03 September 2008 Media Release
Public Have Their Say on Code of Practice for the Prevention of Falls in Housing Construction
There has been a significant response from the residential construction sector to the Australian Safety and Compensation Council’s (ASCC) call for public comments on the draft National Code of Practice for the Prevention of Falls in Housing Construction (Housing Falls Code), and its accompanying Regulation Impact Statement (RIS).
The response has been very positive and highlights the importance that all areas of the housing construction industry place on safety and fall prevention," said Chairman of the ASCC, Mr Bill Scales.
The Housing Falls Code aims to reduce the incidence of fatalities and injuries resulting from falls from height in the residential construction sector. It also provides guidance to the residential construction sector on how to meet the obligations under the National Standard for Construction Work.
The ASCC received a total of fifty-three submissions from a wide range of stakeholders, including individuals, residential builders, roof tilers, metal roofers, businesses, industry associations and OHS authorities.
"Receiving submissions from such a broad and inclusive group will help achieve the overall outcome of reducing incidents in the housing construction industry.
"Gathering information such as this emphasises the need for constant development in safety practices. We must continue to improve safety in the housing construction sector," said Mr Scales.
Comments from stakeholders focussed on the range of issues highlighted in the public discussion paper. This includes the two metre height threshold in the draft Code for physical fall protection, where reasonably practicable.
"The public comments received will be considered initially by the ASCC’s Housing Falls Technical Group. The technical group will revise the draft code before sending it to the ASCC for their consideration" Mr Scales stated.
Public submissions are available on the ASCC website: www.ascc.gov.au.
Media Contact: Samantha Stebbings (02) 6121 9162 / 0412 008 109
Page last updated: 03/04/2009