The holiday season is almost upon us, and we’re all eager to have a bit of a rest, recharge, and spend quality time with our families. As we wind up 2023, it is a demanding time for construction as we try to complete jobs before the holiday shutdown. This can make it tempting to take shortcuts, however, it can also lead to an increase in incidents, with the last two months of the year seeing a spike in workplace incidents.
Common factors can include time pressure, working in the heat, and fatigue. It’s important that we all keep the health, safety, and well-being of workers first, especially at this time of year.
It is important to start preparing for the Christmas shutdown so that you don’t have any interruptions during your break or come to a nasty surprise on your first day back. This is particularly important with residential sites which are mostly in populated areas.
Unsecured sites could be hazardous to members of the public, especially children, particularly with sites near parks, schools, homes or recreational areas. Children are unaware of the dangers of a construction site so keeping them out is key.
A safe and secure site is more than just locking the gates. Ask yourself the following questions:
Make sure your site is securely fenced and all entrances are locked. Ensure your fencing is a sufficient height and that the gap at the bottom isn’t too big that people including children could squeeze through underneath.
Make sure your Hazard Board is up to date listing the current hazards and your contact details are clearly visible in case something does pop up you can be contacted quickly. If you need to order a project for your job this can be done through the HazardCo HUB.
Remove any temptation to access hazardous areas. Where practical, remove all ladders from the site, including scaffolding and excavation ladders, or block access to these accessways.
Cover and fence off any excavations to prevent potential falls. Where practical backfilling excavations are recommended.
If you are unable to remove your vehicles or plant from the site, make sure it is left in a secure area, preferably out of sight, with the keys removed.
Ensure building materials are safely stacked and stored so they can’t topple or be knocked over.
Lock up your hazardous substances in secure storage appropriate for the type of substances being stored. Where possible remove hazardous substances from the site.
Check your temporary structures such as scaffolding and barriers to ensure they are secure and stable. Taking into consideration the changing weather.
Make sure the builder’s temporary or main power supply and switchboard are switched off and locked out.
A quick clean-up can make a big difference. Make sure you remove all waste and empty skip bins on site.
Doing a Site Review on the HazardCo app on the last day, before you lock up will ensure you haven’t missed out on anything. Completing one when you return back to site gives you the opportunity to pick any additional hazards that may have occurred while away.
Although not recommended, if you do have lone workers on-site over the Christmas break ensure you have a lone worker policy in place. Key points are setting up regular check-ins, first aid kit on hand, a trained first aider and don’t carry out any high-risk work. See our Lone Worker article for more details.
In higher risk areas you may want to consider organising security to do regular patrols.
Taking the time to prepare your site for the Christmas Shutdown can help to make sure you get to spend your holiday uninterrupted with your family and friends.
As always if you have any questions or would like to discuss your Health and Safety please give our Advisory Team a call on 1800 954 702.
It’s no secret being a tradie is a very physically and mentally demanding job, with long workdays and weeks placing the body under intense physical and mental strain.
Worker fatigue is one of the biggest hazards on-site. Fatigue can come in many different forms and be caused by a number of different factors. While fatigue may not be avoidable in today’s busy cycle, it is important we recognise the signs of fatigue and the steps we can take to reduce it.
Because at the end of the day, a tired worker is a dangerous worker.
When you are fatigued, you are less alert and aware of your environment; this can lead to an increased risk of errors, resulting in injuries or incidents on-site.
When working on-site, it is both the Employers and the Worker’s responsibility to recognise and reduce worker fatigue.
As an employer on-site you are required to provide a safe working environment, and that includes reducing fatigue. Here are a few strategies for ensuring everyone stays fresh:
Everyone is personally responsible for turning up every day in the best mental and physical conditions possible so that what you do on-site doesn’t affect the health and safety of others. Here are some tips:
Our bodies operate differently during the cooler and warmer months. During winter, fatigue levels tend to increase. With the colder temperatures, longer nights and reduced sunlight, our bodies naturally tend to shut down earlier in the day. During summer, we benefit a lot from longer days and more sunlight, however we need to consider fatigue due to hot weather and maintaining our hydration levels.
Fatigue is something that we all face in our busy work lives and it is often unavoidable.
