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http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl General Discussion >> General Board >> Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March. http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1366836292 Message started by imcrookonit on Apr 25^th, 2013 at 6:44am

Title: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by imcrookonit on Apr 25^th, 2013 at 6:44am

Grocon's safety failures

Date
April 25, 2013

The building sites of construction firm Grocon have been beset with safety incidents, including a five-kilogram piece of concrete plummeting eight levels onto a city street during demolition works, reports from WorkSafe show.    :o

And thousands of building workers are planning to march next Tuesday from Grocon's Swanston Street CUB site, where a wall collapse last month killed three people including a brother and sister, to WorkSafe's offices in Exhibition Street.

In February, after a crane driver fell to his death at Grocon's Emporium project in Lonsdale Street, Fairfax Media requested through freedom of information all WorkSafe reports on safety incidents at the company's sites in recent years.    :(

The reports show that the builder seriously infringed safety requirements at least four times between February 2011 and February this year, and was once ordered to immediately stop work to improve safety conditions.

Included in the material provided by WorkSafe were 14 reports of less serious incidents on Grocon sites that resulted in either minor injuries to workers or warnings from the safety regulator.

Among these incidents:    :(

■ In May 2011 steel fell from a crane at the Lonsdale Street building site previously occupied by department store Myer. The steel smashed windows in the Myer and David Jones stores in Little Bourke Street and damaged a glass canopy over the footpath outside Myer.

■ A 21-tonne excavator in operation at the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre tipped over in April 2012, coming to rest on its counterweight.

■ Also at the new cancer centre, excavation work in October last year caused movement beneath Royal Parade, closing part of the road for several weeks.

■ The partial collapse of flooring during a concrete pour at the Lonsdale Street site.

One WorkSafe report also stated that in late 2011, as the builder began demolition work in Lonsdale Street, a piece of concrete dislodged from the facade of the former Myer building and fell eight storeys onto the street. No one was injured.

The $290 million development of the Lonsdale Street site was the focus last year of a blockade by the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union that stopped work on the project and led to Grocon launching a $10.5 million damages claim in the Supreme Court.

The WorkSafe reports on Grocon shed light on the notoriously

dangerous construction industry and range from minor infringements that Grocon staff agreed with WorkSafe to fix to four orders to improve safety and one prohibition notice under which work stopped.

Grocon spokeswoman Jane Wilson said the building industry by its nature presented risks that needed to be managed.

''We believe we have a record as good as any in the industry and one of the lowest time-lost-to-injury rates,'' Ms Wilson said, citing a safety award that the company received from regulator Safe Work Australia last year.

However, an experienced construction worker said that safety standards across the industry were slipping and that major builders such as Grocon needed to improve. ''Other companies aren't doing much better,'' he said.

In the past five years, more than 17,000 injury claims across the construction industry were reported to WorkSafe. These claims cost almost $1 billion in treatment, wages and other expenses.

The Victorian head of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union said the three deaths at the CUB site last month were proof that Grocon did not take safety seriously enough.    >:(

''It was their site, they were in charge of it, and the wall has come over and killed three people,'' said the union's state secretary, John Setka.

Mr Setka defended the march from the CUB site next Tuesday morning, saying it was not inflammatory.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/grocons-safety-failures-20130424-2if8f.html#ixzz2RPnr3T63

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by cods on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 11:25am

wrote on Apr 25^th, 2013 at 6:44am:

Among these incidents:

■ In May 2011 steel fell from a crane at the Lonsdale Street building site previously occupied by department store Myer. The steel smashed windows in the Myer and David Jones stores in Little Bourke Street and damaged a glass canopy over the footpath outside Myer.

■ A 21-tonne excavator in operation at the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre tipped over in April 2012, coming to rest on its counterweight.

■ Also at the new cancer centre, excavation work in October last year caused movement beneath Royal Parade, closing part of the road for several weeks.

■ The partial collapse of flooring during a concrete pour at the Lonsdale Street site.

One WorkSafe report also stated that in late 2011, as the builder began demolition work in Lonsdale Street, a piece of concrete dislodged from the facade of the former Myer building and fell eight storeys onto the street. No one was injured.

The $290 million development of the Lonsdale Street site was the focus last year of a blockade by the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union that stopped work on the project and led to Grocon launching a $10.5 million damages claim in the Supreme Court.

The WorkSafe reports on Grocon shed light on the notoriously

dangerous construction industry and range from minor infringements that Grocon staff agreed with WorkSafe to fix to four orders to improve safety and one prohibition notice under which work stopped.

Grocon spokeswoman Jane Wilson said the building industry by its nature presented risks that needed to be managed.

''We believe we have a record as good as any in the industry and one of the lowest time-lost-to-injury rates,'' Ms Wilson said, citing a safety award that the company received from regulator Safe Work Australia last year.

