13 - 27 July 2021 / COVID-19

Masks now mandated on construction sites

The NSW Government requires everyone in Greater Sydney to wear a face mask in the following circumstances:

in indoor areas of construction sites
in all indoor areas of non-residential premises
at certain outdoor gatherings
if you are on public transport
in a major recreation facility such as a stadium
if you are working in a hospitality venue

Overall, as a precaution to keep our people safe, Hutchies prefers that everyone wears a mask everywhere across our sites and in our offices during this time.

There are some exceptions to wearing face masks, including when clear visibility of your mouth is important for safety reasons on site or for particular medical conditions (which should be verified by a medical certificate).

Working from home

The construction industry in NSW is still considered an essential service and sites remain open. It is vital that Hutchies’ people are fully implementing the necessary mask wearing, social distancing, hygiene and cleaning measures on sites and in offices (detailed here).

Given that the outbreak is worsening, it is also important that anyone who can work from home does work from home.

Only absolutely essential activities should be undertaken in a Hutchies’ office at this time.

Please ensure you have discussed arrangements with your Team Leader. If you have any questions about whether this applies to you, ask your Team Leader.

Recommended testing for tradies

The NSW Premier has highly recommended that any tradies who work across multiple job sites get tested.

This is following several new cases which have been working on multiple construction sites across Greater Sydney while infectious with COVID-19.

Verify information with NSW Health

In the event you are contacted by a third party with information about potential positive cases, it is important that this is verified with NSW Health before any action is taken. Call NSW Health on 13 77 88.

You should also immediately alert your Team Leader to anyone who contacts you with information relating to the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Check in with Service NSW

It is now a requirement for everyone to check in using Service NSW's QR code system when they enter businesses and workplaces. This includes Hutchies' offices and job sites. Please ensure you check in daily.

The Service NSW check in does not remove Hutchies' standard sign in process. You must still sign in as normal and now also use the Service NSW QR code check in. We do not have access to Service NSW's data and must continue to maintain our own site attendance in case of an emergency.

Venues of concern

With over 300 exposure sites and the list continuing to grow as further cases are detected in the community, it is vital that you continue to review locations daily. If you have been to any at the date and time listed, inform your Team Leader and follow the health advice from the NSW Government.

Full restrictions for Greater Sydney

Stay at home orders continue in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour until at least 11.59pm on Friday 16 July 2021.

You must stay home. Only leave your home if you have an essential reason to do so.

If you must leave home, stay within your local area. Do not travel outside your local area if you can avoid it.

Limit your physical contact with other households. Restrictions on visitors to a residence have changed.

Coronavirus Information

View

Other Recent Activities

View all activities

30 October / Quality Alert

Prohibition on the Use of Engineered Stone

Engineered stone ban effective 1 July 2024

ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage will be banned

Alternative products must be considered and implemented on all projects.

The industry is shifting away from engineered stone due to the risks of respirable crystalline silica, which can cause silicosis and other silica-related diseases. Although the consultations are under way and there has been no official announcement by Federal or State Governments on the issue, the health and safety risks along with the uncertainty around this issue warrants a decision to ban all engineered products entering job sites nationally. The ban will take effect on 1July 2024 and will extend to ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage.

An update to this alert will be provided before the end of the year when the Federal and State Governments are expected to issue a formal decision on the ban. In the meantime, to mitigate the impact of potential delays and variations, the best approach is to inform the clients of the pending ban and to propose and seek approval for an alternative product. Similarly, ensure all future estimates have the stone specification qualified and priced accordingly.

Product alternatives going forward include:

Compact Laminates

Under 1% silica content
Extremely competitive pricing
Only comes in 12mm thickness
Heat resistance is an issue
Product not suitable for high end applications

Porcelain Surfaces

Under 10% silica content
Price dependant of product and supplier
Large variety of colours and thicknesses (4, 8, 12, 20 and 30mm)
Great resistance to staining, scratches, UV and heat
Good warranty terms

Acrylic Solid Surfaces

0% silica content
More expensive alternative
Limited thickness availability
UV stable and heat resistant but direct heat exposure not advised
Minimising wastage through flexibility in sheet sizing
Seamless joints

Natural Stone*

Various silica content percentages
Variety of products at different price points available
Ongoing maintenance may be an issue
Unlikely to satisfy specific warranty requirements

*Although this alert does not directly impact natural stone, some types have high silica content so risk of using these on projects should be considered carefully.

For an up-to-date list of available products and their usability, click here.

More information

If you need additional support, please contact the Quality Team:

Phone 1300 HUTCHIES
Email QualityTeam@hutchinsonbuilders.com.au

10 October / Update

Installation Details for Elephant's Foot & Wastech Bin Chutes

Make sure bin chute systems are installed correctly, following the tested systems and the manufacturers’ instructions.

Check the detailed drawings from Elephant’s Foot and Wastech for different wall types (plasterboard, shaft-liner, speed panel, concrete, Hebel, and masonry).

Any changes to the tested systems must be approved by your project certifier, signed off by the fire engineer in the fire engineering report (FER), and accepted by the relevant state / territory fire service.