However, it is critical we can recognise the signs of fatigue in ourselves or someone on-site and take the necessary steps to prevent fatigue-related problems from happening.
The moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived—the Win a Holiday competition has been drawn!
Throughout October and November Mitre 10 customers had the chance to win a $2500 voucher by simply signing up as HazardCo members.
Our heartiest congratulations go to the lucky winner: Smart Built!
A big thank you to everyone who participated.
We have previously shared content on what to expect when your workplace is inspected by WorkSafe/SafeWork. Now – what happens in the event that your business has received a notice from the Health & Safety Regulator?
If the Inspector identifies an issue, the Inspector will discuss with you what needs to be done to address the matter. The three types of notices that could be issued are:
We’ve put together our top recommendations on what you can do after receiving one of the above notices.
Carefully read the notice and follow all the instructions listed on the notice. This is particularly crucial if it’s a prohibition notice, as it means certain work must be stopped immediately.
Make sure the site entry report and associated notice/s are provided to the Director/ Owner of the Business. We also recommend sharing the notice with other project sites /areas of the business so that they can assess their area to see if similar issues are present or where there is room for improvement. This is a great way to improve health and safety across all areas and sites of the business and to demonstrate Health and Safety is a top priority for all.
Bring the notice to the attention of all persons whose work is affected by the notice (e.g. conduct a toolbox talk and record it in the HazardCo app). Discuss how the business will address the items and by when. We recommend you provide regular updates to the workers on this matter. If you have any Health and Safety Representative (HSRs) who represents workers whose work is affected by the notice, make sure a copy is provided to them.
Make sure a copy of the notice is put up and displayed in a prominent place at the workplace or near where the affected work is being performed (and we recommend you communicate to workers where this can be located).
Promptly discuss with relevant suitable persons who will be involved in addressing the notice (e.g. conduct a meeting with management, supervisors etc) and prepare an action plan to address all items that have been highlighted in the notice. Regularly track action items for timely closeout.
Ensure you document and record discussions, meetings, and agreed actions. Record and track health and safety actions by creating and assigning tasks on the HazardCo Hub or on the App.
Collate all the evidence that will demonstrate you have addressed all the items listed and provide it to the Inspector prior to the due date for their review.
Remember HazardCo is here to help. Give us a call on 1800 954 702 and speak to our Health and Safety Advisory team for further guidance.
Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) are an important tool to use within the Construction Industry for High Risk Construction Work (HRCW). We’ve listed the common myths we hear across the industry to help you get a better understanding of what really matters when it comes to using a SWMS, and how you can make sure your SWMS is going to help keep you and your workers safe.
Myth – You need to include all the relevant Health and Safety Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice/Compliance Codes on the SWMS
Fact – It isn’t a legal requirement to include all the relevant Health and Safety Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice/Compliance Codes on the SWMS. Some companies, particularly larger ones, might ask their contractors to include this information. You might want to consider using a SWMS template.
Myth – A SWMS has to be on paper
Fact – The SWMS should be kept at the workplace where the work is being carried out. It can be in electronic format (such as a SWMS App) or in a paper format as long as it is readily available to workers involved in the work, and for the entire time they are doing the work.
Myth – You need to include a Risk Matrix and score the hazards and controls on the SWMS
Fact – It isn’t a legal requirement to include a Risk Matrix or score the hazards and controls on the SWMS, however some companies (particularly big ones) might ask their contractors to do this.
Myth – A SWMS doesn’t need to be kept after the HRCW has finished
Fact – In most cases, a SWMS doesn’t need to be kept after the HRCW has finished, however if you have a notifiable incident it’s likely you will need to keep a copy of the SWMS for two years after the incident date. Notifiable incidents are incidents where there is a serious injury or illness, or a dangerous incident and there are certain criteria which can help to identify these types of incidents. If you have a notifiable incident we recommend you check with your Regulator (e.g. WorkSafe, Safe Work) about your requirements or HazardCo members can reach out to our Health and Safety Advisory team for incident support and advice.
Myth – Once a SWMS is developed, you don’t need to review or change it
Fact – Not true! If the control measures don’t adequately control the risk, it needs to be reviewed and changed. This might happen when:
At any stage, if work is not being carried out in line with the SWMS make sure work stops immediately (or as soon as safe to do so) and only resumes after the SWMS has been reviewed.
