SafeWork investigators were shocked to find maggots in the toilets of one Illawarra construction site during a three-day blitz.
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Earlier this month, investigators from SafeWork and Fair Trading hit both commercial and residential construction sites to assess them for a range of safety issues.
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In all, the investigators visited 49 buildings under construction and handed out 74 notices for unsafe and unclean sites.
The cleanliness of toilets and lunch rooms on work sites were a concern because they could be a indicator of bigger problems.
"It was really disappointing to walk onto sites which have serious falls risks, as well as scaffolds with missing parts or evidence that unlicensed workers had altered or removed scaffolding components," said Department of Customer Service's Compliance and Dispute Resolution Executive Director Peter Dunphy said.
"Some of the sites also had serious issues in relation to hygiene. Maggots were found in toilets on one large commercial site, and on another residential site there was poor access provided to an unstable, broken toilet that was leaning over.
"As well as this there was no sink provided and no soap or sanitiser available - you would expect a far better response from the site controller given current COVID concerns."
There were also five sites where there were unauthorised and unmetered connections to the electrical supply grid.
All five sites were immediately disconnected and made safe by Endeavour Energy.
Two residential sites were found to be installing concrete slabs without earthing rods, which take away current into the ground during an electrical malfunction.
As well as carrying out inspections over the three days, SafeWork inspectors held a number of "toolbox talks" covering primary harms in the construction industry.
Fair Trading inspectors also spoke with young plumbing and electrical apprentices on expected industry standards.
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
