A sawmill’s risks extend well beyond the saw blade. Moving logs, forklifts, conveyors, noise, dust, maintenance and production pressure can combine to put workers and visitors in danger. SafeWork NSW’s Sawmilling industry Code of Practice, May 2026, commenced on 22 May 2026 and replaces the 1997 code. Here are the practical questions workers, representatives and managers can use to check whether the whole operation is being managed safely. This is an awareness guide, not inst

A rooftop air-conditioning unit or solar array is not just an installation project. It creates a continuing need for people to inspect, clean, repair and eventually remove equipment. The safety question is therefore not simply, “How will the installer get up there?” It is, “How will every future worker reach and leave the work area safely?” SafeWork NSW’s Work on roofs – commercial and industrial buildings code, published in May 2026 and commencing on 22 May 2026, addresses t

A one-storey building does not make a fall harmless. Workers can fall from ladders, through an unfinished floor, into a stairwell or service pit, or from a roof edge. Preventing those incidents means planning the construction sequence and protection before people are exposed, not relying on a warning to “be careful”. SafeWork NSW’s Managing the risk of falls in housing construction code gives detailed guidance for the housing work within its scope. This article explains what

Underground work depends on more than the skill of the person operating a machine. Design decisions, contractor coordination, changing ground conditions, reliable communications and emergency arrangements all affect whether people can work safely. SafeWork NSW's Tunnels and shafts in construction Code of practice, August 2026, commenced on 28 August 2026 and replaced the 2006 code. It covers planning, design, construction, installation and commissioning, as well as tunnel mai

A ladder, raised truck body, tree branch or buried cable can turn ordinary maintenance into a fatal electrical incident. Direct contact is not always necessary. Electricity can arc across a gap, and objects touching a live line can become dangerous themselves. SafeWork NSW's Work near overhead and underground electric lines Code of Practice, May 2026, commenced on 22 May 2026, replacing the 2006 overhead-power-lines code. It addresses work near electric lines, with specific s

A grain silo can look quiet while concealing serious hazards. Stored material can move unexpectedly, machinery can entangle a person, and an apparently empty space can contain a dangerous atmosphere. Familiarity with the farm does not make those hazards disappear. The NSW Safe use and design of bulk storage silos and bins code commenced on 22 May 2026. It replaced the 2005 design code and the 2006 safe-use code. Its scope is agricultural bulk storage silos and bins, including