Building Connection Spring 2018

13 / 76

1 3
INSPECTORS
The sad reality of day-to-day
scaffolding work is that contractors
have little understanding of their
overarching WHS legal obligations, and
only a slightly better understanding of
regulations.
Contractors’ primary reference for
erecting and handling scaffolding,
according to Chris Flanagan, an
inspector for WorkSafe ACT, is the
scaffold manufacturer’s instructions,
followed by Australian/New Zealand
Standards.
Chris says there are three main types
of scaffolding: clip lock, cup lock, and
the comparatively new Layher system –
most safety breaches relate to the first
two classes of equipment.
A lack of understanding of regulations
and Standards, he emphasises, is
the greatest contributor to non-
compliance.
“The common statement by most
scaffolders that do have licenses is, ‘I
am building it to the Standards,’” he
said. “Now, the first question I ask is:
‘Have you got a copy of the Standard?’
The answer is, ‘No.’ My next question is,
‘So how can you tell me you are building
it to the Standard if you don’t have a
copy? The response: ‘Oh that’s what we
were taught when we got our licence.’
My next question: ‘Have you physically
seen a copy of the Standard?’ ‘No.’ That
is one of the most common discussions
I get.”
Chris says the requirement to
spend over $200 to buy a copy of a
Standard such as AS/NZS1576 Part 1:
Scaffolding – general requirements is
an obvious impediment to contractors’
understanding of the document.
“If you’re doing a university course
you have access to all Australian
Standards,” he said. “No one else gets
that free availability.”
Another major problem, Chris
believes, relates to inadequate training,
particularly with regard to newer
technologies like Layher scaffolding
systems. Fortunately, the Standards
are in the process of being upgraded
to include greater reference to Layher
technologies, which means better
information should also flow through to
training organisations.
In the meantime, inspectors will
continue to be the unsung heroes of
scaffolding safety in Australia, serving
as observers, teachers and mentors to
contractors.
COMMON PROBLEMS
So long as Australia’s current multi-
jurisdictional system prevails, federal
institutions like Safe Work Australia will
continue to be a statutory authority in
name only.
The current multi-jurisdictional
framework involving Commonwealth
as well as State/Territory governments
means sensible national reforms must
be filtered and interpreted at State/
Territory level prior to implementation
– a time-consuming, messy and
expensive exercise that still allows for
subtle non-uniformity of regulations,
even if model laws are used as a
template.
The mere possibility of differences
between jurisdictions means
international and national building
companies and scaffolding suppliers
must address eight sets of laws,
regulations and Codes of Practice
instead of one.
Furthermore, the sheer number of
State/Territory laws and regulations
means reforms or commonsense
updates occur very slowly and at
different time intervals, potentially
delaying initiatives that might have
been expedited by a purely national
authority, and muddying directives
referencing Australian/New Zealand
Standards.
Thank goodness we have inspectors
to explain matters to contractors…
John Power is a freelance
journalist based in
Cherokee and Carlton,
Victoria, and a former
editor of Building
Connection and Plumbing
Connection.
The reality of day-to-day scaffolding work is that contractors have little
understanding of their overarching WHS legal obligations.
COVER STORY
SCAFFOLDING