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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Andrew Brown

Worksafe announces second construction site crackdown

Work safety officials will carry out further inspections across the ACT from Monday, following the death of two construction workers.

Worksafe ACT said it would target residential construction sites across Canberra to check safety standards.

It comes off the back of a previous 10-day safety blitz in January that saw 70 safety breaches recorded across 28 sites.

Of those, 19 sites were slapped with a prohibition notice, closing down work until breaches were rectified.

ACT work safety commissioner Greg Jones said the industry needed to step up efforts on workplace safety.

"Most of the companies in the territory are doing the right thing, but even a small oversight or risk ignored can lead to severe injury or death on a work site," Mr Jones said.

"We will be using all of the powers we have to enforce the work health and safety standards that Canberrans rightly expect in high-risk workplaces like construction sites."

The crackdown on workplace safety comes after two workers were killed in separate incidents in separate buildings sites in Denman Prospect.

A 47-year-old man was killed at a townhouse construction complex on January 11 after a pallet of roof tiles fell on him.

In a second incident, a 60-year-old man died on February 4 after falling from a construction site.

Investigations continue into both workplace deaths.

Mr Jones said the second crackdown on construction sites was meant to put the industry on notice.

"If that means we need to issue fines, infringements or shut down worksites, then that's what will be done," he said.

ACT Worksafe inspector at worksite where a death has occured in January. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
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