Every Australian should expect to come home safe and well from work each day – but in the construction industry that is all too often not the case.

About 30 people are killed on building sites each year in this country, and according to SafeWork Australia, there are a staggering 12,500 serious injuries as well.

That equates to a death on an Australian building site every fortnight, and 34 injuries every day.

The biggest killer? Building safety expert Craig O’Leary from Hazard Co said it’s a lack of communication about safety measures on site.

He says 50 per cent of builders don’t communicate about safety at all – and he’s pleaded with them to start communicating now so building sites are safer in 2025.

“The key thing is communication and a culture of safety leadership within the business.”

“It’s the builder’s responsibility always to communicate the inherent risks that may exist on a site and the processes and procedures to mitigate those risks.

“It is also the subcontractors or other people coming on to that site responsibility to understand those risks and acknowledge when they don’t understand those risks, and take the due diligence to mitigate risk from their end as well.”

“She’ll be right mate” attitude gets people killed.

O’Leary says what brings many builders unstuck is complacency – a mistake which can be fatal and have tragic consequences for the worker, the business and the community.

“The biggest mistake builders make is assuming that everything is going to be okay,” he said. 

“Everything is fine until it’s not. And that’s the point in which Work Safe and the other various bodies will want to know what’s been done to mitigate on site, and it’s too late after the fact.”

“The fallout can be massive for a builder, there’s monetary issues of course, the cost of fines or even jail, lost time on the job site, but even more importantly the cost to family and friends of the person injured or killed.”

The buck stops with the leader

O’Leary said although it’s the builder who’s ultimately responsible for safety there needs to be common sense as well, as it’s everyone’s responsibility on a building site to create a culture of safety. 

He says leadership on safety is all about keeping communication clear and consistent.

“Safety starts at the top and they really need to lead by example and create a communication process to reach everyone in the business, and those external to the business like suppliers and delivery drivers. 

“You know there’s not one thing, whether it’s your risk assessment site reviews or your sign in, sign out process, it’s a combination of a lot of things, but there should be the ability for everyone to communicate around health and safety.”

Author: The Good Builder

The Good Builder is a media platform that provides news and insights for Australia’s home building industry. From exclusive stories and curated insights to bold industry perspectives, we deliver the news and updates that keep builders, suppliers, and the entire home building industry inspired and ahead of the curve.