SafeWork NSW inspectors have confirmed that they will be visiting construction sites across Greater Sydney to ensure COVID compliance after three sites were issued with a total of $40,000 in fines over breaches.
Kevin Anderson, the NSW Minister for Better Regulation, has explained that following a pause on construction work for two weeks, sites are allowed to open provided they follow the COVID requirements for occupied and unoccupied sites under the current Public Health Order.
“The NSW Government understands and appreciates the important role the construction sector plays to our State and we are doing everything we can to ensure it is able to keep operating while keeping communities safe,” Mr Anderson said.
“Site operators need to comply with capacity limits to reduce contact, ensure their workers are complying with COVID-19 vaccine requirements and have a safety plan, including a QR code, in place.
“SafeWork Inspectors will be visiting sites, particularly in the identified LGAs that can only do construction work on unoccupied sites and must have vaccinated workers, to assist the industry in implementing controls which prevent transmission of COVID-19.
“While it is the site operator which must enforce the rules, I am urging tradies to support their workmates and the industry by signing in with the QR code, wearing face masks at all times, and in the identified LGAs getting vaccinated and doing the right thing at work by following the orders,” Mr Anderson said.
Fines were issued at three building sites in the last week. One site in Marsden Park received two fines of $5,000 after the site operator failed to ensure a worker from an identified LGA was vaccinated and the site did not have COVID protocols in place. A site in Riverstone was fined $10,000 after two workers had not met the vaccination and testing requirements as per the identified LGA requirements. A site in Liverpool received $20,000 in fines for not ensuring the testing and vaccination of workers, in addition to not ensuring workers were wearing masks or scanning QR codes.