28 September 2021 / COVID-19

Additional mask rules for Brisbane and Moreton Bay

Masks remain mandatory in the local government areas (LGAs) of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Redlands, Moreton Bay, Scenic Rim, Somerset and Lockyer Valley.

Today the Queensland Government re-introduced stricter mandatory mask rules specifically for the LGAs of Brisbane and Moreton Bay in response to 4 locally acquired cases announced earlier this morning.

Please ensure you follow the Government's new requirements below if you live or work in the Brisbane or Moreton Bay LGA.

If you are unsure which LGA you live or work in, check here.

Outdoors (including on construction sites)

You must wear a face mask when you are unable to stay 1.5 metres from people, including when you are at an outdoor workplace, unless:
you are alone or with the members of your household
you are alone in your car or with the members of your household
you are eating or drinking
you are participating in strenuous exercise
it is unsafe to wear a mask

Indoors (including in Hutchies' Toowong office and on sites)

You must wear a face mask at all times when you are indoors, including workplaces, unless:

  • you are alone in an office or meeting room with the door closed
  • you are at your residence and there is no one else there except people you live with
  • you are eating or drinking
  • it is unsafe to wear a mask

For more information, check out the update below

New exposure sites

Please ensure you check the latest exposure sites list regularly as new venues of concern will likely be added as a result of these 4 local cases. 

If you have been to any of the venues of concern at the date and time identified, inform your Team Leader, get tested and follow the direction listed by Queensland Healt

Other Recent Activities

View all activities
30 October / Quality Alert

Engineered stone ban effective 1 July 2024

ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage will be banned


Alternative products must be considered and implemented on all projects.

The industry is shifting away from engineered stone due to the risks of respirable crystalline silica, which can cause silicosis and other silica-related diseases. Although the consultations are under way and there has been no official announcement by Federal or State Governments on the issue, the health and safety risks along with the uncertainty around this issue warrants a decision to ban all engineered products entering job sites nationally. The ban will take effect on 1 July 2024 and will extend to ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage. 

An update to this alert will be provided before the end of the year when the Federal and State Governments are expected to issue a formal decision on the ban. In the meantime, to mitigate the impact of potential delays and variations, the best approach is to inform the clients of the pending ban and to propose and seek approval for an alternative product. Similarly, ensure all future estimates have the stone specification qualified and priced accordingly.

Product alternatives going forward include:

Compact Laminates

  • Under 1% silica content
  • Extremely competitive pricing
  • Only comes in 12mm thickness
  • Heat resistance is an issue
  • Product not suitable for high end applications

Porcelain Surfaces

  • Under 10% silica content
  • Price dependant of product and supplier
  • Large variety of colours and thicknesses (4, 8, 12, 20 and 30mm)
  • Great resistance to staining, scratches, UV and heat
  • Good warranty terms

Acrylic Solid Surfaces

  • 0% silica content
  • More expensive alternative
  • Limited thickness availability
  • UV stable and heat resistant but direct heat exposure not advised
  • Minimising wastage through flexibility in sheet sizing
  • Seamless joints

Natural Stone*

  • Various silica content percentages
  • Variety of products at different price points available
  • Ongoing maintenance may be an issue
  • Unlikely to satisfy specific warranty requirements

*Although this alert does not directly impact natural stone, some types have high silica content so risk of using these on projects should be considered carefully.

For an up-to-date list of available products and their usability, click here.


More information

If you need additional support, please contact the Quality Team:

Phone 1300 HUTCHIES
Email QualityTeam@hutchinsonbuilders.com.au

View More
10 October / Update

Make sure bin chute systems are installed correctly, following the tested systems and the manufacturers’ instructions.

Check the detailed drawings from Elephant’s Foot and Wastech for different wall types (plasterboard, shaft-liner, speed panel, concrete, Hebel, and masonry).

Any changes to the tested systems must be approved by your project certifier, signed off by the fire engineer in the fire engineering report (FER), and accepted by the relevant state / territory fire service.

View More