However, an experienced construction worker said that safety standards across the industry were slipping and that major builders such as Grocon needed to improve. ''Other companies aren't doing much better,'' he said.

In the past five years, more than 17,000 injury claims across the construction industry were reported to WorkSafe. These claims cost almost $1 billion in treatment, wages and other expenses.

The Victorian head of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union said the three deaths at the CUB site last month were proof that Grocon did not take safety seriously enough.

''It was their site, they were in charge of it, and the wall has come over and killed three people,'' said the union's state secretary, John Setka.

Mr Setka defended the march from the CUB site next Tuesday morning, saying it was not inflammatory.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/grocons-safety-failures-20130424-2if8f.html#ixzz2RPnr3T63

I can see there are many problems on a building site....

but what can the owner do to stop pieces of masonry from breaking away and falling to the ground...

there are many walls built around things in this world I hav e one around my home.. how on earth am I meant to prevent that blowing down in a gale????

what about trees what are we meant to do to stop these accidents????????

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by FriYAY on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 11:53am

And thousands of building workers are planning to march next Tuesday from Grocon's Swanston Street CUB site, where a wall collapse last month killed three people including a brother and sister, to WorkSafe's offices in Exhibition Street.

Disgusting bunch of k*nts… >:(

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by cods on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 11:55am

FriYAY wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 11:53am:

they would do more good if they were out making sure no other wall or crane. or tree came down in a gale.. dont you think????

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by thelastnail on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 1:35pm

cods wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 11:25am:

But you are not supposed to bolt on an unauthorized structure that can take off in the wind and knock the wall down onto people :(

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by cods on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 2:07pm

Sir lastnail wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 1:35pm:

cods wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 11:25am:

But you are not supposed to bolt on an unauthorized structure that can take off in the wind and knock the wall down onto people :(

fair enough I didnt see that part... but tell me where were the unions when that went on????...lets not pretend they didnt notice it...

it was a dreadful thing to happen..and if this company is guilty mas you say then the law should take care of it.... its like a tree coming down on a car you are driving... no one can prevent these things.....only in hindsight.

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by buzzanddidj on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 3:16pm

"Don't mention bystander deaths": Napthine, Doyle, industry and leading tabloid
April 25, 2013

UNION plans to "use the tragic deaths" of three pedestrians as the focus for a protest march against construction giant Grocon should be scrapped immediately.

Victorian Trades Hall and the CFMEU are seeking to "make political gain" from the deaths of teenage brother and sister Alexander and Bridget Jones and French researcher Marie-Faith Fiawoo and will start next Tuesday's march from the Swanston St construction site where the wall collapsed on March 28.

A chorus of political and industry leaders - from Premier Denis Napthine, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and the Master Builders Association - yesterday slammed the ploy, saying it was a case of "ugly opportunism" and demanding unions withdraw support for any rally at the former CUB site.

The Herald Sun joins in the condemnation

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/bad-taste-union-tactic-in-using-tragedy-in-protest/story-e6frfhqf-1226629570271

Perhaps Napthine, Doyle, etc should ask the grieving parents and families ?

To try and protect the Melbourne "brand" as a safe tourist destination is ONE thing
To sweep these PREVENTABLE deaths under the carpet is quite ANOTHER

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by woody2013 on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 4:34pm

buzzanddidj wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 3:16pm:

You kunt delete the kids pictures >:( >:(

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by imcrookonit on Apr 30^th, 2013 at 9:59am

Thousands of construction workers to rally at scene of ugly CBD riots last year

Matt Johnston
Herald Sun
April 30, 2013

THOUSANDS of construction workers will this morning rally at the scene of ugly CBD riots that caused chaos last year.    :-?

Authorities are bracing for up to 7000 workers to join a 10am union march to the Swanston St site of the wall collapse that killed three people on March 28.

Later the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union will converge on the Emporium site at Lonsdale St, where officials will address the crowd.    :)

Last year, the CBD ground to a halt amid violence at the Emporium site when officers and union members clashed and police horses were punched.

Police say they will try to minimise disruption during today's march, which will also take in Trades Hall and WorkSafe offices.

Traffic will also be affected, and Yarra Trams has extra staff on hand to divert trams when needed.

The city march today is part of the CFMEU's campaign against what it says is lax safety on building giant Grocon's work sites.    :(

But the Herald Sun can reveal the number of infringement notices Grocon has faced in the past five years is similar to those received by similar-sized firms.

Workplace figures show that out of 142 inspections, Grocon received nine improvement, prohibition or voluntary compliance notices. Most other big builders received between four and 10. However, one company, which has CFMEU safety representatives on sites, received 82 notices in that time.

Workcover Minister Gordon Rich-Phillips said the union's campaign against Grocon was misleading and Victoria had a good workplace safety record.