Remember, if you’re using a SWMS template, it needs to be specific to the site and the HRCW being conducted. Find out if your SWMS templates are up to scratch.
Myth – A SWMS can only include content relevant to the HRCW
Fact – Only hazards and risks that are directly related to HRCW activities need be included in a SWMS. You can add non HRCW hazards and risks if it makes sense, but don’t overdo it. We suggest removing anything unrelated to the high risk construction work to keep it simple.
Myth – A SWMS is required for all high-risk work
Fact – A SWMS is only required for the following High Risk Construction Work (HRCW) :
You must complete a SWMS before undertaking any high-risk construction work, so we’ve made it as simple as possible. The HazardCo App includes 25 easy-to-edit SWMS templates as well as all the other health and safety tools you need to protect your crew and your business. Get a free trial.
A Health and safety policy outlines your commitment as a business to providing a safe and healthy workplace and preventing work-related injury and illness. It generally outlines, how the business will effectively manage health and safety. Some businesses will choose to have additional supporting policies on specific areas of health and safety such as mental health, injury management and alcohol and other drugs.
Health and safety procedures are how you will effectively manage health and safety.
Typically there are two types of procedures:
Regardless of what procedures you intend to have for your business, ensure you develop procedures in consultation with your workers.
Employers under Legislation have a primary duty of care to ensure that workers are safe from injury and risks to health and this includes:
Having clear policies and procedures in place across the business can play an important role in addressing the above items and is a great way to clearly document how health and safety will be effectively managed.
Businesses are often asked to provide their company-level Policy and Procedure (P&P) document (or manual) to clients or other Employers to demonstrate how they effectively manage health and safety. For example, a Principal Contractor (such as a building company) might ask a plumbing business to provide a copy of their P&P document before they begin working with them. Being able to showcase your commitment and standard of health and safety can help you to stand out against the competition.
To create a comprehensive policy and procedures document, you’ll need expertise in health and safety, including a deep understanding of relevant legislation and best practice. Seeking assistance from a qualified health and safety advisor is the best option.
Luckily, if you’re a HazardCo member, we’ve already created a combined company level policy and procedures document for you. It’s written by our team of health and safety experts, especially for Australian tradies and builders operating in the residential construction industry. If you’re already a member, you can download your company level policy and procedures document from the HazardCo Hub.
We recommend that you read through the P&P document (make sure it all makes sense – give us a bell if it doesn’t).
The next step is to communicate and consult! Get your team together and have a toolbox meeting to discuss the health and safety policies and procedures, and talk to your team about what changes may be needed within your business. This will assist with making sure that everyone is managing health and safety well.
It’s important workers receive adequate information, instruction and training to do their job safely and this extends to procedures so workers understand what procedures are in place and when and how to follow them.
Remember it’s important to regularly monitor and review your health and safety practices across the whole business including out on-site. This will help you to maintain a safe and healthy work environment for all and continually look for areas of improvement.
We’re excited to announce we have partnered with Reece to help more plumbers and tradies to get on top of health and safety.
Reece is Australia’s largest plumbing and bathroom supply business. As part of their dedication to their customers’ success, they offer Trade Business Services that cover everything from job management to financial services. And now, they are adding health and safety to their offerings. Reece are passionate about simplifying health and safety and helping their customers make the switch to digital systems that will take their business to the next level.
With this partnership now in place, HazardCo members can easily charge their membership to their Reece account, making it hassle-free to join.
Our focus is on simplifying health and safety and keeping the person at the top of the ladder safe. As well as offering a digital system that makes it easy to complete WHS reports, such as SWMS, using your phone, we also offer HazardCo members a dedicated 1800 number to receive health and safety advice or incident support, ensuring you can feel confident you’re on top of health and safety.
Learn more about HazardCo and Reece working together.
Reinforcing steel can be used in many ways on a building site. Terms commonly used are rebars and mesh. They are steel bars or mesh wires used to strengthen walls, concrete, or other stone structures.
Workers can fall on the protruding bars which can result in deep lacerations or even life-threatening injuries, so it’s important that preventive measures are in place to reduce the risks.
