ACT Builders Beware of On-the-spot Fines
Builders in The ACT need to be on their guard against safety breaches even more so than before because as of Monday, the beginning of July builders in the state who commit safety offences may be liable to receive spot fines of up to $3600.
Even more motivation for employers to maintain a “safe” site and ensure all workers are in possession of the White Card has been presented by the introduction of new on-the-spot fines for the building industry.
New fines to be issued on the spot in the ACT will be implemented from next Monday the 1st July. The new fining system will place even more responsibility on employers in the ACT to ensure good safety practices are being implemented on their sites, following reports that the ACT has the worst safety record in the country.
It was revealed no so long ago that The ACT’s injury rates on building sites were almost 30 per cent higher than it was for other states. The recent “Getting Home Safely” survey and report recommended that the ACT government implement spot fines to builders who are caught by inspectors doing the wrong thing and according to Simon Corbell, Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations Minister, the government is following these recommendations because they are committed to improving safety in the state, literally at all costs.
Corbell stated that inspectors would be given the ability to issue on-the-spot fines which will hopefully lead to improvements in their approaches towards safety in the workplace, from both employers and employees.
According to Mark McCabe the ACT Work Safety Commissioner a new schedule of fines will also get rid of some of the pressure currently being placed on the court system by builders being prosecuted.
As of the first of July 2013 safety inspectors will be authorised to issue on the spot fines for workplace safety breaches which include not providing adequate first aid equipment and not providing workers with training and instruction on the use of Personal Protective Equipment. Other breaches that will warrant on-the-spot fines include
Failing to notify WorkSafe ACT of notifiable incidents
· Failing to provide adequate PPE to employees
· Not preparing a SWMS (safe work method statement) for high risk construction work
· Failure to stop work if it is in breach of the SWMS
· Not minimising the risk of trench collapses on construction sites
· Failing to prepare a work health and safety management plan
· Not ensuring that all workers have undergone Construction Induction Training
The last breach in particular is important because if workers are not trained on safety, they are not likely to abide by any of the safety rules and will pose a risk to themselves and others, which will probably result in other fines also being issue.
These measures are aimed at improving safety and bringing down the high injury rates in the state and the first step to safeguarding yourself and your business is to ensure that all your workers have received safety induction training in the form of the White Card. This is a mandatory requirement for any construction site across Oz and will ensure that workers are familiar with the hazards presented by construction work and are knowledgeable about how to overcome them.
