21/04/2022

The Construction industry is the leading industry for risk and injuries associated with working at height.

During ‘April No-Falls’, South Australian builders and contractors are being urged to work together to manage the risk of falls, a common risk and cause of injury to residential construction workers.

SafeWork SA 2021 data shows that the construction industry contributed 48% of all notifiable serious injuries associated with a fall from height and 86% of identified non-compliances. The data, compared to the 2020 results shows that workers within the residential construction sector are still most at risk with 35% of serious injuries and 64% of non-compliances compared to all other industries.

The 2021 data further identified the following trends in construction:

  • There were 237 non-compliances identified in the construction industry associated with working at heights
  • 86% of serious injuries were from falls below 3 metres
  • 61% of injuries below 2 metres were from falls off portable ladder
  • 50% of injuries between 2 and 3metres were associated with falling through fragile roofing material
  • 80% of serious injuries were caused by a fall from a roof or a portable ladder
  • 92% of identified non-compliances were from work activities above 2 metres
  • 64% of identified non-compliances related to working on a roof, a scaffold or a portable ladder
  • 41% of identified non-compliances were associated with high risk construction work requiring a Safe Work Method Statement

ReturnToWork SA data reveals a 6.7% increase in claims on the previous financial year and the numbers in Construction are more than 40% higher than any other industry

in 2020-21 ReturnToWorkSA claims cost the construction industry nearly $4 million, the highest of any industry. The costs for this financial year have grown to $6.4 million.

View a Health and Safety Snapshot of 2021 data relating to falls from heights in construction.

SafeWork SA in collaboration with the Housing Industry Association (HIA) and the Master Builders Association (MBA) will be hosting two live webinars on ‘Managing risk of falls in residential construction’ on Friday, 22 April 2022.

Full details and how to register for the webinars can be accessed at HIA session 11-12pm and MBA session 1-2pm.

The webinars were a recommendation from the managing risk of falls in residential construction compliance campaign 2021 report which identified only 26% of activities undertaken at height had adequate controls in place to minimise the risk of a fall. A two page infographic summary of the report has also been prepared to highlight the trades most at risk of falls and the most common oversight that causes the risk of falls.

To assist the construction industry in minimising the risk of a falls, SafeWork SA is supporting the South Australian Construction Safety Alliance (SACSA) working at heights initiative.

SACSA has developed a safety essential flyer containing information to minimise risks of falls that will be shared and posted at their members worksites.

SafeWork SA Executive Director, Martyn Campbell said “the continued use of portable ladders to work at height in the residential construction sector is of great concern”

“It should be foreseeable to builders and contractors that the continued use of portable ladders will result in a serious injury due to their instability. Portable ladders are only suitable for light-duty work for short durations”

“I have advised my inspectors to take greater enforcement action against duty holders that are not following the hierarchy of controls and allowing portable ladders to be used inappropriately”, said Mr Campbell.

SafeWork SA would like to see how you're making April a no falls month at your workplace. Post photos of your safe systems of work on Social Media with the hash tags #AprilNoFalls and #WHS, and we'll promote the most impressive pictures.