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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Kathryn Lewis

Ginninderry construction sites shut down amid crackdown on unsafe work

ACT Work Health and Safety Comissioner Jacqueline Agius. Picture: Keegan Carroll

Three residential construction sites at Ginninderry were told to stop work last week, as WorkSafe ACT inspectors continued a crackdown on unsafe work.

WorkSafe ACT's second visit to residential construction sites in Ginninderry on Wednesday resulted in one infringement notice, three prohibition or stop work notices and 19 improvement notices, across 25 work sites.

ACT Work Health and Safety Commissioner Jacqueline Agius said the notices were issued for risk of fall from heights, unsafe scaffolding, electrical hazards and lack of amenities (such as toilets).

Operation Safe Prospect has resulted in scores of infringements issued to residential construction worksites across Watson, Ginninderry, Taylor, Throsby and Denman Prospect since it was launched in September.

Ms Agius said the last blitz of Ginninderry in October resulted in 10 improvement notices and one prohibition notices across 12 sites.

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"It's time for industry to take action and start improving their work health and safety practices, because protecting your workers is not negotiable," she said.

"Safety is everyone's responsibility. Everyone has the right to feel safe on the job and to go home safely to their families at the end of their shift."

Operation Safe Prospect was launched in 2020 following the death of two men at Denman Prospect worksites.

Ms Agius said the cost of implementing safety measures, inexperienced workers and pressure to get the job done quickly were the biggest factors driving an unsafe culture.

"I think people take risks because they don't think that something is going to happen to them," she told The Canberra Times last week.

"A bit like driving a car while you're over the alcohol limit."

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