Building leaders have urged work safety moving into October, emphasising its importance in the residential building industry.

HIA industry and policy chief executive Simon Croft says while significant progress has been made in recent decades, continuous focus is essential, especially given the increasing complexity of safety regulations.

“Safety on site in the construction industry is a core aspect of the day-to-day work builders and tradies manage in building the homes we all live in and enjoy, and this focus is particularly important this year as the industry has had to adapt to a raft of new safety and workplace rules over the past 18 months,” Simon says.

Emphasising worksite vigilance and doubling down on safety has been made with the rollout of National Safe Work Month with this year’s theme being ‘Safety is everyone’s business’.

National Safe Work Month is an annual event encouraging all individuals and organisations to prioritise work health and safety and take preventative actions to reduce the number of work-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

To coincide, Simon says HIA is undertaking a range of activities throughout October to support builders and tradies including new safety videos and sharing extensive safety information resources and tools to assist the industry in keeping sites safe.

“Industry rules are continuing to get increasingly complex and extend beyond just physical hazards to cover workplace behaviours and psychosocial hazards and risks. The industry must continue to take steps to manage risks and keep workplaces and workers on-site safe and healthy. Workers must understand and stay ahead of their safety obligations,” Simon says.