Master Builder Association members engaged at Albany trade night ahead of further WHS enforcement

Albany builders have been praised for a high level of engagement at a trade night last week, which aimed to provide important information about new work, health and safety regulations enforcement. About 50 representatives of Albany and Great Southern-based building companies attended the Master Builders’ Association event which saw Worksafe representatives engage with guests about new work health and safety regulations. The WHS legislation came into effect at the end of March 2022, but enforcement of some of the new laws has been phased in through a transitional arrangement. The arrangements recognise some industries would struggle to comply if they came into effect immediately. The trade night last Wednesday was an opportunity for MBA members to make sure they are fully aware of their safety obligations before enforcement officers start clamping down. MBA executive director of building and construction Jason Richardson said strong attendance at the event showed local members were engaged and appreciated how serious a role the legislation would play. He said the core tenants of the MBA were education and safety. “It was certainly pleasing to see the numbers at the event and that we heard about key core topics that we have been working on the department on — such as working from heights and site security,” he said. “There were no surprises in what was raised and I was just generally happy to see that level of engagement.” The WHS laws cover every industry but are particularly important for those with an inherently higher risk on the job, such as on building sites. In the most serious cases, the laws include tougher penalties that could be in the millions of dollars and prison sentences. A State Government statement from March last year states the laws were designed to “harmonise with other States and Territories”. Mr Richardson He said core tenants of the MBA were education and safety. He said the MBA had been able to work with Government agencies through appropriate forums to be help shape the laws. “Gone are the days where the industry thought ‘this it the way we’ve always done it, I don’t need to up-skill and I don’t need to move towards best practice’ – those days are gone,” he said. “The view point now from MBA is that we want to see industry-led reform, but we need to be collaborative to work with the Government agencies in a proactive and morally responsible way to reach desired outcomes. “And there is no more desired outcome than safety.”