Milestone 500 companies reached for WHS Accreditation Scheme

Over the past 15 years the Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner has been committed to ensuring industry best practice safety is implemented by companies accredited under the Australian Government building and construction Work Health and Safety Accreditation Scheme (the Scheme). The number of Australian construction companies gaining accreditation has grown, with the number of companies surpassing 500 in June 2020 for the first time, a significant milestone for both the Scheme and industry.

Companies must gain Scheme accreditation to carry out building work funded by the Commonwealth. Since the establishment of the Scheme, the total value of construction projects covered by the Scheme has risen to more than $137 billion. Scheme accredited companies have lower lost time injury frequency rates and pay lower workers compensation premium rates than the industry averages.

Federal Safety Commissioner David Denney said, “As the Australian construction industry continues to grow, it’s important that the Scheme grows with it. The Scheme is viewed as the highest standard of safety; a benchmark that my office has reached in collaboration with companies willing to take on the responsibility of making safety a priority.”

Scheme accredited companies account for approximately 30–40% of annual turnover in the building and construction industry.

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