For many years, AMWU members have called for tighter regulation over the quality of work performed on structural steel.
Our members are fed up with poor-quality fabrication and welding work being performed by people with no boilermaker qualifications, and they’re fed up with having to repair welding that has been done by somebody who cannot weld properly.
The AMWU firmly believes that this work should be done by the experts. The performance of fabrication and welding work by people who aren’t suitably qualified jeopardizes the safety of not only workers, but also the general public.
It is made clear in the Australian Standards that apply to this work that untested persons are not allowed to weld on structural steel. And yet, a loophole in the Queensland licencing scheme allows for this dangerous practice to persist. While structural steel work done on Queensland Construction sites must be done by a Licenced Contractor (who must be a qualified Boilermaker), the Contractor can employ or subcontract out this work – and there’s no requirement for the person who does the work to have any minimum qualification.
That’s why we’re fighting to have the Queensland Government create an occupational Licence for Boilermakers who work on Structural Steel on Queensland Construction sites.
JOIN THE BOILERMAKER LICENSING CAMPAIGN
To build a compelling case for the introduction of Boilermaker licensing in Queensland, we need evidence of poor-quality fabrication and welding being done on structural steel on Queensland building construction sites as a result of unqualified people performing boilermaking work.
If you have any photos of substandard welds or fabrication done on structural steel on a Queensland construction site, please send them via SMS to Kylie Gates on 0407 473 023 or email them to [email protected]
If you have a story you would like to tell, or if you’d like to have a chat about the campaign, please contact Jason Stein on 0413 133 587.