Construction Industry on the Up
The number of new homes being built in Sydney has hit a ten year high, new figures have shown. The report, released by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, show a 35% increase of homes built since last financial year, and the highest figure since 2003/4. New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell said of the figures, “housing is such a crucial economic driver because of the jobs it creates and the flow on investment as people buy new appliances, carpet, blinds and furnishings.” The rise in the number of homes built will also have an affect on access hire in Sydney as construction workers need quick access to quality equipment.
The growth in the construction industry in the state, which will see an increase in access hire across Sydney, will become part of a national trend towards developing infrastructure. The recently elected Liberal Government is looking at looking at innovative capital markets funding to fire up investment in construction and infrastructure and offset any negative effects on economic growth from spending cuts, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The figures have already shown improvement in Australia’s residential construction sector, with the total number of dwelling approvals jumping 10.8% in July, seasonally adjusted, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. It’s the first rise in three months for what is a key indicator of the health of the economy.
The increase in the construction industry relies heavily on services such as access hire. Hiring equipment from reputable companies such as Power Access, located in Sydney, is an attractive option for site workers. It is inexpensive compared to buying new equipment for jobs, site workers can rely on the quality of the hired equipment, and it is a convenient option for workers when both short and long term options are available for access hire in Sydney and Australia-wide. Hiring your equipment also gives you the advantage of having the equipment for only the length of time you need it, instead of needing to keep it there for the entirety of the job because it was owned, or spending money on a storage facility. Keeping equipment on sites for longer than needed adds to the risk of it being stolen.
According to forconstructionpros.com, in addition to access hire mobile equipment (backhoe-loaders, skid steers, compact excavators, generators, etc.), commonly stolen items include lumber, bricks/pavers, wire, cable, rebar and even steel beams. Essentially, anything left out in the open, unlocked or unguarded has become fair game for thieves. To minimise the risk of losses from your sites, of your own equipment and access equipment, it’s important to have a theft prevention plan in place. Prior to starting a project, identify items that could be at greatest risk. Then work with your field staff to identify ways to make a thief’s job more difficult.
The NSW Police say that thieves are resourceful and anything on a Sydney building site is vulnerable, so be sure to take a look at their pamphlet on ‘How To Prevent Building Site Theft’. Thefts can delay construction projects by weeks and cost thousands of dollars in lost revenue. In extreme cases, contracts can be lost. There are measures you can take to prevent theft at your jobsite, such as these from Construction Digital:
- Identify, log and track all assets and property
- Secure unused tools and equipment, and lock or guard job site gates
- Control and limit site keys to only those who need them
- Illuminate the construction job site around all trailers, storage areas, and access points; include motion detectors or passive infrared sensors
- Install fencing around the entire job site, or at least around trailers and material storage areas
- Post ‘No Trespassing’ signs as these are often an effective deterrent
- Sometimes it will be necessary to employ the services of security companies with guard dogs and surveillance systems
Hiring access equipment is an important aspect of construction work in Sydney and indeed Australia-wide. By safeguarding your jobsite you can ensure cost effectiveness and the long-term reliability of hired access equipment. If you have any questions or concerns about equipment, be sure to chat to the friendly team at Power Access.
Power Access service Sydney metro, Newcastle and Wollongong areas, and Australia wide for short and long term equipment hire.