SafeWork SA launches new loo crackdown on toilet safety on state’s construction sites

SA’s work and safety watchdog will launch a new crackdown on job site loos amid claims some workers are left with nowhere to go.

Mobile toilets at the construction site next to an excavator.

South Australia’s work and safety watchdog will launch a new crackdown on construction site loos amid claims some workers are forced to travel 20 minutes for a toilet.

With help from several industry groups and unions, SafeWork SA will on Tuesday launch a new campaign to ensure construction sites have “clean and reasonably located loos”.

Safety inspectors will educate over the next few months before compliance checks are launched later this year.

A formal review found almost half of 765 toilet-related complaints to SafeWork over the past decade were linked to building works, “tradie” jobs or upgrades to utilities such as powerlines.

In what safety chiefs described as unacceptable, half of all toilet-related improvement notices were linked to construction sites.

Authorities have criticised poor standards of toilets on construction sites.

Authorities noted an electrical trades union report, titled Nowhere to go, which said problems disproportionately hit women while toilets were unclean, unhygienic or unable to be locked.

Some workers faced a 20-minute round trip from their work site to find a toilet.

Acting SafeWork SA executive director, Glenn Farrell, said a site’s cleanliness, including with toilets, was often a good indicator of safety and work standards.

“A safe construction site starts with the fundamental basics of having a clean toilet, equipped with the necessary facilities,” he said.

“If the builder has a blatant disregard for suitable toilet facilities supplied to workers, there’s a good chance that other standards and safety performance on site are compromised.”

Masters Builders Association chief executive officer, Will Frogley, said the industry must be “truly inclusive”

“We have a massive skills shortage but we are barely tapping into half our potential workforce,” he said.

Industry groups and unions want more women on sites to help develop Adelaide housing developments such as this. Picture: iStock/BeyondImages

“To attract and retain more women basic things such as toilet facilities must be readily available.”

The Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union as well as Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy unions, have campaigned for change.

CFMEU SA assistant branch secretary, Marcus Pare, said it had faced significant opposition to its long fight for better women amenities.

“We have frequently investigated and taken action against breaches of safety law relating to the disgraceful conditions, in which women are far too often expected to work,” he said.

“(This) included disgusting facilities, a failure to provide sanitary bins, and often the absence of women’s toilets at all.”

CEPU branch secretary, John Adley, said he wanted guidance “backed up with compliance and enforcement action”.

“We must ensure adequate facilities are provided so that women are not made to feel that they don’t belong in predominantly male workplaces,” he said.

“The outdated attitudes of some construction industry employers regarding provision of amenities in blue collar workplaces needs to change.”

Originally published as SafeWork SA launches new loo crackdown on toilet safety on state’s construction sites