The absence of fall protection on a domestic housing site is a feature of a new WorkSafe enforcement campaign showing workers on a house without fall protection.
FAILING to erect fall protection on building sites can not only risk the lives of workers, it can risk a company’s bottom line.
Despite fall protection being mandatory for many years, it is not always used, prompting WorkSafe to launch a new campaign to both raise awareness and spell out the consequences.
“WorkSafe is telling the construction industry to get on top of safety issues before an inspector arrives on site or there’s an incident,” the acting Director of WorkSafe’s Construction and Utilities Division, Allan Beacom, said.
“Unfortunately, we frequently find fall protection missing on construction sites although it has been required for many years,” Mr Beacom said.
Mr Beacom said within days of the launch of the campaign last week, in a scene virtually taken from the campaign, a WorkSafe inspector found several people working on a roof without fall protection in a regional town.
“It’s not good enough to wait until a WorkSafe inspector turns up before safety measures are put in place,” he said.
“Prosecution, whether or not someone is hurt, is a real risk if fall protection isn’t used or people are engaged in inappropriate practices when working at height,” he said.
WorkSafe recently prosecuted a company and an individual for breaches.
One company was fined $10,000 after an inspector found a worker at an apartment development eight metres above the ground without fall protection.
Mr Beacom said he had climbed from a scissor lift and was standing on a steel beam as he attached structural steel to tilt-up panels.
The company had not done a hazard identification or risk assessment in relation to the system of work used to install structural steel.
And a man who ran a roofing and spouting company was prosecuted for the fourth time and received a conviction and $18,321 fine for not providing fall protection to contractors working for him.
He was also placed on a 12-month community based order requiring him to attend an occupational health and safety course.
“Many of the complaints received by WorkSafe are from other businesses which are doing the right thing, other workers and their loved ones,” Mr Beacom said.
“Learning from your own mistakes and those of others will save lives – not doing so puts lives and businesses at risk,” he said.
Help is available from WorkSafe’s advisory service on 1800 136 089, or online at www.worksfe.vic.gov.au/construction – WorkSafe Code of Practice – Prevention of Falls in Housing Construction.
