The OFSC continues to monitor scaffolding and mobile plant related on-site incidents, hazard-specific audits and corrective actions, as part of the Hazard 2020 safety campaign.

During February 2021, an additional 21 audits were completed on worksites of Scheme Accredited builders focusing on either scaffolding, mobile plant, or both.

“Pleasingly, we are seeing the overall number of scaffolding related corrective actions return to around it 3-year trend rate,” said Federal Safety Commissioner David Denney. However, Commissioner Denney expressed concern that 1 in 2 companies are failing to erect and inspect scaffolding and other temporary structures in accordance with relevant legislation, codes of practice and drawings/plans and more than 1 in 3 companies failing to adequately protect workers working at height. “As an industry we need to aim higher in these areas and my Office will be consulting industry on what else it can do to assist.”

Mobile plant related incidents are occurring at a rate of almost four times that of scaffolding related incidents, but at the moment, there are no significant trends emerging on the type or cause of these incidents.

The Commissioner encourages all accredited companies to review and become familiar with the Scaffolding in Construction Fact Sheet.

The Hazard 2020: October 2020 to February 2021 Update is available now on the Useful Documents and Downloads page.