Building Standards Inquiry – ETU to give evidence on lack of regulation and public risks from dangerous work
The ETU will present evidence to the NSW Building Standards Inquiry today on how the building industry cutting corners is putting public safety and risk. And the risks of NSW Government failures to regulate the hazardous and dangerous work done by unlicenced electricians, as done in other states.
ETU NSW Secretary Justin Page will also provide prescient examples of this risky corner cutting, including job ads where contractors are hiring non-qualified workers to install high-risk electrical installations and failure of NSW Fair Trading and SafeWork to act and respond when unlicensed work is being performed.
Justin Page says, “This building boom will continue to lead to compromised safety for workers, shonky building practices and standards. Consumers will be greatly disadvantaged through sub-optimal work and at worst case, dangerous work if greater regulation and oversight is not urgently implemented.
“At the ETU we see the building industry try to game the system to cut corners. This has to stop. As NSW’s electrical infrastructure continues to grow, and with it the demand for skilled electricians, we must deal with the major flaws in regulation, including how the state assesses the skills of licence applicants.
“The ETU is calling on the NSW Government to establish an Electrical Safety Regulator.”
Justin Page will appear at the Building Standards Inquiry at 10:30am in the Macquarie Room, Parliament House, Sydney and is
