AS Newcastle's billion-dollar commercial construction boom continues, new figures reveal a sharp decline in the number of workplace safety inspections and penalties.
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The information, secured by Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, raised criticism of the state government regulator's "poor approach" to keeping workers safe.
According to the data, following questions put by Mr Crakanthorp to NSW Better Regulation and Innovation Minister Kevin Anderson in parliament, SafeWork NSW inspections at Newcastle building sites dropped from 149 in 2018 to 115 last year.
Over the same time period, the number of prohibition notices issued to builders dropped from 15 to six and the number of improvement notices dropped from 25 to two.
There have been 51 inspections to the end of May this year, no improvement notices were issued and one prohibition notice.
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) coordinator Brendan Holl said SafeWork was "not doing its job".
"If they are that heavily under-resourced that needs to be fixed," he said.
"They should be doing a lot more than what they are doing, they are there to protect workers."
The Newcastle Herald reported in April that the city's construction boom was "masking a tragedy waiting to happen" according to workers and union officials who blew the whistle on builders repeatedly flouting safety rules.
A host of pictures and videos revealed the dark side of the boom and raised questions about the state of safety on some sites.
When SafeWork refused to reveal details about inspections it had carried out in the region, Mr Crakanthorp raised the issue twice in parliament to get answers.
Mr Holl said the regulator was consistently acting as a mediator, instead of "enforcing laws designed to keep workers safe".
"Too often complaints are falling on deaf ears," he said.
"SafeWork is not holding builders accountable, it's like they are too scared to issue prohibition notices."
Exclusive pictures and video supplied to the Newcastle Herald revealed a host of serious safety breaches ranging from fall from heights risks to major scaffolding defects and non-compliant building practices.
SafeWork NSW carried out 12 inspections in Newcastle as part of a statewide safety blitz on scaffolding last year. The biggest safety concerns identified were falls and electrical problems, but no penalty notices were issued.
In 2018, 27 inspections were carried out in Newcastle as part of a falls from height blitz. Scaffolding and electrical problems were identified, but no penalty notices were issued.
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