SafeWork issues safety warning after young boy falls from scaffolding on NSW construction site

SafeWork NSW Issues Safety Warning After Boy Falls From Scaffolding on Construction Site

An incident where a 13-year-old boy suffered serious injuries at a construction site has prompted a reminder from SafeWork NSW about the dangers of taking kids to worksites. The young boy sustained head injuries after falling from scaffolding in December 2023, highlighting the risk that unsupervised children face around active building sites.

SafeWork NSW urges parents who take their kids to worksites to always monitor their movements closely, particularly given the unpredictable risk posed by heavy machinery, tools and unsecured heights.

Why Construction Sites Pose Serious Risk to Children

Head of SafeWork NSW Trent Curtin said, "For a child, workplaces are exciting places, but they can also be extremely dangerous. We are reminding businesses and parents they have obligations to supervise children, especially around machinery, hazardous chemicals and other risks on site which may not be obvious."

Curtin added that everyday hazards on a build carry genuine risk to health and wellbeing, not just for young visitors but for anyone unfamiliar with site protocols. Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of severe injuries in the construction sector, making scaffolding safety a critical focus for site operators.

Practical Safety Measures for Site Operators

"Simple safety prevention, like locking away chemicals and tools, putting in place falls protection or removing the keys from machinery and vehicles when they are not in use are just a few ways to create a safer place for everyone," Curtin said.

Employers can reduce risk on their sites by:

• Locking away chemicals, tools and equipment when not supervised
• Installing appropriate falls protection around scaffolding and elevated work areas
• Removing keys from machinery and vehicles when idle
• Restricting site access to authorised personnel and clearly signed visitor zones
• Reinforcing safety expectations with all staff and subcontractors on site

These steps align with broader efforts to prevent falls and improve health outcomes across NSW construction sites, and mirror findings from a similar case where SafeWork SA issued a scaffolding collapse safety warning after another serious incident. A related case involving a VIC worker fall from roof safety warning further underscores the ongoing risk of height-related incidents across Australian building sites.

A Pattern of Preventable Incidents

This is not the first time regulators have flagged safety concerns involving children at worksites. Earlier this year, ACT issued a safety reminder after a child fell from height, reinforcing that supervision failures at active sites are a recurring theme nationally, regardless of jurisdiction.

Businesses operating construction sites carry a duty to maintain robust safety documentation, including site-specific management plans that address visitor control, falls prevention and emergency response. A well-structured Construction OHS/WHS Project Management Plan can help builders formalise these obligations and demonstrate compliance.

Building a Safer Site Culture

Comprehensive documentation, such as an OHS/WHS, Environmental & Quality Site Management Plan, supports businesses in identifying risk before incidents occur, rather than reacting after harm has already been done. Similarly, a WHSMP Construction Safety Plan provides a structured framework for managing hazards specific to active building environments. For businesses seeking broader guidance, SafeTyDocs' range of safety management plans and construction and civil works safety templates offer practical tools to strengthen site protocols and protect everyone who steps onto a construction site, including the children who sometimes accompany parents to work.

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