Dear Valued Stakeholders,

Did you know, it is estimated that the cost of mental health issues to NSW employers is about $2.8 million a year.

Research also suggests that businesses that invest in workplace mental health programs could gain more than $4 for every $1 invested as a result of improvements to productivity and reductions in absenteeism.

In this episode of the SafetyCast, Ryan Tinker discusses Mental Health in Construction with State Inspector Ian Firth.

Find the Full episode at: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1344256/8198522

The Take 5 at: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1344256/8198529

Industry Update June 2021 – The Sanctions Edition

• What’s the current state of the construction industry? Find out in this (June 2021) edition of Industry Update.

Click here to read more…

Industry Update – May 2021 Edition

• What’s the current state of the construction industry? Find out in this (May 2021) edition of Industry Update.

Click here to read more…

Membership of a union or employer association is your choice.

• In the February edition of Industry Update we look at the concept of freedom of association. Read on for our case studies and more.

We also give you the chance to help shape future Industry Updates by taking part in our two minute survey.

Click here to read more…

• The December edition of Industry Update is our 2020 legal retrospective, with case studies of the most common contraventions, including right of entry, coercion, wages and entitlements and much more.

Click here to read more…

• In the November edition of Industry Update, ABCC take a look into the extension of JobKeeper, the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy, the increase in the building and construction minimum wage and much more.

Click here to read more…

Members are advised that there is less than a week before employers in the Building and Construction Industry risk fines for flying unregistered drones or remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) in Australia.

From 28 January 2021, any RPA flown for work or on behalf of an employer must be registered with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) – no matter how much it weighs.

Click the below link Commercial Drone Registration Becomes Mandatory for further information on requirements and penalties for flying without an accreditation.

Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the Office of Industrial Relations has been encouraged by the progress made with the Steering Group and the (IRG). The Steering Group has now met three times, on 17 May, 28 July and 25 November 2020, to consider key issues for the development of the Code. The input from the IRG, including the feedback provided on the construction materials, tasks and workplace scenarios etc. of particular concern or importance for your work, has been of great assistance in this process by helping us to ensure that a diverse range of views from across the industry are supporting the development of the Code.

At the latest meeting, the Steering Group reviewed a proposed scheme for determining the controls and associated requirements for a wide range of common construction tasks. This proposed scheme will be subject to further consideration in early 2021 and will lead to drafts of the Code that we expect will be shared with the IRG next year.

The Office of Industrial Relations has now extended the scope of the Code beyond the initial definition of ‘construction work’ in the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011. The extended scope means the Code will also apply to the manufacturing of construction elements, including where the manufacturing of construction elements (e.g. bricks, tiles, glass) occurs separately from a construction site and for general construction retail purposes.

This change recognises the large number of materials containing respirable crystalline silica that are manufactured for use across the construction industry, and is considered appropriate to ensure all Queensland workers manufacturing construction materials are protected from the significant risks posed by exposure to respirable crystalline silica. The membership of the IRG has now been extended to include additional key organisations involved in the manufacturing of construction elements.

Rebekah Jensen Manager, Work & Electrical Safety Policy Office of Industrial Relations Street: 1 William St Brisbane Post: GPO Box 69 Brisbane Qld 4001 P: (07) 3406 9885 E: rebekah.jensen@oir.qld.gov.au W: www.worksafe.qld.gov.au

Please find attached a flyer and frequently asked questions regarding “Mental Health at Work” and “Managing for Team Wellbeing” online interactive training for businesses with less than 200 employees.

The training is free and run by Black Dog Institute, in partnership with the NSW Government.

To sign up, see the attached flyer and FAQs.

Flyer 1: Mentally Healthy Workplaces Program Summary FAQS [Download]
Flyer 2: Mentally Healthy Workplaces Free Program Flyer [Download]

Construction Services Group
SafeWork NSW
p 13 10 50
e construction@safework.nsw.gov.au
92-100 Donnision St, Gosford NSW 2250
Locked Bag 2906, Lisarow NSW 2252
www.safework.nsw.gov.au

October is national Safe Work Month – a time to increase focus on improving work health and safety in your workplace, including the wellbeing of your employees.

With over 3.2 million workers in NSW, Safe Work Month provides you with an opportunity to build awareness of work health and safety and encourage discussion about safety at work in your workplace.

Did you know the construction industry is one of NSW’s highest risk industries?  Every year thousands of workers are injured on construction sites as a result of easily preventable incidents.  Some workers lose their lives; others suffer serious and debilitating ill health.  It is important to manage risks associated with construction work.

While construction sites have many risks, they can be easily managed without significant costs to the business.

Help make Health and Safety a Priority on your Worksite

We are supporting managers within the construction industry this year with the launch of a series of free Construction Site Supervisors Virtual Workshops to show how straightforward managing safety in construction can be.

The first workshop will focus on understanding your obligations for managing WHS at the worksite.  Every month a new module will be released, so register now to reserve your spot or continue to keep checking the SafeWork NSW – Events page.

Working at Heights 

Throughout Safe Work month and beyond, SafeWork Inspectors are targeting working at heights safety in the construction industry.  If you want to find out more about the program and what you can do to make your site safe, simply visit our working at heights resource page.

Help us Spread the Word about Safe Work Month

We’ve developed a communications pack to help you get involved in Safe Work Month.  You can use this pack to share the Safe Work Month message throughout your workplace and to your contacts.

You can find out more about Safe Work Month by visiting our website or if you have any queries relating to the Safe Work Month, please email us at HRWSET@safework.nsw.gov.au.

High Risk Work & Stakeholder Engagements Team

Construction Services Group
SafeWork NSW
p 13 10 50
e hrwset@safework.nsw.gov.au

Stakeholder Pack PDF file [Download]