Some of the hazards include;
Safety Caps
Safety caps are made of plastic so they are a cost-effective way of covering the protruding steel rods. Even though they are small, the safety caps effectively protect against injuries and potential impalement.
Their bright fluorescent colour increases visibility which lessens the chance of the worker walking into, or tripping over them by accident. They are also quick and easy to install.
Control access
In addition to using safety caps, access should be restricted to areas where there are protruding ends.
Injuries can happen when workers are not paying attention to the hazards around them, so ensure that your workers are aware of their surroundings, or physically prevent them from entering the area altogether by using barricades or tape to control access to those areas with hazards.
Keep a clean and tidy site
Ensure that you have a clean and tidy worksite. Gather and remove debris to keep the site free from scraps, and potential trip hazards.
Reinforcing steel scraps lying unattended can rust and pose a safety risk for workers, therefore, make sure you arrange prompt and proper disposal of the scrap materials.
PPE
PPE for people working with reinforcing steel may include;
Best Practices
Construction can be dangerous. There are hazards in all worksites, which can result in life-threatening injuries. Carry out regular site reviews using the HazardCo App to ensure that hazards presented by reinforcing steel are correctly controlled.
Of course, reach out to HazardCo and speak to one of our Health and Safety experts if you have any questions or need more support on avoiding reinforcing steel hazards.
Everyone should make an effort to stay healthy… not just people working in construction. However, there is often a need for specific health checks to monitor the impacts on our health while working on construction sites.
Health monitoring is a proactive way of ensuring your team isn’t at risk in the workplace. It’s focused on the most common health risks on construction sites – hearing loss and exposure to dust (e.g. silica or asbestos dust). Health monitoring does not include general wellbeing checks or programs, since things like cholesterol checks and healthy living programs aren’t specific to construction work.
As an Employer, health monitoring is something you need to provide for any of your team who may be exposed to hazards that may cause long-term health-related issues (e.g. silicosis, asbestosis, mesothelioma, noise-induced hearing loss). It’s intended to detect the early signs of ill health or disease, helping you monitor and protect your team from exposure to construction-related health risks. You’ll need a registered medical practitioner with experience in health monitoring to perform the medical tests.
Monitoring the health of your workers is not an alternative to effective hazard control measures, rather, it helps you understand the effectiveness of the controls being used on-site. If a worker’s health is being affected by exposure to construction-related health risks it’s best to find out as early as possible and prevent any further harm to that worker or any other team members.
You have a legal responsibility to monitor workers’ health. Make sure you complete regular Site Reviews on the HazardCo App, as this will help you identify hazards and put an effective health monitoring plan in place.
Remember, like all on-site health and safety, prevention is where it’s at. To ensure you’re meeting your legal requirements when it comes to health monitoring, get on-site with the HazardCo App, and complete an Site Review today.
We don’t need to tell you that asbestos is a big deal. The dangers of the substance are common knowledge. And knowledge is power, in this case, more so than most: the power to save lives.
With this in mind, we’d like to give you some basic information on the dangers of asbestos, where it can be found and what you can do to avoid it.
There are two types of asbestos:
Inhaling asbestos fibres can cause a range of irreversible damage and diseases. Damage may occur in as little as five years or as long as 40-50 years later. Many people will not realise they have been exposed until it’s too late.
Approximately one third of all homes in Australia contain asbestos products. On 31st December 2003 asbestos was banned in Australia. Therefore any building constructed up until then has a high probability of containing asbestos. Remember, if you’re planning to renovate or partially demolish a building, have a survey done first to identify if asbestos containing material is present. If it is, contact your local Licensed asbestos removalist.
Yes – as long as strict guidelines are followed. Bagging and wrapping asbestos pieces is essential in any sort of removal – and dumping asbestos-containing materials can only be done on authorised sites. We advise you to leave this to the Licensed asbestos removalists.
Recognition means everything when it comes to asbestos. From sticking up posters on-site to equipping your team with knowledge of asbestos dangers through the HazardCo app, educating your workers could be the difference between life and death.
There are many asbestos awareness and training courses available online and face to face for further education and training.
Got Questions? Reach out to the HazardCo Health and Safety Advisory Support Team on 1800 954 702 to talk it over.
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