Work stopped at Adelaide site

Prohibition notices stopping some of the work at an Adelaide building site remain in place after three workers were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation on 13 July.

SafeWork SA issued the notices at the old Reserve Bank building in Flinders Street. The demolition workers were using oxyacetylene equipment to break up an old air-conditioning duct when the surrounding insulating foam began giving off thick acrid smoke.

Peter Adams from SafeWork told Safety Solutions that this was the third time it had been called in to investigate. The first two incidents were not serious enough to warrant further investigation.

Inspectors called in to assess this third incident recommended that no more of the "hot cutting" work should proceed until it could be done safely.

The contractors were asked on the day of the incident to devise a new risk assessment program for future hot cutting work before prohibition notices would be lifted.

"I spoke to the inspector at midday today and he has still not received the updated risk assessment plan," Adams said.

Wendy Cramer, Editor