A 28-year-old worker was installing insulation batts on the third level of a residential construction site when he fell approximately three metres through a stair void to the concrete floor below. The worker sustained serious injuries. 

Incident location - stair void 

Safety information 

Each year SafeWork NSW responds to incidents where workers have been killed or seriously injured from falls from heights. Many of these incidents involve falling from unprotected edges or through penetrations. 

Workers in the construction industry are the most at risk of injuries from falling. However, working at height is a risk for any worker. 

Businesses are reminded to consider reasonably practicable control measures to manage the risk of falls. 

Ensure: 

SafeWork NSW inspectors regularly blitz construction sites to check compliance and talk with businesses and workers about how to work safely at heights. Use this checklist to find out if your construction site is working at heights safely. 

‘Do work safety right, at any height’ campaign 

One wrong step could be your last. 

Visit the working safely at heights in construction web page to access a range of resources about how to work safely on roofs and around voids. 

Related guidance material 

View the latest incident information releases at safework.nsw.gov.au 

Construction contractors, property developers, infrastructure investors, design consultancies, and other interested parties are invited to register their interest to hear more about the Garden Island Defence Precinct (GIDP) Program.

The event will present a panel of industry representatives including representatives from the Department of Defence and the Royal Australian Navy to introduce this project and provide an overview of the $3.1 billion dollar upgrade to a range of facilities within the Garden Island Defence Precinct.

Event details

When: 2nd May 2023, 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM (breakfast served at 8am. Doors open at 7:45)

Where: The Ivy Ballroom, Sydney, 320 George Street Sydney

What: Industry opportunities briefing, interactive Q & A session, networking and breakfast included.

Register at the GIDP Virtual Engagement Room

Participants are invited to register for the event at the GIDP Virtual Engagement Room (see front page or visit the For Industry button https://gidp.ghdengage.com/) by 26 April 2023.

The Garden Island Defence Precinct (GIDP) Program is a critical estate renewal program that will sustain the facilities and infrastructure necessary to support Defence and the Royal Australian Navy. The Program will address a range of prioritised strategic infrastructure investment needs across the GIDP sites, including the Chowder Bay Naval Fuel Installation, Spectacle Island and Captain Cook Graving Dock to align with the 2045 Base Vision and capability requirements.

Project Overview

The Department of Defence is planning a redevelopment of the critical infrastructure and facilities on Garden Island Defence Precinct in Sydney Harbour. These redevelopment plans are necessary to strengthen Australia’s national Defence capability. The Garden Island Defence Precinct (GIDP) is an important operational support base for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and has enjoyed an extensive history within Sydney Harbour. The GIDP site is located directly north of Potts Point and approximately two kilometres from the Sydney Central Business District.

Historically, Garden Island was an actual island in Sydney Harbour, and the base was extended to join the mainland of Potts Point for naval purposes. The ‘dry dock’ has sustained generations of naval ships.

The current site is limited in capacity, with several buildings around the base dating back to the 1960s to 1980s. Given the limitations of the current base, the future project objectives established by the Commonwealth are for a faster, more productive, innovative, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure.

The Project is at the earliest stages of visioning, master-planning and appreciation of the Project needs. With significant planning and design activities to occur, construction is expected to commence in 2026.

In the meantime, please explore the Virtual Engagement Room to learn more about the Project.

The newly-opened Institute of Applied Technology at Meadowbank has just released three free microskill courses in construction as part of its rollout of innovative learning options.

The three fully discounted courses are:

Each course has one hour duration and is delivered online.

To review the courses and also to see the updated FIA training pages follow the link below.

TRAINING COURSES

After extensive changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Fair Work Act) as part of the Secure Jobs, Better Pay amendments, the Federal Government has introduced the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Protecting Worker Entitlements) Bill 2023 (Protecting Workers Entitlement Bill).

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Safe Work Australia recently released a new 10-year national strategy to reduce workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses in Australia.

The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023-2033 sets a national vision of safe and healthy work for all and provides a platform for delivering key work health and safety (WHS) improvements.

The strategy was developed under Safe Work Australia’s tripartite governance processes and has been agreed upon by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, and it represents a national commitment to work together to reduce worker fatalities, injuries and illnesses over the next decade.

The strategy outlines targets to measure progress over the next 10 years, including reducing:

The strategy also has a target of no new cases of accelerated silicosis by 2033.

Two proactive action targets of the strategy are to increase the awareness of PCBUs about their duty to protect workers from exposure to harmful substances, and to build the capability of PCBUs, regulators and workers to ensure compliance with the duty to manage psychosocial hazards at work.

“Jurisdictions, industry groups, WHS researchers, experts, practitioners and workers all have a role to play in realising progress under the strategy,” said Safe Work Australia Chair, Joanne Farrell.

“I invite everyone in the work health and safety system to play a part in realising the ambitious outcomes set by the Strategy.”

Safe Work Australia Chief Executive Officer, Michelle Baxter, said that while data shows that fatal and serious injuries at work have declined over the last decade, Australian workers are still getting sick and injured, sometimes fatally, from work.

“The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023-2033 addresses ongoing and emerging challenges in work health and safety over the next decade, including managing psychosocial risks, the rise of artificial intelligence, automation and related technologies, and new types of work including gig work,” said Baxter.

JOIN TODAY 

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 State and Federal Governments, as well as SafeWork NSW and other Safework departments, to advocate on your behalf for:

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

Generic job sites will give you generic job seekers.

But by advertising your opportunities on FIA media partner's site, insideconstruction.com.au, you will expand your candidate pool across the construction industry, giving you the best chance of finding a great applicant who is passionate about their industry.

Inside Construction is powered by CareerOne, as advanced platform focused on matching companies with the right employees,

To find your match today click the button below.

Advertise Jobs

Kingston Reid Workplace Law Reform Resources.

1. Changes to enterprise bargaining (single employer and industry)
2. Industrial action (strikes, lock outs and bargaining disputes)
3. Respect@Work and the Fair Work Commission's sexual harassment jurisdiction
4. Changes to individual employment arrangements

NSW Government Women in Construction Industry Innovation Program Applications close 2pm on 15 March 2023

An online information session for industry will be held 1pm on 8 February 2023
Register here.

Greater female representation across the construction industry will help to create a more inclusive, productive and diverse workforce, aim to address skill and labour shortages, and show future generations of women the range of career opportunities construction has to offer.

Access the Safe Formworker Digital Learning Platform to find out the latest courses and set yourself up for the new year.

Reap the benefits of becoming a Safe Formworker champion - Want to know the basics of specific Formwork related WHS? Enrol in the Safe Formworker Program and find out.

Developed in consultation with the formwork industry this program is a pathway for workers to receive micro credential learning on formwork specific WHS issues to increase awareness of formwork safety.

Delivered via a modern mobile learning experience, the Safe Formwork Program offers bite-sized mobile courses that your team actually enjoys, complete with gamification and real rewards built-in.

Essential for all formworkers, and a requirement on some Government infrastructure projects.

This easy to access micro credential learning program will be available to workers at toolbox talks, pre starts or in the shed and other times via mobile learning.

With video and image-based learning, along with gamification, it is hoped to re-engage workers in learning, tackle the language barriers and prepare workers for further learning, whilst covering the important aspects of formwork WHS issues and improving formwork safety awareness on site, so that workers can return home safely at the end of the working day.

More than just a training course ...

Access provides not only education on specific formwork skills and positive awareness of the industry risks, it provides each worker with their own individual access for 1 year, refresher courses, access to additional courses, a place to store their licences, white card and any other training certificates, making everyone's life a lot easier.

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