Construction
According to WorkSafe Victoria, if you work in the construction sector, the main risks of harm you face are from:
- Falling from height
- Mobile plant such as excavators and cranes
- Working with machinery, equipment and tools
- Hazardous manual handling and poor ergonomics
- Exposure to noise, chemicals, energy sources and harmful dusts
- Slips trips
- Work-related stress, bullying and fatigue (psychosocial hazards)
Physical Risks in the Australian Construction Industry
The construction industry in Australia presents numerous physical hazards that pose significant risks to workers’ safety and health. Falling from height is a leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries, with workers frequently required to operate on scaffolds, ladders, or roofs where a single misstep can have catastrophic consequences. The operation of mobile plant, such as excavators and cranes, introduces substantial dangers; these powerful machines, if not managed properly, can result in severe accidents affecting both operators and nearby personnel. Working with machinery, equipment, and tools further compounds these risks, as improper handling can lead to cuts, amputations, or other traumatic injuries. Hazardous manual handling and poor ergonomic practices contribute to a high incidence of musculoskeletal disorders, stemming from repetitive motions, heavy lifting, and awkward postures. Exposure to environmental hazards like excessive noise, harmful chemicals, energy sources, and respirable dusts such as silica or asbestos can lead to long-term health issues, including hearing loss and respiratory diseases. Lastly, slips and trips, often caused by uneven terrain, debris, or wet conditions, remain a prevalent risk, frequently resulting in falls that can cause fractures, sprains, or more severe injuries.
Psychological and Other Risks in the Australian Construction Industry
In addition to physical dangers, workers in the Australian construction industry are increasingly vulnerable to psychological risks that can profoundly impact their mental health and overall well-being. Work-related stress is pervasive, driven by the industry’s characteristic tight deadlines, extended working hours, and high-pressure environments, which can lead to burnout, anxiety, and depression. Bullying and harassment also pose significant threats; the hierarchical and often male-dominated culture of construction sites can foster environments where intimidation and aggression go unchecked, exacerbating stress and undermining workers’ mental resilience. Fatigue is a critical concern, with long shifts, night work, and physically demanding tasks leading to chronic exhaustion. These psychosocial hazards can have severe consequences, including mental health disorders like anxiety and depression, as well as an increased risk of workplace accidents due to fatigue and stress-induced errors.
Compliance
Your training needs analysis should consider what courses are necessary for you to provide to your team under OHS legislation and may include:
- CPCCDE3015 Remove friable asbestos (and refresher)
- CPCCDE3014 Remove non-friable asbestos (and refresher)
- CPCCDE4008 Supervise asbestos removal
- RIIWHS202E Enter and work in confined spaces (and refresher)
- RIIWHS204E Work safely at heights (and refresher)
- TLID0021 Store and handle dangerous goods and hazardous substances
- Managing and supervising OHS in the construction sector
- Excavation and trenching awareness
- Hazardous manual handling
- Noise and hearing conservation
- Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Initial OHS Training
- HSR Refresher OHS Training
- Asbestos awareness training
- Manual handling
- Emergency warden
HAZCON has delivered a range of construction related training courses to clients from the following industries:
- Residential and Non-residential Construction
- Renovations and Extensions
- Building Structure Services
- Installation Services
- Heavy and Civil engineering
- Land Development
- Site Preparation (including asbestos and hazardous material removal)
Tailored Training
Training can be tailored to your specific requirements. We engage closely with all clients to provide tailored training products to meet your needs. Typically, we will have the conversation with you to ensure that any relevant constructions policies and procedures such as health and safety co-ordination plans and SWMS are included as necessary. We can also check that these are current and compliant.
Point of Difference
The point of difference with using HAZCON is our people, our knowledge and our experience of working both in and with the construction sector;
Since 1994, HAZCON has been committed to offering quality training services to our clients. Our extensive experience and knowledge of OHS in Australian workplaces gives us the ability to provide our clients with professional OHS assistance and training that is coherent, targeted and relevant to each workplace.
HAZCON enjoys excellent course feedback mainly due to our expertise in OHS and client requirements in the construction sector, and would welcome the opportunity of working with you.
If you undertake the following work then get you and your crew trained and ready!
- Asbestos removal
- Bricklaying
- Carpentry
- Concreting
- Demolition
- Electrical
- Excavating and trenching
Excellence is our business, dynamic is what we are!
- Heating and air conditioning installation
- Painting
- Plastering
- Plumbing
- Roofing
- Scaffolding
Other Services
Overview of Asbestos Health & Safety Services
HAZCON regularly travel the length and width of Australia auditing buildings before demolition or renovation, or on a 5 yearly schedule or after significant removal works, to update a buildings’ asbestos register to inform the building owner of the current state of asbestos containing materials onsite.
Whether you have 1 building, a school, or a portfolio of 500+ properties, we can project manage the roll out of nation-wide or state-wide audits in a sensitive way to fit in with the flow of your organisation.
Asbestos is heavily regulated by the OHS Regulations 2017 and this places a number of requirements onto Employers and persons who manage and control workplaces.
HAZCON personnel have many years’ experience in the asbestos field across a wide range of industries. We offer a full asbestos advisory service including audits, risk assessments, sample analysis, air monitoring and clearance inspections.
We also have a number of specific Asbestos Management Programs which will assist you to manage asbestos in the workplace. This can be in the form of an electronic database made available on your intranet or via a DVD based format.
HAZCON also provides training on your specific asbestos management policies and procedures to maintenance staff and we can update your Asbestos Register to ensure compliance with all legislative requirements.
In order to get an audit proposal organised you can provide us with the following information:
Audit Request Checklist
Client Details Required
- Name and Position;
- Company Name and Address;
- Phone Number; and
- Email address.
Building Details
- Site Address (if different to company address);
- Age and Size of building;
- Site Plans; if available; and
- Accessibility to site details.
Division 6 Audit:
- Destructive / invasive audit prior to demolition or refurbishment.
- Review of existing Division 5 Asbestos Register to ensure that it is current and to further investigate previously inaccessible areas including ceilings and subfloors.
HAZCON’s Division 6 Asbestos Audits generally include a Hazardous Building Materials Audit which will determine the presence of:
- Synthetic Mineral Fibres (SMF)
- Lead containing paint
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Dangerous Goods, Hazardous substances and Chemical Training
HAZCON often is called upon to provide training to upskill the employees of companies around Australia. We have a 4 hour course that provides individuals with knowledge about Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods. We also deliver a full day 8 hour accredited course, TLID0021 Store and handle dangerous goods and hazardous substances. This course is held at your organisations’ site. During the day, there is a theory assessment which contains a mix of multiple choice questions, short answers as well as a simulated practical work demonstrations. A simulated practical work demonstration may involve spill management, where suitable material will be used by the student to demonstrate competency.
If your organisation identifies a particular process or team that requires a particular set of skills, our HSE Consultants can work with you and your documentation, to develop a tailored/customised training that can go into as much detail on various topics as you require. Ie. 1 hour focus on spill managment, a 2 hour focus risk assessment etc.
Our clients say it best
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Here’s what some of them have to say about their experiences working with us.