SafeWork NSW undertaking safety blitz across construction sites in the Central Coast region

SafeWork NSW is undertaking a safety blitz across construction sites in the Central Coast region this week, sending inspectors to builders, demolition contractors and trade businesses to verify that legal duties are being met.

Answer first: compliance checks target high-risk activities — asbestos removal, demolition work, electrical hazards, concrete placement and falls from height. Any business unable to produce current documentation risks improvement notices, prohibition notices and fines.

Why inspectors are focused on Central Coast sites

According to SafeWork, inspectors will prioritise their regulatory focus on the harms that present the most significant risks to workers, especially in construction environments. Injury and fatality data published by Safe Work Australia keeps the building industry among the most hazardous sectors nationally.

Moreover, inspectors will be inspecting worksites to confirm that safety requirements are being met to ensure the safety of workers on the job, and they will evaluate if businesses are meeting their duties as stipulated by work health and safety regulations.

As part of these visits, inspectors will engage with employees, businesses, health and safety representatives, and union delegates. Industry associations are also briefed when recurring hazards emerge.

Comparable campaigns have already swept other parts of the state, including a crackdown on Hunter region construction sites and a blitz targeting unsafe sites across the Illawarra, where Wollongong, Corrimal, Warrawong and Shellharbour builders received visits.

What a SafeWork inspection blitz examines

Inspectors look for evidence that controls exist and function, not merely paperwork. Priority areas include:

• Asbestos controls — a current asbestos register, clear signage, and licensed removalists whenever bonded or friable material is disturbed.
• Demolition planning — regulator notification, exclusion zones, structural assessment and a documented demolition sequence.
• Electrical risks — tested and tagged leads, protected switchboards, residual current devices, plus electrical work performed only by licensed tradespeople.
• Concrete and formwork — pump line set-up, edge protection during pours, and stable access around wet slabs.
• Working at height — penetration covers, edge protection and secure temporary access.
• Silica dust — on-tool extraction, water suppression and fit-tested respirators.
• Amenities and first aid — clean facilities, drinking water and stocked kits.

Regulator warning to the construction industry

SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schore emphasised that inspectors are dedicated to upholding and advancing safety measures to ensure the protection of lives in occupational settings.

“There is no excuse for unsafe practices on construction sites,” Janet said.

“Every worker has the right to go home safely at the end of the day.”

Industry duties that inspectors verify

Every industry participant on a shared project carries obligations, from principal contractor through to sole traders. Consultation between duty holders is a legal requirement rather than a courtesy.

Licensing sits high on the agenda across the demolition industry, asbestos removal specialists and electrical contracting. Expect requests for licences, competency records and health monitoring results covering removal crews.

How Central Coast builders can prepare before a compliance blitz

Documentation is usually the first request from any inspector, so keep site-specific safety records ready ahead of a visit rather than scrambling afterwards. Industry experience suggests preparation gets noticed and rewarded.

• Review your WHS construction safety plan so wording mirrors present site conditions.
• Update SWMS for high-risk tasks, including dealing with the public near construction sites.
• Audit temporary supply and portable tools using an electrical safety audit for construction sites.
• File asbestos registers, demolition notifications and licence copies where crews can reach them.
• Check that inductions, toolbox talks and hazard reports are signed, dated and retained.
• Confirm every worker knows how to raise a concern without fear of reprisal.

Ready-made documentation shortens preparation time. Our construction and civil works safety templates and steel construction industry packages give smaller businesses an industry-tested foundation that can be edited for each project.

Frequently asked questions

Which suburbs will inspectors visit?

SafeWork has