Tradies busted breaching Covid rules in Western Sydney

Unvaccinated tradies on building sites in Western Sydney have been fined for not wearing masks or not scanning QR codes, prompting a compliance blitz.

Unvaccinated tradies have been caught on Western Sydney building sites without masks and ignoring QR codes, sparking a weekend compliance blitz.

In the past week a Liverpool building site copped $20,000 in fines for not ensuring workers were vaccinated or tested as per Public Health Orders, and for not ensuring workers were wearing masks or had scanned the QR code.

A site in Marsden Park received a $5000 fine for similar breaches, while a site in Riverstone was fined $10,000 after two workers from Blacktown and Parramatta had not met the vaccination and testing requirements.

Better Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gaye Gerard

Better Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson said SafeWork NSW inspectors will be out in force this weekend ensuring building sites are adhering to the rules.

“The NSW Government understands and appreciates the important role the

construction sector plays to our state and we are doing everything we can to ensure

it is able to keep operating while keeping communities safe,” Mr Anderson said.

“Site operators need to comply with capacity limits to reduce contact, ensure their

workers are complying with Covid-19 vaccine requirements and have a safety plan,

including a QR code, in place.

“SafeWork inspectors will be visiting sites, particularly in the identified LGAs that can

only do construction work on unoccupied sites and must have vaccinated workers, to

assist the industry in implementing controls which prevent transmission of Covid-19.”

The state’s construction workers living in LGAs of concern were able to return to building sites from August 11 provided: they’ve had two vaccine injections; or one injection is at least 21 days prior; or they have had one vaccine jab and, if less than three weeks since that vaccine was administered, a negative Covid-19 test in the previous 72 hours.

“While it is the site operator which must enforce the rules, I am urging tradies to support

their workmates and the industry by signing in with the QR code, wearing face masks

at all times, and in the identified LGAs getting vaccinated and doing the right thing at

work by following the orders,” Mr Anderson said.

Originally published as Tradies busted breaching Covid rules in Western Sydney