ETU calls out unsafe working conditions on solar farm

The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) says video and images from a solar farm construction site in the NSW Central West are evidence of dangerous working conditions and that lives are at risk.

Allen Hicks, Deputy Secretart ETU NSW & ACT Branch, called the conditions “disgraceful” and life-endangering to ETU members. He said multiple safety breaches have occurred on the site, including movement of a shipping container via mobile crane over a lunch room with workers inside who were oblivious to the activity.

“An exclusion zone should have been set up for the operation involving the shipping container, which was being lifted by a mobile crane,” Hicks said.

“Instead, our members weren’t told it was happening and were shocked to realise a shipping container, which could easily crush them, was being moved right over their heads.

“Multiple complaints have been made but instead of making improvements, the company terminated the health and safety representative on this site.

“Clearly, basic safety standards are not being enforced and breaches are being swept under the rug,” Hicks said.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/DOC RABE Media