News
1 August, 2025
Hammering safety
WORKPLACE Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) has launched a state-wide construction compliance campaign focussing on safe use of plant in the construction industry—with a focus on powered and non-powered tools and equipment.
This comes just a month after a Coominya worker in her 20s became entrapped in machinery at a worksite, suffering a significant arm injury.
Between July and September 2025, inspectors will conduct audits of construction workplaces throughout Queensland. These will focus on critical safety areas including machinery guarding, maintenance of plant, management of crystalline silica substances, safe use of ladders and electrical equipment, use of personal protective equipment, and whether workers are trained and supported by safe systems of work.
Inspectors will assess compliance and take action where breaches are identified being able to give on-the-spot fines if there is a failure to comply with regulatory requirements.
A spokesperson from WHSQ said this audit was part of a planned program to target priority industries, critical workplace hazards and vulnerable workers who face heightened health and safety risks.
“Safety in the construction industry is a key priority and part of our ongoing commitment to improving health and safety outcomes for all Queensland construction workers,” they said.
“Through this campaign, WHSQ is aiming to raise awareness, promote safe practices, and ensure compliance with legal obligations to ensure every worker returns home safely.
“The Construction Compliance Campaign has been strategically planned, reflecting WHSQ’s continued commitment to improving health and safety outcomes across Queensland by focusing resources where they are most needed.
Using a risk-based approach, the program aims to improve and promote workplace health and safety compliance across Queensland.”
In the 2024-25 financial year Office of Industrial Relations (OIR) received 11,350 incidents and complaints state-wide.
According to data from Safe Work Australia, the 2022-23 financial year saw the most amount of serious claims in five years, with nearly 34,000 serious claims made to WHS.
Data after 2023 is currently not available for Queensland, but as of July 24, 2025, 66 workers have been at work this year nationwide, with 168 killed in Australia in 2024.
Of the 51 deaths in QLD in 2023, the majority occurred in the construction industry (6 per cent), to machinery operators and drivers (9 per cent) in vehicle incidents (11 per cent).
Of the 139,002 overall claims made to WHS in the 2022-23 financial year, 26.4 per cent were labourers and 21.9 per cent were community and personal service workers.
The most common industry to make claims was in health care and social assistance, receiving over 25,000 claims (19.1 per cent). Construction was the second most common industry, with nearly 17,000 claims (12 per cent).
Body stressing was the overwhelming cause of claims (32.7 per cent), followed by falls, trips and slips of a person (21.8 per cent).
For more information on the campaign visit https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/compliance-and-enforcement/our-approach/whs-compliance-and-field-services-proactive-compliance-program-2024-2027
