Building Commission NSW begins three-day Hunter construction blitz

newy.com.au – Building Commission NSW will spend the next three days inspecting construction sites and meeting with industry, councils and residents across the Hunter as part of its first major campaign of 2026.

The campaign, running from March 16 to 18, will take inspectors and NSW Building Commissioner James Sherrard to Singleton and parts of Maitland and Newcastle, where they will check apartment buildings and freestanding homes for defective work and ensure required signage and insurance are in place.

The Hunter was chosen for the operation because of the scale of its construction sector, with about 700 active construction sites and more than an estimated 17,000 licence holders working across the region.

SafeWork NSW inspectors will join the visits, focusing on falls from heights, falling objects and the safe operation of plant, machinery and equipment. Inspectors will also check that high-risk work is being carried out with the appropriate licences and will speak with industry about psychological health and safety.

A SafeWork NSW compliance blitz in the Hunter last year saw inspectors visit 13 construction sites and issue 17 improvement notices, nine prohibition notices and three penalty notices totalling $13,500.

Building Commission NSW said the Hunter visit would also include meetings with Singleton, Upper Hunter Shire and Muswellbrook Shire councils, community pop-up events in Maitland and Charlestown, visits to Hunter Trade College and Rutherford Technology High School, and an industry event at the University of Newcastle.

The agency said the school visits would be its first to local high schools, with students to hear from staff about compliance, industry knowledge and pathways into the sector.

Mr Sherrard said the visit would help the regulator understand local issues. “This is a great opportunity for Building Commission NSW to connect with community and better understand building issues those in the Hunter are experiencing, and how we can help,” he said.

He said strong building standards would be increasingly important as the region grows. “With the Hunter expected to experience considerable population growth over the next 20 years, it’s more important than ever to ensure we have a robust and capable building industry that can support new and established residents,” Mr Sherrard said.

SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer said the inspections formed part of the agency’s regular compliance work across NSW. “While we are seeing improvements in worksite safety, we are keen to continue ensuring construction workers can stay safe and healthy on the job,” she said.

Building Commission NSW said it visited more than 850 regional sites across the state last year, including an inspection blitz in the Hunter in October, when inspectors visited 41 sites and issued 22 penalty infringement notices, nine written direction notices and 13 rectification orders.