Unions welcome improved safety and training for insulation scheme and support it continuing

30 November, 2009 | Media Release Unions have welcomed today’s announcement by the Federal Government that it will boost safety and training standards for the Home Insulation Program.

Unions had called for extra safeguards following the tragic deaths of three young men during the installation of insulation in house ceilings in recent weeks.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said the Government had acted promptly to community concerns.

“The insulation program is an important part of the Government’s stimulus package and will lead to tangible reductions of household energy costs and carbon emissions,” Ms Burrow said.

“It has already supported tens of thousands of jobs and by its end in two years, more than 2 million houses will have been fitted with insulation.

“Unions have always supported the scheme, but we have become concerned by recent reports of accidental deaths during the installation of ceiling insulation.

“Following discussions with the Government, we have suspended our call for the program to be halted.

“Provided there is substantial improvement in safety standards and risk assessment, better training, and a bigger role for qualified tradespeople, the program should go ahead.

“The work of contractors under this program must be properly policed with strict compliance to the new standards.

“Any recently installed insulation that does not meet acceptable standards of quality, workmanship or safety to the public also needs to be re-examined.

“Shonky operators who put lives at risk also need to be driven out of the industry, and the Government’s proposed name and shame register will help achieve this.

“We reject the politically opportunistic calls by the Opposition for the scheme to be shut down. This is a valuable program that will create jobs, save energy costs for families and reduce greenhouse gases.”

Ms Burrow said new Government procurement guidelines should apply to the $42 billion stimulus and infrastructure program so that any businesses receiving taxpayer funding respect workers’ rights, provide adequate training and ensure safe workplaces.

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Today’s media statement follows a call yesterday by the ACTU for urgent improvements to the safety, training and licensing standards of its Ceiling Insulation Stimulus Scheme.

The tragic recent deaths of three young workers — two by electrocution and one by heat stress — demonstrates this is a very dangerous job which requires extra safeguards.

Unions are concerned there a number of businesses which have recently entered the industry to take advantage of the Federal Government scheme which are cutting corners with safety and training, at the expense of workers’ lives.

Last week it was reported that a 19 year old man died on Saturday 24 November from heat stress after working the day before in the suffocating heat of a ceiling cavity in St Clair in Sydney’s west. It was his first day on the job.