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Findings report: Scaff safe in construction 2024

Findings report: Scaff safe in construction 2024

Project timeframe: 05/08/2024 – 20/12/2024

Visits: 343

Executive summary

Falls from heights remain the primary cause of traumatic fatalities on NSW construction sites.

Unsafe scaffold is a key contributor to falls from heights fatalities and serious injuries in construction, with other scaffold risks including workers being hit by falling objects, scaffold collapse and scaffolds being too close or unprotected from powerlines.

Scaffold incidents commonly involve:

people falling from, or through, scaffolds:

that are poorly erected, incomplete or have been altered including having components removed by unlicenced tradespersons.
due to misuse, for example standing on rails or boxes, and adding makeshift work platforms

scaffold collapse or failure of components due to incorrect assembly, overloading platforms, or incompatible or overly rusted/rotted componentry
objects falling off scaffolds and hitting people below
scaffolds being struck by mobile plant/vehicles or being snagged by a crane
scaffolders being injured when unsafely erecting, adjusting or dismantling scaffold.

Key findings and areas of non-compliance

The 2024 Scaff Safe in Construction project ran from August to December 2024 with the objective of reducing scaffold incidents and ensuring worker safety within the NSW building and construction sector. SafeWork NSW Inspectors observed the need for a continued focus on scaffold safety, as they found that:

37% of sites had scaffold decks that were incomplete, with missing ledgers, planks and/or hop-ups
39% of sites had handrails and/or mid-rails that were missing
27% of sites did not have written confirmation of a compliant scaffold (from a competent person)
27% of sites had scaffolds with gaps between the working deck and building edges that were greater than 225mm.

Education and awareness

To support the compliance program there was a focus on education and awareness to increase industry knowledge of SafeWork’s ongoing focus on scaffold safety and encourage industry to use the guidance material on the SafeWork website.

Our promotion activities included:

An October 2024 media release to the construction industry to launch the compliance blitz targeting scaffold safety, supported by the ‘Minister for Work Health and Safety, Sophie Cotsis’.
the delivery of a TAFE Spotlight presentation to 59 groups (approximately 330 students and teachers), including classes of 1st, 2nd and 3rd year building industry apprentices across NSW, to raise awareness of scaffold risks and adequate control measures.
a social media campaign on Facebook and LinkedIn, and Electronic Direct Mail to 11,258 scaffold licence holders, as well as registered training organisations and accredited assessors approved to deliver scaffold licence training and assessments - resulting in a 53% increase in web activity on the SafeWork website.

Overview

SafeWork NSW Inspectors talked with Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU’s), principal contractors, site supervisors and workers about safe and unsafe scaffolds, including how to ensure a scaffold is appropriately managed and altered on site, so it remains safe for every stage of the build.

Types of sites

Inspectors visited 343 sites:

Commercial - 55
Demolition - 3
House construction - 191
Infrastructure - 10
Mid-high rise - 46
Other* - 6
Not noted - 32

*Other: Civil, Roof Installation, Aged Care Facility, School.

Notices and fines

Compliance Notices: 613 – most notices were issued for scaffold non-compliances, falls from heights risks and electrical risks.

On-the-spot fines: $135,900 – most on-the-spot fines were issued for falls from heights risks.

Checklist data

Data was collected by SafeWork NSW Inspectors verifying compliance on site with the following key observations recorded:

Modular scaffolds

Is there modular scaffold on site?

Yes 95%
No 5%

Is there written confirmation of a compliant scaffold from a competent person who inspected the scaffold, available on site?

Yes 73%
No 27%

Has the scaffold been inspected by a licenced scaffolder or competent person within the last 30 days?

Yes 95%
No 5%

Is the scaffold appropriately supported on ground?

Yes 90%
No 10%

Are working decks complete, with no missing ledgers, planks or hop-ups?

Yes 63%
No 37%

Are all handrails and mid-rails installed?

Yes 61%
No 39%

Are all toe boards/brick guards installed?

Yes 78%
No 22%

Are there adequate ties installed?

Yes 82%
No 18%

Is there adequate bracing?

Yes 88%
No 12%

Is there safe access/egress to scaffold decks?

Yes 81%
No 19%

Are the gaps between working the deck and building edges less than 225mm (horizontal)?

Yes 73%
No 27%

Are loads placed on the scaffold within its rated capacity?

Yes 97%
No 3%

Has the scaffold ONLY been altered by licenced scaffolder?

Yes 77%
No 23%

Please note, only a licenced scaffolder can erect, alter or dismantle a scaffold where the risk of a person or object falling is more than 4 metres. This includes unlicenced workers not being allowed to remove components.

Does the PC/site supervisor have a plan or clear understanding of how/when the scaffold will be modified as the project progresses?

Yes 88%
No 12%

Do you believe the scaffold company or scaffolder has provided a seriously sub/standard scaffold?

Yes 2%
No 98%

Mobile scaffold(s)

There was a mobile scaffold(s) on site, which was inspected for deficiencies and hazards?

Yes 17%
No 83%

There was a trestle(s) scaffold on site, which was inspected for deficiencies and hazards?

Yes 13%
No 87%

Focus areas for SafeWork NSW

Principal contractors and site supervisors have duties under work health and safety laws to ensure workers lives are not placed at risk from unsafe scaffolds.

Whilst there were some positive safety observations by inspectors, there continues to be safety concerns regarding missing components, gaps and scaffolds being altered by unlicenced tradesperson.

During the observations, inspectors found high compliance with scaffold inspections being conducting by a licenced scaffolder, the scaffold was largely found to be supported on the ground and the loads on the scaffold were within the rated capacity.

Inspectors also found that principal contractors and site supervisors generally had a clear understanding of how, and when the scaffold will be modified as the project progresses.

The results from the compliance project suggest there should be a continued focus on scaffold being erecting with no missing components, and with handrails/mid-rails installed. Safe access to the scaffold decks along with the appropriate distances between the working and decks and building edges were also identified as ways to reduce risks on construction site and improve scaffold standards.