Scaffolding collapse at Sydney building site raises safety concerns

A section of scaffolding at a Sydney building site partially collapsed onto parked cars on Saturday, narrowly missing drivers on the street. The incident occurred just before 6:45pm on Wattle Street in the inner-city suburb of Ultimo.

No one was injured in the collapse, but CCTV footage shows the scaffolding giving way due to strong winds. SafeWork NSW said inspectors attended the site and issued regulatory notices, including a prohibition notice to the site managers.

Lisa, a resident who lives a few doors down from the site, said she heard a loud bang and initially thought a sheet of metal was being dragged across the street.

"There was a bit of wind, and there was a loud sound of metal on the road," she said.

She only realised what happened after reviewing her security video.

"I think the structure they had on the front of the building wasn't secure," she said.

"The scaffolding and the additional panels that they placed to prevent any bricks from going over it when they demolished subsequently was … not secured, and then fell on the road."

Macroview Projects, which is managing the development, has been contacted for comment.

Residents raise safety concerns

A wall and roof collapsed at the same Ultimo building site onto a nearby petrol station last month, seriously injuring two men, one in his 60s and the other in his 30s. The two men were pulled from rubble and taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Lisa said work had only recently resumed at the site after being halted for weeks.

"It raises concerns over what is happening at that building site, and the safety precautions that are going into what should be the demolition," she said.

"It is a concern that this has happened twice in two months on the same place."

Lisa said she was relieved no-one had been hurt this time, but that the collapse had come at a cost to others.

"There are costs to other people, such as the cars that were affected last time … Coles Express, where its forecourt was closed for eight weeks, so it couldn't sell any petrol for eight weeks, and now cars in front of the building are being damaged."

SafeWork NSW are investigating the incident.