Are Your Working Bees Safe?

Recent changes to the definitions of construction work in the Workplace Health & Safety Act 1995 mean that some work undertaken by staff and volunteers as part of a working bee is now regarded as 'construction work' and therefore can only be undertaken by someone holding a Construction Blue Card.

The change in work activity definition means that work such as repairs to structures or work associated with construction of walls or buildings is now to be performed by someone holding a Construction Blue Card.

Anyone undertaking 'construction work' must go through an approved General Induction training course and be issued with a Construction Blue Card. The training consists of four hours of instruction and costs $80.

However, in recognition of the contribution that volunteers make to Queensland schools, there has been a rationalization of the definition of construction work to differentiate between ‘low’ and ‘high’ risk.

Volunteers who only undertake ‘low’ risk construction work DO NOT require a General Induction Training (Construction Blue Card). Examples of low risk construction work include:

Bricklaying                                                       Replacing carpet

Sanding and painting or preparing walls Basic joinery

Replacing broken window panes                       Building rock walls

Rehanging doors                                               Repairing cracked footpaths

Landscaping around new facilities                      Lawn mowing

A volunteer who undertakes ‘high’ risk construction work would need to complete General Induction Training. Examples of high risk construction include:

Work on a roof to repair tin sheets or lay tarpaulins

Trenching or excavation for laying pipes

Working on ladders over 2m without adequate controls to prevent falls

An explanatory Health and Safety Fact Sheet is available at: http://education.qld.gov.au/health/pdfs/healthsafety/construct-blue-card.pdf

For more information, contact Mark Hewison, Director, Organisational Health, on (07) 3237 0230, via email mark.hewison@deta.qld.gov.au or the Workplace Health and Safety Officer in your diocesan office.

[Appeared in NIB Vol 26, No. 3  April 07]