Union safety expert denied access

Date: 29 October 2008

Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd has this morning denied CFMEU National Health and Safety Officer, Martin Kingham access to the site of the catastrophic collapse of formwork and cement, which put at risk workers' lives on Monday.

The CFMEU ACT Branch has called for an audit of all formwork on construction sites in light of the collapse and has brought in Mr Kingham who is regarded as the Union's expert on all occupational health and safety issues.

The CFMEU is extremely concerned that, despite numerous complaints about safety on the site, Leighton has refused to allow the union access to ensure that the workers safety is protected.

Mr Kingham this morning stated: "The CFMEU's first priority is to look after workers' safety and I am disgusted that on a site where over 100 people could have lost their lives on Monday, Leighton are today refusing to let me on site to make sure that further lives are not put at risk."

Secretary of the ACT Branch of the CFMEU Ms Sarah Schoonwater this morning spoke directly to Leighton's senior IR Manager, Mr Bob Bush, and was told that no access to the site would be granted to Mr Kingham to check the formwork and other serious safety issues raised by workers.

"Despite the CFMEU this week working cooperatively with managers on site to ensure that all workers were provided with trauma and critical incident debriefings, Leighton now appears to have changed its position," Ms Schoonwater said.

The CFMEU is calling on all principal contractors in Canberra to allow Mr Kingham to do his work of making sure workers' lives are not put at risk and to prevent another incident such as occurred on Monday happening again.

For further information

Contact:	Sarah Schoonwater - Branch Secretary
Union:	CFMEU ACT
Phone:	02 6257 1599
WWW:	http://www.cfmeu.asn.au

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