22 June 2012

Clean-up needed in industry full of cowboy operators

The union representing security guards has called for a clean-up in the industry following the news that the Department of Labour is to prosecute over the death of a security guard on a Fulton Hogan worksite.

SFWU Security Industry Leader Jill Ovens said Fulton Hogan must take responsibility for Charanpreet Dhaliwal’s death as they hired a cowboy operator and did not ensure that safety systems were in place on that site.

“It is well past time the industry was cleaned up,” said Jill Ovens.

“Successive governments have promised to regulate the security industry. All security officers were supposed to be trained to National Certificate level but the National Government put this off for the Rugby World Cup because hundreds of casuals were hired. Charapreet was one of them. Since then nothing has happened."

Jill Ovens said security guards are not offered training and ‘cowboy’ companies undercut reputable security companies by paying the minimum wage.

“The industry is full of cowboys,” she said.

“In Charapeet’s case he was ‘on trial’ and not being paid at all. It is disgusting that an untrained guard was put on a site where there have been burglaries and there are no welfare checks.”

Jill Ovens said reputable companies such as ADT and First Security have proper health and safety procedures.

“They check on the welfare of their guards every hour. If they can’t get hold of them, a patrol officer is dispatched,” she said.

“The cowboys have no regards for the health and safety of the guards. Because security is contracted out, owners of the building or site wash their hands of the responsibility. This has to end or more lives will be lost.”

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