QBCC issues show-cause to builder over fire safety risks at Gold Coast high-rise construction site

A BUILDER that flouted fire safety laws on Gold Coast high-rise construction site has been slapped with the first show-cause notice issued under new powers granted to the state’s building regulator.

A BUILDER that flouted fire safety laws on Gold Coast high-rise construction site has been slapped with the first show-cause notice issued under new powers granted to the state’s building regulator.

Firefighters, Workplace Health and Safety officers and Queensland Building and Construction Commission investigators, acting on a tip-off, found fire hydrants and hose reels were missing from the site, and firefighting booster connections had not been installed.

The QBCC would not reveal which site was involved, however the Bulletin understands it is a residential project between 10 and 20 storeys high.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BULLETIN AND GET A FITBIT

QBCC, Workplace Health and Safety Officers found disconnected fire hose boosters at an unnamed Gold Coast high-rise construction site. Photos: QBCC

Commissioner Brett Bassett said Queensland’s first show-cause notice under new powers had been issued to the project’s builder in mid October, requiring the builder to show why the site should not be shut down. The builder was given five days to fix the issues.

Mr Bassett said the builder had put construction workers at risk.

“It would have also hampered the ability of fire crews and emergency services to respond if an emergency had occurred,” he said.

“The QBCC said fire engineers and a fire certifier have now reported back to the QBCC

confirming that the issues have been rectified.

“The builder’s decision to take swift action to rectify the safety defects named in the show-

cause notice immediately improved safety at the site.”

QBCC, Workplace Health and Safety Officers found disconnected fire hose boosters at an unnamed Gold Coast high-rise construction site. Photos: QBCC

Mr Bassett said the case showed the effectiveness of the new law.

“We will not hesitate to issue show-cause notices proposing stop-work action at construction

sites if we see safety issues like this,” he said.

“We will continue to use all our available powers to ensure fire safety requirements and building standards are complied with.”

Before the laws were in place 12 months ago, the QBCC had to apply to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal for a stop-work notice.

Earlier this year, the QBCC issued a different type of notice to Ezra Constructions, of which Gold Coast developer Jim Raptis is a director, after a fire hydrant issue was detected at the site of its Waterpoint Residences project at Biggera Waters.

“The QBCC issued a notice to Ezra Constructions to rectify an issue relating to a fire-hydrant system at a construction site,” a statement from the regulator said at the time.

“At a subsequent reinspection, the QBCC confirmed that the issue was fixed by the builder.”

The regulator said October’s show-cause notice was made to a different builder on project that is not related to Waterpoint.

DO YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS STORY? EMAIL: [e-mail]