Finally, the WorkCover New South Wales (NSW) and the builders of the Wollongong Central Shopping Centre expansion have reached the agreement to preserve the highest standards of workplace safety and injury management during the life of the $200 million project.
The safety agreement was signed both by the representatives of WorkCover NSW and Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd., the builders of the Wollongong Central Shopping Centre expansion. The two parties will work hand in hand to ensure that the potential work health and safety issues are identified and dealt with proactively.
Recognizing a safety agreement is very important in a high-risk business like this. The construction industry is considered one of high risk industries in New South Wales with 9,253 injuries and illnesses, including 10 fatalities during in 2010 to 2011.
Peter Dunphy, the acting General Manager of WorkCover NSW Work Health and Safety Division affirmed that both parties were really committed to communication, consultation, cooperation and industry leadership. WorkCover NSW have been working with more than 265,000 businesses and employee representatives across the state with the primary objective of ensuring the safety of around three million workers in New South Wales, Australia.
Both parties are willing to look for ways to reduce any work health and safety risks to workers over the life of this important local development. WorkCover is acknowledging the fact that those who are exposed to risks on a daily basis are well placed to assist with the development of specific and effective work health and safety solutions. By working collaboratively with Hansen Yuncken, they can deliver practical and cost-effective solutions which provide sustainable improvements to work health and safety, injury management and return-to-work programs within the highest risk industry segments.
The $200 million expansion of Wollongong Central will bring a lot of benefits to the people of the Ilawarra region, New South Wales. The project is expected to create 800 retail jobs in the region. Jobs will be placed in 18,000 square metres of new retail space in three levels. An additional of 80 new retailers on fashion, lifestyle, fresh food and casual dining options is anticipated as well. Hence, the total number of stores will be over 220. A new Coles Supermarket will be built that will offer a full-range of products. The business space will add 650 new car spaces to produce a total of more than 2,000 car spaces.
Both Hansen Yuncken and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) believe that the large-scale project would really have wide-ranging benefits to the state. State Manager Adam Towner believes that the people of Illawarra is very proud of this very large project expansion. In the next two years, Towner is expecting around 7,500 construction workers spend more than 1.5 million man-hours restoring the new retail destination that proudly reflects the rich culture and the natural beauty of the Illawarra.
Towner said that they were also very proud to sign this partnership with WorkCover NSW. Through this agreement there will be further improvement in the the already high work health and safety standards.
