A driver whose car was sprayed with wet concrete from a Footscray building site is calling for stricter compliance with construction regulations.
Catherine McDonald was stopped at traffic lights on the corner of Hopkins and Cowper streets on August 25 when her car was sprayed with concrete from the construction site of the new Riverina apartments.
Ms McDonald said a number of other vehicles at the intersection were also sprayed.
The apartments are being built by AZX Group construction arm Cenvic Construction Company.
“I believe responsibility for ensuring compliance with building regulations and permits is that of Maribyrnong Council,” she said.
“When I rang the council to complain I was first told that it was not a council responsibility … then, only after considerable insistence, was told that council would send a compliance officer to the site and hurriedly palmed off with a phone number for the property sales company,” she said.
Maribyrnong council planning services director Nigel Higgins said management on site confirmed a pipe on the concrete pump had come free during a pour on the 12th floor.
“Construction management on site confirmed that during a concrete pour on the 12th floor, a pipe on the concrete pump let go, resulting in a number of vehicles in Hopkins Street being sprayed with wet concrete,” he said.
“Some drivers went to the construction site and reported the incident and were assisted in cleaning the vehicles with no reported damage as a result. No injuries were reported either.”
The council has ordered the company to undertake a risk assessment and put protection into place to stop such incidents occurring again.
“As Worksafe is the most appropriate body to investigate this matter, they were to be notified by the construction company,” Mr Higgins said.
“No enforcement action will be undertaken by council at this point, although we will be in communication with them to ensure their risk assessment is completed and action taken to reduce any further risk.”
“No enforcement action will be undertaken by council at this point,” he said
Worksafe and the AZX Group did not respond by time of publication.
