for separation cannot be overemphasized.
- An inclusive engagement plan has been designed, whereby workers, businesses, Health and Safety Representatives, and union representatives are consulted regarding psychological health and safety issues. The agenda includes advice dissemination and resource provision to manage psychosocial risks like harassment, bullying, work pressure, exposure to trauma, violence, and risky physical workspaces. It’s paramount to understand the psychological injury fallout transcends triple times the aftermath of physical injuries not only cost-wise but also time off work.
You can visit the SafeWork NSW website for more insights about risk management when working at heights, maintaining mobile plant safety, and devising viable strategies against psychosocial construction hazards.
According to Tony Williams, A/Executive Director Operations & Enforcement, SafeWork NSW, business owners bear a duty of training and informing their workers, particularly those associated with high-risk areas like operating at height and managing moving plant and machinery, for safe job execution.
The inspectors’s visit to Wilton and Menangle is far from casual. They will emphasize a strict approach toward work safety, levying immediate penalties where necessary. Application of Bluesafe WHS Management System could act as a key asset in maintaining compliance.
To champion mental health and prevent psychological harm, SafeWork NSW is dedicated to padded businesses and workers with requisite tools, resources, and support. This empowers compliant workplaces to proactively address psychosocial obstacles.
Original article link: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/news/safework-media-releases/safework-inspectors-visit-wilton-and-menangle-construction-sites