Building Commission NSW and SafeWork NSW just wrapped up a major joint operation across the Hunter Region. The results reveal where the compliance pressure points are and where the regulator is heading next.

What Actually Happened

In March 2025, Building Commission NSW and SafeWork NSW ran a coordinated compliance operation across the Hunter Region, visiting building sites, connecting with local training providers and running community pop-up events.

This was not a quiet administrative exercise. It was a deliberate, boots-on-ground operation designed to assess site standards, lift compliance awareness and identify where the region needs support.

The numbers tell a clear story.

In the lead-up to the main visit, Building Commission NSW inspectors visited 36 sites and issued 18 Penalty Infringement Notices totalling $12,000. The most common offence was unlicensed work, which accounted for 11 of those notices.

SafeWork NSW inspectors visited 27 worksites separately and issued 57 improvement notices and five prohibition notices, with working at heights and falling objects identified as the dominant risk areas.

The positives are worth noting too. No building orders were issued. Most problems identified were either already fixed or in the process of being rectified.

But the unlicensed work figures should not be read as a minor administrative issue. NSW Building Commissioner James Sherrard was direct about it.

“While we are generally pleased with the results from our recent inspections, the number of unlicensed workers is a concern, and something our inspectors will be cracking down on statewide.”

The Three Issues That Are Getting Builders Pinged

Based on what inspectors found, there are three areas where sites are consistently falling short.

The first is unlicensed work. This is the standout issue from the Hunter operation and, importantly, Sherrard confirmed enforcement will intensify across the whole state, not just the Hunter. If anyone on your site is performing licensed work without a licence, or if you are contracting work out without verifying credentials, the exposure is real and increasing.

The second is working at heights. SafeWork noted that many businesses are still not adequately managing the risks of falls, falling objects and mobile plant near workers. A fall from two metres can be fatal. This is not new information, but inspectors are clearly not satisfied that the message has translated into site practice.

The third is basic site management. Several sites had gaps in perimeter fencing allowing unauthorised access, missing or incomplete signage listing the principal contractor’s contact details, and no toilet or handwashing facilities on site. These are not complex or expensive to fix. They are also among the first things an inspector will notice.

What SafeWork Said About Heights

“Findings indicate that building companies in the Hunter need to focus on ensuring any work at heights is being undertaken safely, sites are properly fenced, pits covered, scaffolding maintained and plant and equipment secured at the end of the day. There is no excuse for unsafe practices on construction sites.”

SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer’s comments do not leave much room for interpretation. The agency is not satisfied with where the industry sits on height safety and the tone suggests further enforcement is coming.

For builders who have not recently reviewed their SWMS for height work, mobile plant interaction or end-of-day site security, now is the time to do it.

This Is Part of a Bigger Pattern

The Hunter operation is not a one-off. Building Commission NSW has been clear that its regional engagement program is expanding and this kind of blitz model is part of how it intends to lift standards across the state.

With more than 700 active construction sites and an estimated 17,000 licence holders in the Hunter Region alone, the scale of the compliance task is significant. What the Commission is signalling is that it intends to meet that task on the ground, not just through desktop audits or reactive complaints handling.

Minister for Building Anoulack Chanthivong framed it plainly: since Building Commission NSW was established as the dedicated regulator in 2023, this kind of work across every corner of NSW has been a priority. The Hunter operation is evidence that priority is not softening.

For builders operating in NSW, the shift is worth understanding. This is not a punitive approach for its own sake. The language from the Commission consistently frames these visits as a mix of enforcement and support. But enforcement is clearly part of the toolkit.

What This Means for Builders Right Now

There are practical steps that flow directly from the Hunter results.

On licensing: verify credentials for every contractor and subcontractor working on your sites. Keep records. If someone cannot produce a valid licence for the work they are performing, do not let them start.

On height safety: review your SWMS documentation and make sure it reflects what is actually happening on site. Check scaffold inspection records, confirm that pits and penetrations are covered, and that plant is secured at the end of each day.

On site presentation: signage listing principal contractor contact details should be current and visible. Perimeter fencing should have no gaps. Amenities including toilets and handwashing facilities need to be available and functional.

These are not items that require major investment. They are the basics. And they are what inspectors are checking.

The Broader Context

It would be easy to read the Hunter blitz purely through an enforcement lens. But there is something more important happening here.

Building Commission NSW visited high schools for the first time during this operation, connecting with around 105 students at Rutherford Technology High School and Hunter Trade College. They also visited TAFE NSW Maitland where they engaged with approximately 100 students currently in trade training.

Community pop-up events at Charlestown Square gave local residents direct access to building-related guidance in an accessible format.

This approach, combining site enforcement with education and community engagement, reflects a deliberate strategy. The Commission is trying to build a compliance culture, not just issue fines. That distinction matters for how builders should engage with it.

The industry does best when compliance is treated as a professional standard rather than an external imposition. Builders who are already running tight, documented, licence-verified operations will not be troubled by operations like this one. Those who are relying on informal practices and hoping for the best are the ones the Commission is looking for.

What to Do Before an Inspector Arrives

No builder should need a blitz to trigger a site review. But if the Hunter results have prompted a mental audit of your own sites, here is a simple checklist to work through.

• All contractors and subcontractors have valid licences for their scope of work
• SWMS for working at heights are current, site-specific and being followed
• Scaffold inspection records are up to date
• Pits, penetrations and excavations are covered
• Perimeter fencing is complete with no unauthorised access gaps
• Principal contractor signage is current and visible
• Toilets and handwashing facilities are on site and accessible
• Plant and equipment is secured at end of each working day

None of these are complicated. But all of them were flagged in the Hunter. If any are not sorted on your sites, sort them now.

The Bottom Line

Building Commission NSW and SafeWork NSW ran a joint operation across the Hunter, and the results show unlicensed work and height safety are the headline concerns. The Commissioner has confirmed that crackdowns on unlicensed work are coming statewide.

This is not cause for alarm. It is cause for preparation.

Builders who run professionally documented, licence-verified, safety-compliant operations have nothing to worry about. For everyone else, the Hunter results are a useful reminder that regulators are on the road and the standards they are checking are not complex.

Get the basics right. Keep records. Verify credentials. That is the standard being set.

Author: TGB Editorial