10 August 2021 / COVID-19

New Construction Site Requirements in Greater Sydney

The NSW Government has announced new requirements for workers and construction sites across Greater Sydney.

Whilst we are still awaiting the official Health Directive, we understand that from 12.01am on Wednesday (11 August), all construction sites will be able to reopen across Greater Sydney albeit with two new requirements as outlined below.

Hutchies' focus is to make this new information available to all workers and subcontractors across NSW immediately. We are developing further detail for site entry requirements which will be issued in coming days. Team Leaders will also work with members of their team who reside in the affected LGAs with regards to coordinating their return to work.

New requirements announced by NSW Government in place from 12.01am Wednesday 11 August

  1. Construction sites can operate at a maximum capacity of 50%; and
  2. Construction workers from affected areas can return to work but must provide evidence that they have received:
    1. two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, or
    2. one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 3 weeks before attending work, or
    3. one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and, if less than 3 weeks since that vaccine was administered, a negative COVID-19 test in the previous 72 hours and this must be repeated for the first 3 weeks following the initial vaccine dose

Maximum construction site capacity

Hutchies' Teams will work with all subcontractors to establish workforce requirements across each trade to ensure optimal productivity across our sites.

Immediate steps people from affected LGAs should take

If you reside in one of the affected suburbs or local government areas (LGAs) listed below, to work on site you must:

  • Get a vaccination as soon as possible
  • Get a COVID-19 test as soon as possible if you have only had one vaccine and that dose was less than three weeks ago (so you have evidence of a negative test result before sites open on Wednesday) and continue to do so every 72 hours for the first 3 weeks

Naturally Hutchies is committed to complying with all Health Order requirements. Once the Health Order is released we will work with everyone to ensure compliance with these new requirements.

Vaccination options

Everyone in New South Wales over the age of 18 is eligible to get vaccinated.

AstraZeneca is widely available whereas Pfizer is currently being targeted to certain priority groups.

Vaccination is free and does not require Medicare.

Walk-in Clinics

AstraZeneca vaccinations are available in walk-in clinics to anyone aged over 18 years old.

No appointment or GP referral is necessary.

Bilingual health workers are available at each clinic to answer questions about vaccines.

Pharmacies / GPs / State Hubs

Pharmacies, GPs and state hubs are also administering COVID-19 vaccines to people aged 18 and over.

You can book an appointment via the eligibility checker. 

If you have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, talk to your doctor first.

Super Sunday at Olympic Park

If you cannot find a suitable option for vaccination, construction workers have also been invited for priority vaccination at the mass vaccine hub at Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday 15 August.

Testing options

Testing clinics across Greater Sydney have extended operating hours to enable more testing capacity under these new requirements.

Residents of affected suburbs / local government areas who have only had one dose of the vaccine, and that dose was less than three weeks ago, must present evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result every 72 hours (3 days). Testing must be done regardless of whether you have symptoms or not.

If you are in this category, we recommend being tested every 48 hours for the first 3 weeks following the first dosage of the vaccine for continuous coverage to attend work.

Affected suburbs / LGAs

These new health order requirements are focused on the 9 local government areas (LGAs) and some suburbs of Penrith LGA as at today.

Unsure of your LGA? Check here asap

Affect LGA Affected LGAAffected LGA
BlacktownCumberlandLiverpool
CampbelltownFairfieldParramatta
Canterbury-BankstownGeorges River Penrith (some suburbs)

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30 October / Quality Alert

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 1 July 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

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10 October / Update

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.

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