Message from the FIA CEO.

The FIA continues to work closely with SafeWork NSW, SafeWork Australia and other SafeWork departments across the country, as well as ministerial departments at both State and Federal level, advocating for improved safety conditions, funding, access to government grants and support for workers, education and skills training for our members and the Australian Formwork industry.

Over the past year we have been one of SafeWork's industry liaison partners, sharing the content SWNSW distributes, contributing to their content, working together and campaigning tirelessly on our members behalf. The formwork code of practice is only one example of the work we have produced together. 

Over the coming weeks we will update you on other work and more importantly how this affects your organisation and your workers.

As we have indicated before changes are coming, legislation is being formed and the way we work will change. There will be implications for your business, both positive and negative, and whilst COVID has kept us apart, the FIA Board and team have been advocating on your behalf at both Federal and State levels. 

The future of major infrastructure investment presents many opportunities for our members, but with a formwork skills shortage and incident rates far too high there are many challenges ahead. The FIA will continue to work with SafeWork NSW, the NSW and Federal Government, as well as other State departments, to advocate on your behalf for:

• access to better safety education and training, 
• access to government funding to support your organisation and workers,
• better regulation,
• clearer WHS plans,
• access to more business opportunities for our members, and
• rewards for compliance.

Look out for updates and if you want to speak to us for more information do not hesitate to contact me.

In the meantime, SafeWork NSW recently launched their updated 'Building and Construction WHS sector plan to 2022'.

We attach a link to it below and the Minister's message to the market.

Minister's Message.
The Hon. Kevin Anderson MP, Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation.

"Here in NSW we are laying the foundation for solid growth in the building and construction industry. Recently, the NSW Government announced a record $108.5 billion pipeline of infrastructure projects planned for the four years to 2024-25. Some large-scale projects are already underway including the Western Sydney Airport, Snowy 2.0 in the Kosciuszko National Park, the second Sydney Harbour tunnel, and freeway infrastructure upgrades state-wide.

To coincide with this record infrastructure investment, the NSW Government launched the Building and Construction Work Health and Safety Sector Plan to 2022 (the 2018 Sector Plan) in July 2018, calling out the major harms, illnesses and safety priorities in the industry at that time.

Since the launch of the 2018 Sector Plan, we have seen positive progress against the key priorities, strong cooperation and collaboration from industry, and the deployment of many targeted safety initiatives to drive down fatalities and serious injuries. Any injury or fatality in the construction sector

is one too many. It is devastating to see high numbers of serious injuries and incidence of injury and illness in the sector when compared with other industries, and the NSW Government is committed to working with industry to continue to drive these numbers down.

This document represents a renewed focus of the 2018 Sector Plan in response to emerging issues such as COVID-19, increasing infrastructure spending and industry and workforce changes. Importantly, this document demonstrates that the NSW Government maintains a focused approach to supporting key work health and safety risks within the construction industry.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the development of this plan. I am confident the industry and the NSW Government will continue to work together to drive down serious injuries and fatalities, while ensuring that workplaces in the building and construction industry are safe and supported".

DOWNLOAD THE UPDATED PLAN