Compliance blitz targets construction industry

• The State’s safety regulator, Workplace Health Safety Queensland, is rolling out a compliance blitz to curve non-compliant behaviour across the construction industry.
• Incident data shows working at height, scaffolding, and overhead powerlines cause some of the most serious injuries in the construction industry and will be a focus of the state-wide campaign.
• Blitz activities will run for 12 weeks across Queensland until the end of September.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) has begun a state-wide compliance blitz to reduce serious workplace incidents in Queensland’s high risk construction industry.

WHSQ inspectors will be targeting construction sites across Queensland between July and September 2024.

Workplace data indicates significant injuries occur in the construction industry when working at height, and that there are high levels of non-compliance relating to scaffold and working near overhead powerlines. These areas will be the focus of the construction compliance campaign.

The compliance blitz includes an awareness phase where WHSQ will provide Queensland construction businesses with information and tools to educate and assist in compliance with WHS legislation.

Following that phase WHS Inspectors will assess if workplaces are compliant with the work health and safety laws and take necessary enforcement action when non-compliance is detected.

Businesses are encouraged to visit worksafe.qld.gov.au or contact the WHSQ team about how to comply with legislation.

Businesses and company directors have a primary duty of care to make their environments safe for all workers and members of the public, and WHSQ has a responsibility to regulate businesses to ensure they comply with these duties.

Employers must ensure they are aware of their duties and have systems in place that ensure health and safety risks are effectively managed at their workplace.

Further information:

• Working near overhead and underground powerlines
• Scaffolding code of practice 2021 (PDF, 1.63 MB)
• Working at heights

Media contact: OIRMedia@oir.qld.gov.au or 0478 33 22 00.