QBCC slaps conditions on builder licence of construction juggernaut Multiplex after three men injured

The Queensland building watchdog has slapped strict conditions on the licence of construction industry juggernaut Multiplex in the wake of three men being injured at the $1.4 billion Jewel development site. Here’s what it means

Workers leave the Jewel worksite in Surfers Paradise after three workers were injured on the site. Photo: Tertius Pickard

THE Queensland building watchdog has slapped strict conditions on the licence of construction industry juggernaut Multiplex in the wake of three men being injured at the $1.4 billion Jewel development site.

The men had been working in a confined space in the lower car park area of the Surfers Paradise development when a three-and-half-tonne metal cable conduit fell around three metres from above.

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Workers leave the Jewel worksite in Surfers Paradise after three workers were injured on the site. Photo: Tertius Pickard

Multiplex holds the highest revenue category of licence, enabling it to build projects worth more than $240 million a year. and up to 600 people are employed on the Jewel site.

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission late this afternoon ordered the company to review its workplace health and safety management plan in the presence of an independent auditor and report to the regulator every three months until Jewel is completed.

If Multiplex does not comply, it risks copping a licence suspension.

The rarely-made conditions have been imposed under widened powers given to the QBCC last November.

They do not affect Multiplex’s other projects, which include early works on Brisbane’s Queen’s Wharf foreshore and two other major projects in that city’s George St.

Workers returned to the site last week after a safety audit, while Multiplex downplayed union claims up to 100 of them were set to be fired by Christmas.

Multiplex are yet to respond to the Bulletin’s questions.

JEWEL SALES STALLED FOR MONTHS

An artist impression of how the Jewel towers are expected to look once complete.

A Workplace Health and Safety Queensland spokesman said its investigation into the December 6 incident was still ongoing, and declined to provide further details on timeline for the investigation or how many witnesses had been spoken to.

The conditions cap off a forgettable year for Multiplex, which have also been in a stoush with Jewel’s new developer Yuhu Group, which has made changes to the project’s plans.

It is the second workplace accident at the Jewel development in less than seven months after a man narrowly escaped death while working near the elevator shaft in May.

Work on the project stalled again in September after workers faced an uncertain future with redesigns causing construction delays and fuelling job loss fears.