Building collapse blamed on workplace laws
Pitt Street between George and Market was closed by a flotilla of police, fire and rescue vehicles last week when a concrete slab on a demolition site collapsed. A worker operating heavy machinery had felt the slab vibrating and, after bracing himself, rode the machine down.
The collapse, on the site of the old Greater Union cinema complex, injured three pedestrians.
A CMFEU representative afterwards blamed federal workplace laws which prevented his union entering the site to conduct safety inspections. He said a worker had also been injured.
Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon urged the state government to act on workplace safety laws.
“These incidents serve as a wake up call to the NSW government to stand up to Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Work Health and Safety proposal that, if introduced, would downgrade job safety in NSW.
“The ACTU has criticised the Gillard plan and it is time the Keneally government publicly backed the peak union body on this issue.”
The accident, which happened about 4pm on 25 May on the Grocon site, hospitalised the three pedestrians although the injuries were not serious.
by Michael Gormly
