QBCC licence and other fees are set by regulation and increase according to the Government Indexation Rate. For 2024-2025, the Government Indexation Rate is zero percent. Therefore there was no fee increase on 1 July 2024.
This could be the most important thing you do on site today. Reporting a safety incident could save the life of your workers and workmates.
Fatalities and serious injuries on building sites have made it more important than ever for licensees to notify the QBCC quickly of safety incidents onsite.
Safety incidents include death, serious injury or illness, or something that puts a person at risk of serious injury or illness.
Reporting these incidents makes sure that an employer and the QBCC are aware of issues that need to be taken seriously, which helps make the industry safer for everyone.
Any QBCC licensee should report a safety incident as soon as you see or hear about it directly to the QBCC, even if you’ve already reported it to another agency, such as Workplace Health and Safety. Failure to report a safety incident can result in a fine up to $10,000.
Reporting a safety incident is quick and easy, simply complete our form or call us on 139 333.
For more information about the QBCC’s reporting requirements, please visit Report a safety issue or incident.
You can also learn more by visiting Master Builders Queensland and Housing Industry Association.
It’s the time of year when severe weather events can cause havoc to homes and building sites.
Over the last decades many Queenslanders have been affected by, or helped others recover from storms, cyclones, floods or bushfires and know the devastation these events can cause.
Don’t risk your home or your business if a disaster does hit. There are simple things home owners and tradies can do to minimise damage from a natural disaster.
To prepare, or if you are impacted by a natural disaster, see our disaster and recovery information to help get back into your home or back to business.
If you are currently in an emergency situation call 000.
Action by Queensland’s building regulator has helped to increase the safety of Queenslanders following a number of court cases to enforce combustible cladding legislation.
Eighteen building owners, body corporates and individuals pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court between May 2022 and January this year in separate prosecutions brought by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).
QBCC Commissioner, Anissa Levy, said the Safer Buildings Program had helped create more certainty and safety in regard to construction materials used on Queensland buildings.
“These laws help protect us all in the buildings where we live, work and gather, and were introduced following the tragic death of 72 people in London’s Grenfell Tower,” Ms Levy says.
The legislation involved a three-stage process with building owners required to register their building before providing relevant information relating to potentially combustible cladding on their building at each stage of the program.
Building owners were then able to exit the program depending on what was identified in the previous stage/s.
QBCC commenced prosecutions relating to 35 private buildings which resulted in a total of $82,000 in fines and orders to pay $17,750 in legal costs for failing to provide required documentation for potentially combustible cladding on their buildings.
Of the 35 prosecutions commenced, 18 matters entered a timely plea of guilty, with fines imposed ranging between $2,000 and $8,000 for companies, $2,000 to $5,500 for body corporates and $1,500 for individuals.
In the remaining 17 matters, it was determined that cladding had been rectified prior to prosecution proceedings or ultimately found to not be combustible.
Stage 3 required the building owner to provide the QBCC with a cladding checklist, Building Fire Safety Risk Assessment and a report from a registered fire engineer.
“The laws have increased public safety by helping to identify which buildings in Queensland contain combustible cladding on their external walls and any associated risks,” Ms Levy says.
BACKGROUND
Queensland Government changes to the Building Regulation 2006 which commenced on 1 October 2018 required owners of particular buildings to undertake an assessment of the material used on external walls of their building by using a combustible cladding checklist.
The checklist process is designed to identify which buildings are affected by combustible cladding and whether cladding rectification work is likely to be required to achieve an acceptable level of safety. The deadline for building owners to submit the checklist without penalty was 3 May 2021.
Fatalities, serious injuries, and near misses on building sites have continued to heighten the need for greater regulatory oversight.
As a result, in November 2017, legislation was introduced requiring licensees to notify the QBCC of safety matters occurring on building sites.
It is an offence if a licensee does not notify the QBCC in the fastest way possible, which is in addition to the requirement to notify Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ). The quickest way is through this online form.
In addition to investigations and enforcement by WHSQ, where building or other work on a building site under the licensee’s control may have caused death or grievous bodily harm or involved a serious risk to the health or safety of a person, the QBCC also has a legislated role concerning safety.
Where there has been a safety incident, the QBCC has discretionary power to suspend or cancel a licence, impose a monetary penalty, impose conditions on a licence, or reprimand licensees.
All licensees, including head contractors and sub-contractors, should have safe systems of work in place and be able to appropriately evidence these systems when required. This means having documented safety plans and showing that they comply.
The QBCC and WHSQ work closely and share information to collaboratively monitor safety issues and risks, including identifying licensees that potentially pose a high safety risk.
We all have a role in ensuring we operate within a safe and successful building industry. Licensees are encouraged to review the suitability of their safety systems, as this ensures that plans are fit for purpose and are being properly complied with on-site and within their scopes of work.
Learn more about the requirement to notify the QBCC of a Safety Matter.
Fraser Coast and Gympie residents seeking help and information about flood-related home repairs and rebuilding have been urged to contact the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).
QBCC Commissioner, Richard Cassidy, said the QBCC had always stepped up to help Queenslanders following natural disasters, and the QBCC’s skills and experience would now assist residents affected by ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth.
He said anyone seeking information about building-related work should visit the QBCC website, and anyone with questions should submit a general enquiry online, or phone the QBCC on 139 333.
“This is a difficult time for many people, including our local staff but the QBCC is here to help provide reassurance and guidance about compliant, safe building work,” Mr Cassidy said.
He urged property owners to only ever use licensed contractors, and to use contracts for any building work valued over $3,300.
The QBCC website has a free search tool to help identify and contact local licensees and a variety of building contracts for free download, including a Natural Disaster Repairs Contract.
The QBCC website also has extensive information for home owners and contractors about rebuilding after flood events, including information on repairs to damaged plasterboard, timber, and timber homes.
In addition to these services, the QBCC office at 302 Alice Street, Maryborough, is open 9am-5pm weekdays.