The Minns Labor Government has renewed its efforts to protect workers with SafeWork NSW conducting its largest statewide compliance blitz since becoming a standalone regulator.
This significant operation resulted in 736 non-compliance notices being issued to 261 employers across New South Wales.
The three-day blitz from Monday 13 October to Wednesday 15 October saw 250 SafeWork NSW inspectors conducting 570 unannounced workplace checks as part of National SafeWork month.
Inspections were focused on SafeWork NSW's five regulatory priorities:
- Psychosocial risks at work including sexual harassment
- Falls from heights
- Harms to workers in the healthcare and social assistance sector
- Exposure to hazardous chemicals including silica, asbestos and welding fumes
- Injury from mobile plant, vehicles or fixed machinery.
Unsafe work from heights and the unsafe operation of moving plant, vehicles and fixed machinery, remain the top two safety risks identified across worksites. Examples of mobile plant, vehicles and fixed machinery include forklifts, cranes, conveyors and amusement devices.
Some examples included businesses hit with penalties for operating forklifts without a proper high-risk work license and improvement notices for workers being exposed to uncapped steel rods embedded in concrete.
Of the 736 non-compliance notices issued, businesses were issued with 209 notices for non-compliance with safety requirements relating to work at heights and 175 related to the operation of mobile plant, vehicles and fixed machinery.
Inspectors also carried out 228 psychosocial checks over throughout the blitz, which included targeted conversations with employers and workers around psychosocial hazards and steps taken to eliminate or reduce these risks.
As part of the proactive and educational work inspectors undertook, businesses were also provided resources, business toolkits, and awareness information for the management and prevention of psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
10 fines were issued amounting to $63,300, with half relating to risks associated with falls from height.
The blitz was conducted right across regional and metropolitan NSW, from Lismore in the north, as far south as Albury, to Dubbo and Orange in the central west. Inspectors also visited Gosford, Newcastle, Wollongong, Griffith, Wagga Wagga, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie.
The construction, health care, manufacturing, wholesale trade and retail industries were all targeted as part of the initiative, with construction having the most visits and compliance notices issued.
For more information on how to manage the risks of working at heights, mobile plant safety and how to manage psychosocial risks, visit the SafeWork NSW website.
Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:
"The SafeWork Month compliance blitz is a testament for the Minns Labor Government's commitment to improve the safety of our workers at work. We want to ensure that SafeWork NSW is a tougher cop on the beat. This follows a major $127.7 million investment over four years to address psychosocial hazards, compliance and enforcement of safer work practices.
"It's not just about compliance, it's also about being proactive, improving awareness, and supporting businesses to be safe and look after their workers. I want to thank all the SafeWork inspectors involved for all their hard work as well.
"Unfortunately, what we see is one life lost per week, on average every year. That's one life too many.
"Every worker has the right to go to work and return home safely to their loved ones."
SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer said:
"Compliance blitzes like this one are an important part of SafeWork NSW's strategy to proactively address high-risk activities across the state.
"They strengthen SafeWork NSW's regulatory presence and reinforce the message that all businesses-large and small-must prioritise worker safety every day of the week.
"Everyone deserves to return home safely from work, and SafeWork NSW is committed to working with businesses across the state to help them stay accountable for managing the health and safety of their workers."