Premier Denis Napthine yesterday said the union's decision to link its march to the deaths of bystanders Alexander and Bridget Jones and Marie-Faith Fiawoo, was "beneath contempt".

"That is disgraceful behaviour and they should desist," he said.

"The CFMEU should show some dignity and compassion, and consider those people who tragically lost their lives in that wall collapse, and their families."

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said that the rally is insensitive.

"Don’t use a tragic circumstance to make a political point. The CFMEU leadership would gain a lot more respect for their cause if they showed some respect for the families of those who died in that awful tragedy," he told 3AW.

But CFMEU Victorian secretary John Setka hit back, saying workers would hold a minute's silence to remember those who died.

“We have been dignified, we have not said too much about it, we were there, we were pulling the bricks off, we seen what we seen," he told 3AW radio today.

"The Government wasn’t there that day ... and I just think it’s very rich and an absolute disgrace for them to be saying what there are saying about us."    :(

Victoria Police spokeswoman Leonie Johnson said the rally should be finished by midday.

matthew.johnston@news.com.au

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by FriYAY on Apr 30^th, 2013 at 10:07am

Perhaps Napthine, Doyle, etc should ask the grieving parents and families ?

To try and protect the Melbourne "brand" as a safe tourist destination is ONE thing
To sweep these PREVENTABLE deaths under the carpet is quite ANOTHER

Who's is trying to sweep anything under the carpet?

A tourist issue?

What a sick lot of fks you and this disgusting union are.

dam make me feel sick....

Arseholes. >:( >:( >:(

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by FriYAY on Apr 30^th, 2013 at 10:10am

wrote on Apr 30^th, 2013 at 9:59am:

But the Herald Sun can reveal the number of infringement notices Grocon has faced in the past five years is similar to those received by similar-sized firms.

Workplace figures show that out of 142 inspections, Grocon received nine improvement, prohibition or voluntary compliance notices. Most other big builders received between four and 10. However, one company, which has CFMEU safety representatives on sites, received 82 notices in that time.

Workcover Minister Gordon Rich-Phillips said the union's campaign against Grocon was misleading and Victoria had a good workplace safety record.

dam sick pack of fks these union arseholes are.

I'd tear-gas the lot of 'em.

>:(

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by cods on Apr 30^th, 2013 at 10:12am

FriYAY wrote on Apr 30^th, 2013 at 10:07am:

we all know its the usual bully boy actions dont we? no respect whatever get as much advantage out of these deaths as possible.....god help Tony if he ever did something as low as this thats all I can say...

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by Dnarever on Apr 30^th, 2013 at 1:40pm

cods wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 2:07pm:

Sir lastnail wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 1:35pm:

cods wrote on Apr 26^th, 2013 at 11:25am:

But you are not supposed to bolt on an unauthorized structure that can take off in the wind and knock the wall down onto people :(

but tell me where were the unions when that went on????...

The Liberals locked unions out of work sites and used legislation to prevent them from using on site safety inspections.

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by Peter Freedman on May 1^st, 2013 at 3:49pm

Grocon, in particular, go out of their way to keep union officials away.

Is there anything characters like cods don't blame on the unions? :'(

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by The Heartless Felon on May 2^nd, 2013 at 8:40am

Let's see:

.CFMEU members worked on a building/demolition site

.It was the responsibility of the CFMEU members to leave that site in a stable and safe condition

. They didn't and it cost three lives

.BUT it cant have been the incompetence of the workers that caused these deaths

.So let's blame the suits downtown

That right?

Title: Re: Thousands Of Building Workers Planning To March.
Post by imcrookonit on May 2^nd, 2013 at 9:03am

Grocon's shocking safety record. :(

Since the protest outside the Myer Emporium last August it has been one saftey shocker after another from Grocon.

March 28: Wall collapse Swanston St, 3 dead

March 25: Worker skewered in leg by reo bar following scaffold collapse, Myer Emporium site, Lonsdale St

March 21: Crane crews forced to work in 96km/h winds. Load dropped at cancer centre site putting crane out of action and riggers sent out to change crane ropes at Russell St

March 13: Blowout occurs while tensioning slab at Emporium site

February 18: Crane operator Bill Ramsay falls to his death at Emporium site

December 2012: Formwork collapse during concrete pour, Emporium site

October – December 2012: Excavation at cancer centre site undermines and cracks Royal Pde, closing it to traffic for months .

28 September 2012: Dogman’s load struck by lightning after crane works through electrical storm, Emporium

26 September 2012: Carpenter severs finger after being required to dog tower crane illegally, Footscray

Over the past 6 months CFMEU safety advisers have been called to Grocon sites more than 30 times. Grocon management has tried to stop our advisers entering and doing their work.

This is why the CFMEU will never give up our fight to have OHS and union reps elected on Grocon’s sites.

Safety – No Compromise!