WorkCover and Master Builders Association renew partnership agreement

WorkCover NSW and the Master Builders Association (MBA) have renewed their partnership agreement for improving workplace safety and injury management across the construction industry. The agreement involves WorkCover and the MBA working in partnership to identify leading injury and illness types and their causes in targeted industry segments and developing responses to address them.

"The construction industry is one of NSW's highest risk industries with 4392 injuries and 22 fatalities during 2008/09 which cost the WorkCover Scheme $291 million," said General Manager of WorkCover’s Work Health and Safety Division, John Watson.

"Through this partnership agreement, WorkCover NSW and the MBA are committed to reducing these figures by targeting the highest risk industry segments. These include site preparation services such as demolition, building structure services which include concrete construction services, building construction including residential and non-residential building construction, and roads and bridge construction."

WorkCover acknowledges that those dealing with risks on a daily basis are well placed to assist with the development of relevant and effective work health and safety solutions.

"By working collaboratively with the construction industry, we aim to deliver practical, cost-effective solutions which deliver sustainable improvements to work health and safety, injury management, return to work and workers compensation within the highest risk industry segments." Watson added that the renewed partnership agreement would involve WorkCover and the MBA working together to ensure new national work health and safety laws which come into effect from 1 January 2011 are implemented effectively throughout the construction industry.

"WorkCover recognises the difficulties employers, particularly small businesses, face in addressing safety and injury management issues," he said. Many employers in the construction industry work across jurisdictions and the new laws will reduce the regulatory burden as well as compliance costs, and enable workers holding licences to more easily work across jurisdictions.

"Fundamentally, what is safe practice now will continue to be safe under the new arrangements and WorkCover will provide practical advice to help the MBA's members apply the specific details of the new work health and safety legislation in their workplaces."