The government agency charged with looking after workplace health and safety, Work Cover, has raised concerns about The Levee that have been brought to their attention by community members.
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But Maitland City Council says that it is common practice for Work Cover to be in contact with contractors involved in major projects.
A Work Cover spokeswoman told the Mercury that the agency had recently sent one of its inspectors to look at the portion of High Street, Maitland, that has been a construction zone since last June.
She said Work Cover had alerted council to health and safety concerns in the area such as slippery tiles, unsafe walkways and traffic hazards related to a pedestrian crossing.
“Work Cover has been notified by members of the public concerned about the health and safety issues arising from the construction work under way on The Levee project in High Street, Maitland,” the spokeswoman said.
“A Work Cover inspector has attended the site and the issues have also been brought to the attention of the Maitland City Council as the principal owner of the site.”
A Maitland council spokesman said it was common practice for Work Cover to contact contractors during construction projects the size and scale of The Levee development.
“Work Cover staff have visited the site on occasion, and have reviewed the contractor’s Work, Health and Safety systems, with positive outcomes from these visits,” the spokesman said.
“Council encourages anyone who has a genuine safety concern about the development to bring the issue directly to council’s attention, either at the open house held each Tuesday [from 1pm to 3pm at 396 High Street], or by calling council’s customer service centre on 4934 9700 so that it can be addressed.”
Work Cover is a state government agency that aims to increase competitiveness in the NSW economy by making sure that workplaces remain productive and safe.