SafeWork NSW has partnered with the Chinese Building Association NSW to host a toolbox talk to boost awareness around safety in the construction sector.
The event, held in June this year in North Ryde, was part of SafeWork NSW’s ongoing engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities across the State to ensure as many construction workers as possible get the opportunity to hear directly from the regulator and better understand their obligations under work health and safety laws.
Construction workers with Chinese ancestry make up one of the fastest growing segments of the workforce in this industry.
Similarly, the number of construction workers with Indian or Middle Eastern backgrounds is also on the rise.
To reflect the changing demographics of the construction workforce in NSW, SafeWork NSW has sought to engage with CALD workers to share safety messages and provide resources.
This includes regular outreach through events such as builders’ breakfasts and toolbox talks, which are open to all tradespeople, site supervisors and anyone else involved in undertaking construction work, as well as working with industry associations and unions.
SafeWork NSW has also ensured important safety information on the SafeWork NSW website is provided in HTML format where possible. This allows for easy translation using in-browser translation apps.
The construction industry faces a broad range of risks and hazards, with the most common causes of serious injury or death on construction sites including falls from height and incidents involving mobile plant.
In the past 12 months, more than 2,229 workplace incidents including 13 fatalities were reported to SafeWork NSW from the construction industry.
These risks and hazards are typically a result of a lack of job planning, poor site supervision and the failure to use what are well-known, inexpensive and easy to apply preventative controls such as edge protection, void covers or platform ladders.
The recent toolbox talk in partnership with the Chinese Building Association NSW was attended by construction workers and business operators.
Similarly, on the 25 February 2026 in North Western Sydney, SafeWork NSW joined a Builders Workshop, along with Building Commission NSW, to communicate with South East Asian and Middle Eastern builders and stakeholders on safety and compliance in the construction industry.
SafeWork NSW will continue to work with CALD construction communities to ensure information is appropriately presented and getting through to workers and businesses.
Eligible participants who attend these events can also apply for the $1,000 SafeWork NSW Small Business Rebate to spend on a range of safety improvements, including platform ladders, edge protection equipment and more.
Information including how to manage the risks of working at heights, mobile plant safety and how to manage psychosocial risks in construction is available on the SafeWork NSW website.
Quotes attributable to Acting SafeWork Commissioner Petrina Casey:
“The construction industry is one of NSW’s highest risk industries, and every year too many workers are killed or injured on NSW construction sites.”
“SafeWork NSW is proud of the work it does to raise awareness of key safety messages among construction workers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.”
“Everyone, regardless of their cultural background, deserves to work on a safe worksite and go home safely at the end of a working day.
“These events are critical to making that a reality on every worksite.”
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