Construction site safety blitz successful in 2024
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) inspectors undertook a safety compliance blitz of the state’s construction businesses between July and September 2024.
Incident data shows working at height, scaffolding, and overhead powerlines cause some of the most serious injuries in the construction industry and this was a focus of the state-wide blitz.
The campaign also focused on young workers and apprentices, as data indicates these are some of the most vulnerable workers at construction sites.
The compliance blitz included an awareness phase where Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) provided approximately 62,000 Queensland construction businesses with information and tools to educate and assist in compliance with Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation.
Inspectors completed 224 assessments, identifying 181 non-compliances resulting in enforcement notices:
- 138 improvement notices.
- 35 prohibition notice.
- 3 electrical safety protection notices.
- 5 infringement notices resulting in penalties totalling $18,000.
- A further 119 non-compliances were identified and rectified by duty holders while inspectors were on site.
The major areas of non-compliance identified by inspectors were:
- Work environment (including workplace access and egress, and housekeeping)
- Work at height (fall protection and work platforms)
- General duties (including managing the risk associated with young and inexperienced workers)
- Electrical installations (including meeting compliance to AS/NZS 3012:2019)
This audit program was completed as part of the WHS Compliance and Field Services Proactive Compliance Program 2024-2027. This program outlines planned compliance activities for 2024-2027 across priority industries, hazards and vulnerable workers most at risk.. It adopts a risk-based approach which will assist increasing WHS compliance levels across Queensland workplaces.
The final report on the 2024 Construction Site Safety Blitz will be released in early 2025.