Construction industry urged to check validity of work licences
NT WorkSafe urges the construction industry to check the validity of work licences, before allowing workers to perform high risk work.
The call comes after a worker at a major construction site in the Northern Suburbs was caught operating an all-terrain forklift in the vicinity of other workers without the appropriate high risk work licence, which is an offence.
The international worker, who was employed through a recruitment agency, was issued with a $1480 infringement notice for working unlicensed. The worker had attempted to pass-off another worker’s certificate of attainment which had been doctored, as his licence. The worker also had a fraudulent interstate general construction induction training card (white card).
NT WorkSafe’s Acting Regulatory Compliance Manager Fiona Peters said a range of work activities considered high risk require an individual to hold a licence before they can do the work. The licence is proof a worker has the required training and competency to do the work safely.
“We are asking all construction companies and recruitment agencies to do their due diligence and verify their workers competencies and training.”
“If a worker gives you an NT licence or document and it doesn’t look right, call NT WorkSafe on 1800 019 115 for assistance to verify,” said Ms Peters.
“For an interstate issued licence, you will need to contact the WorkSafe Authority of the issuing jurisdiction, some jurisdictions have an online register to check licences.”
The construction company involved was issued with an improvement notice to improve their system to verify worker competencies. The recruitment agency, who provided the worker to the construction company, has commenced an audit of employee licences after being contacted about the incident.
Workers with licences are warned not to allow their licences or documents to be used in a fraudulent manner. Assisting an unlicensed worker to perform high risk work is intentionally creating a risk in the workplace and a potential a breach of a workers duties under the work health and safety laws.
Employers and workers can be issued an infringement notice or prosecuted for allowing or performing high risk work unlicensed. An infringement notice will cost a worker $1480 and an employer $7240. The maximum penalty for a prosecution is $20,000 for a worker, $50,000 if the employer is an individual or $250,000 if a body corporate.
Incidents of unlicensed high risk work should be reported to NT WorkSafe on 1800 019 115. Calls can be made confidentially.
Interstate online registers
- New South Wales High Risk Work Licence online register
- South Australia High Risk Work Licence online register
- Queensland High Risk Work Licence online register
- Western Australia High Risk Work Licence online register