Cross border safety blitz to focus on falls prevention

Cross Border Safety Blitz to Focus on Falls Prevention

Inspectors from WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW will begin visiting construction sites in the Albury and Wodonga region next week, reducing potentially deadly falls across border work sites. SafeWork NSW are joining forces with Victorian regulators to help tradies prevent falls and manage height-related hazards on active job sites.

This safety blitz forms part of a broader effort within the construction industry to strengthen falls prevention practices, following a troubling run of fatalities linked to working at height. Employers across both regions are being urged to review their risk management approaches before inspectors arrive.

Why Falls From Height Remain a Serious Concern

WorkSafe Executive Director Health and Safety Narelle Beer said employers must do more to prevent falls from height injuries across the construction industry.

"The risk of falls from heights in the construction industry is very real and can have heartbreaking and life-changing consequences," Dr Beer said.

"Since the start of 2018, there have been 13 fatalities in Victoria's construction industry as a result of falls from height," she said. "Every one of these tragic deaths was preventable."

These figures highlight why falls prevention remains a critical health priority for industry regulators on both sides of the border. Effective risk management at height continues to be one of the most pressing challenges facing site supervisors and safety officers alike.

What Inspectors Will Be Looking For

SafeWork NSW Director Construction Services Regional Laurence Richey said inspectors will focus on hazards relating to site fencing, amenities, housekeeping, electrical systems, and work at height.

Key areas under review during the blitz include:

• Site fencing and perimeter security
• Amenities and housekeeping standards
• Electrical safety compliance
• Working at height procedures and equipment
• General hazard identification and management practices

"We encourage all builders to maintain a continual focus on these key issues and contact SafeWork NSW on 131 050 if they need any assistance," he said.

Strengthening Falls Prevention on Site

Construction businesses operating near the border should treat this blitz as an opportunity to audit their own falls management systems, not just prepare for a visit. Reviewing hazards proactively, rather than reacting once inspectors are on site, helps protect workers and reduces exposure to enforcement action.

Organisations can strengthen their approach by referring to a Falls Prevention Policy and pairing it with a practical Falls Prevention Checklist to ensure height-related risk is assessed consistently across every project. For teams working across multiple sites, dedicated safety software can support ongoing hazard tracking and management documentation.

Keeping young workers safe remains a particular focus for both regulators, given how frequently new entrants to the industry are involved in height-related incidents. Supervisors are encouraged to reinforce training expectations informally through toolbox talks and daily pre-start checks, even outside formal falls prevention programs.

For further detail on related enforcement activity, see our coverage of construction falls and asbestos as the focus of a previous cross-border blitz, as well as how an earlier cross-border blitz helped improve construction safety outcomes across the region. A related initiative also examined how a border blitz prioritised mental health alongside falls prevention, reflecting a growing recognition that physical and psychological health risks often intersect on construction sites.

For more on this story, go to the WorkSafe Victoria website.