Ad
Friday, October 10, 2025

Australian scaffolding industry put on notice

ADVERTISEMENT

New data has revealed that nearly half of all construction sites in New South Wales (NSW) have non-compliant scaffolding.

The NSW government has put the industry on ‘notice’ after a safety blitz on more than 700 building sites by SafeWorkNSW.

Inspectors shockingly discovered that 44 per cent of scaffolds had missing components, while 36 per cent of scaffolds had been altered by unlicensed workers or removed components.

Since the tragic death in April of Christopher Cassaniti a teenage apprentice who was crushed to death in a scaffolding collapse, SafeWorkNSW has been targeting unsafe scaffolds.

To date the government agency has handed out 832 notices, including $109,000 (£59,512) on-the-spot fines.

Ms Cassaniti has become a workplace safety advocate since her son’s death and said change could not come quickly enough.

“To me it is not surprising to find that the statistics have come back so bad,” she said.

“I heard the workers complain a lot when they are on site and in dangerous situations.”

She said she did not want her son to become “another statistic”.

“Scaffolders put their scaffolds up, they tag it and then the workers go and use the scaffolding but some remove parts they should not, just to get the job done quickly,” Ms Cassaniti told ABC News.

NSW Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson said: “It is clear that more needs to be done to get the safety message through to people, which is why this month the NSW Government will be rolling out a number of new initiatives which aim to protect workers from serious injury or death.”

 

 

ADVERTISEMENT

Popular Categories

Latest news

The magazine

Issue 27 | Past issues >>

Popular

ScaffChamp 2025: Teams Gather in Vilnius for Opening Day

The international scaffolding competition ScaffChamp 2025 has officially begun,...

National Scaffolding Week 2025 launches to celebrate industry’s people and skills

National Scaffolding Week 2025 has officially launched, shining a...

NASC and DWP to create 5,000 scaffolding work placements in 2026

The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has teamed...

Ethiopia church scaffolding collapse kills at least 30

At least 30 people have died and more than...

AT-PAC names new UK MD as ScaffEx25 showcases national ambitions

After unveiling a wave of new systems at Bauma...

Related articles

- Advertisements -

Latest topics

PERI UP system supports cladding remediation at Hilton Hotel

The Hilton Hotel in Kingston upon Thames is undergoing...

Midland Scaffolding staff go the distance in charity challenge for Poppy

Midland Scaffolding Services (MSS) has raised an impressive £20,000...

AT-PAC names new UK MD as ScaffEx25 showcases national ambitions

After unveiling a wave of new systems at Bauma...

ScaffEx25: An Industry Comes of Age in Manchester

Two days in September that showcased not just where...
- Advertisement -