Sydney Safety Training Pty Ltd

19/11/2024

Had a great staff 2024 Christmas lunch at Mr Wongs. Great day, great food and great people.

11/09/2024

Be Scaff Safe: Unsafe scaffolds can kill
SafeWork NSW inspectors are targeting scaffold safety from August as part of Scaff Safe 2024.

Scaffolds that are poorly built or not managed properly by principal contractors/site supervisors can pose a serious risk to workers including:
• falls from heights
• being hit by unsecured falling objects
• being crushed by scaffold collapse
• electrocution, if unprotected from powerlines.

When we looked at serious scaffold incidents reported to SafeWork NSW in 2023, we found that most incidents included modular scaffold and were due to:
• missing scaffold components - from being built unsafely or because unlicenced workers removed components
• scaffold misuse by workers – by adding planks between the scaff and other areas, accessing incomplete sections, standing on boxes or ladders on the deck
• scaffolders not erecting or dismantling in a safe sequence.

Employers have duties to keep workers safe
Employers must ensure scaffolds are in a safe working condition for the duration of the construction project/work, including managing alterations to the scaffold as the construction build progresses.

This means you must:
• Inspect the scaffold before accepting written confirmation (e.g. handover certificate), to be assured you have a complete, safe and compliant scaffold.
• Have a plan to ensure scaffolds remain safe and compliant as the build reaches each new stage.
• Ensure scaffolds are checked by a competent person at least every 30 days.
• Ensure scaffolds remain complete, with no missing components that make it unsafe or that workers could fall through.
• Ensure workers on scaffolds are protected from powerlines. Talk with the network provider to check the safe working distance or if hoarding is required.
• Stop workers accessing incomplete or unsafe scaffolds.
• Stop workers from removing scaffold components.

Only licenced scaffolders can erect, alter and dismantle a scaffold
Inspectors can issue on-the-spot fines of up to $4,500 per non-compliance, for not managing the risk of scaffolds, falls from heights risks and alterations by unlicenced persons.

Many workers think they can remove scaffold components if they are in the way, in order to “get the job done”. Unfortunately, when this happens the structural integrity of the scaffold can be compromised, and the missing components can create collapse risks or gaps for workers to fall through.

Check if a scaffolders licence is valid at Verify.Licence NSW.

Where to get help
SafeWork NSW has a number of key resources for employers and site supervisors to help manage scaffold safety on your site. These include:
• Scaffolding industry safety standard for scaffold safety management
• Scaffold management and inspection safety checklist for principal contractors and site supervisors
• Using scaffolds toolbox talk to help you talk with workers about scaffold safety.

23/05/2024

An engineered stone provider has been fined $375,000 after it exposed a worker to a risk of serious illness over a six-year and 10 month period.​

Edstein Creative Pty Ltd pled guilty to the charge in December 2023.​
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Edstein Creative failed to take adequate actions to minimise the risk of exposure to airborne respirable crystalline silica while undertaking tasks associated with the installation of engineered stone products, including cutting, grinding, drilling and polishing.​
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The growth in deadly silicosis over the past decade is the reason why NSW and other states are leading the world with a ban on engineered stone from 1 July 2024.​
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For more information on this case and our silica compliance work, visit: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/news/safework-media-releases/engineered-stone-provider-fined-$375,000-after-employee-was-exposed-to-silica-dust

23/05/2024

Not so funny if it was you!!

23/05/2024

The new MSA SCBA breathing systems supplied and serviced by Sydney Safety Training

The M1 SCBA is fully customizable and can be configured to meet a broad range of firefighter needs. Buy per your budget needs and upgrade later – directly i...

02/04/2024

🔍 Did You Know? 🔍
Confined spaces can be more hazardous than open areas due to limited entry and exit points, poor ventilation, and the presence of hazardous substances. Find out more, here:

What are the Confined Space courses that you run and when do they run? 1 Day – Confined Space ENTRY & WORK 1 day (Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday plus Sundays twice per month) 2 Day – Confined Space GAS TEST & PERMIT ISSUER 2 day (Every week Monday/Tuesday or Wednesday/Thursday) 3 Day – Con...

30/03/2024

From all of us here at Sydney Safety Training, we’d like to wish you and your family a happy and safe Easter 🐣🍫

25/03/2024

🔁 Safety Review 🔁
Take a moment to review your workplace safety procedures today. Are all safety protocols up to date? Are you on top of your training? If not, we can help bring you up to speed. Find out more about the courses we have available, here:

We conduct Working at Height Safety and Confined Space Training courses on a regular basis at our Safety Training Centre at Villawood, Sydney.

20/03/2024

According to Safe Work Australia, falls from heights account for a significant proportion of serious workplace injuries each year. Don’t become a statistic - prioritise your safety in all work activities.

20/03/2024

We recently responded to an incident where a worker was seriously injured while moving a loaded pallet down a concrete ramp with another worker.

The workers were using a manual pallet jack to move a pallet of 48 bags of rapid screed grout, each weighing 20kg and with a total weight of approximately 960kg.

The pallet jack and load rolled away from them, causing one of the workers to be crushed between the uncontrolled loaded pallet and another pallet of goods.

For more information, visit: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/compliance-and-prosecutions/incident-information-releases/construction/worker-crushed-by-loads-when-operating-a-pallet-jack-on-a-slope-13-september-2023

02/05/2023

We recently responded to an incident where a 33-year-old electrician died from an electric shock while working on a switchboard, coming into contact with a live conductor.

This is the second fatality relating to contact with electricity within a month in NSW.

Before working on or near electrical equipment and installations, ensure that it is switched off and test every circuit and conductor to ensure it has been properly isolated. Lock or tag the circuit to prevent accidental re-energisation.

Visit our website for more information: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/compliance-and-prosecutions/incident-information-releases/other-industries/electrician-receives-fatal-electric-shock

21/03/2023