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Canberra Today 26°/28° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Unsupervised and unsafe: Breaches close worksite

Work Health and Safety shut down a Throsby construction site after workers were found working at heights without safety equipment.

A CONSTRUCTION site in Throsby has been shut after WorkSafe ACT inspectors found multiple safety breaches, such as an unsupervised electrical apprentice and someone working from heights without safety equipment, on Wednesday (April 21). 

Twenty-five workplaces at 19 residential construction sites were visited by inspectors, with only one deemed compliant.

About $11,520 in fines was handed out, making up 31 improvement notices, eight prohibition notices and four infringement notices. 

Work health and safety commissioner Jacqueline Agius says inspectors witnessed a raft of issues during their visit, such as unsafe scaffolding, amenities not maintained and workers not following safe work method statements.  

“This is the third time we have been out to Throsby. I’m disappointed to see there has not been an improvement in work health and safety standards at residential construction sites in this suburb,” she says.

“We are well past the time for industry to take action and start improving the safety culture at residential construction sites.

“We will continue to visit greenfields suburbs and take enforcement action when we find safety breaches.” 

Ms Agius says employers need to look after the health and safety of their staff.

“Because everyone has the right to feel safe on the job and go home safely at the end of their working day or shift,” she says. 

Safety commissioner ‘alarmed’ by ongoing site breaches

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