The man has received pain relief and was talking to paramedics before he was taken by ambulance to Canberra Hospital.

An ACT Fire & Rescue Skylift hydraulic platform was used to lift the man from the second storey of the private residence on Wallangara Street, as he was unable to use the scaffolding.

Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe said inspectors had been on site, but there was no concern over working conditions.

"It appears the man has bent over to pick something up and his back has knocked up," he said.

"We don't believe there's any worksafe issues."

ACT Ambulance Service duty officer of operations Steve Mitchell said he was alerted to the incident about 8.45am, and wasn't aware of the exact details.

"He hasn't fallen from a height or anything – he said [he was doing] some sort of lifting," he said.

"This doesn't appear to be an accident, more an incident."

Complete Fixset Plastering owner Ron Rawson, the man's employer, said he understood the worker had been moving a stool at the time of the injury.

Mr Rawson said his company had been on the site for a week.