IT’S “unacceptable” said work health and safety commissioner Jacqueline Agius after WorkSafe ACT continues to see non-compliance in the residential construction sector. 

In the past few days WorkSafe ACT has shut down sites and given notices for covid non-compliance.

Due to the ongoing non-compliance, WorkSafe is moving to hand out on the spot fines from next week.

Yesterday (September 23), inspectors visited 38 sites and had to issue six prohibition notices, which included them closing three sites due to the sites not managing the risks of falls and unsafe electrical equipment.

Sixty-seven improvement notices were also given for not managing the risks of falls, inadequate site security and amenities untested electrical equipment and COVID-related non-compliance.

On Tuesday, five teams of inspectors been to Taylor, where they visited 43 sites and issued 14 prohibition notices for not managing the risks of falling from heights, unsafe scaffolding and electrical equipment and covid-related non-compliance.

Sixty-seven improvement notices were issued for inadequate housekeeping, site security and amenities, untested electrical equipment, not managing the risks of slips, trips and falls and covid-related non-compliance.

Ms Agius said the the continued non-compliance in the sector is not just around covid non-compliance, with about 50 per cent notices issued during WorkSafe’s latest campaign were for not managing work health and safety risks.

“We continue to see common risks that are not being managed. covid compliance is in addition to duties for protecting health and safety of workers, not a substitute for it. To continually see these risks across the sector is unacceptable,” she said.