Six inspectors attended the Chase Manhattan Apartments site at the corner of Bunda and Akuna streets about 7am for a random inspection, ACT Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe said.

Mr McCabe said a total of 27 notices would be issued, primarily on sub-contractors who he said had ''room for improvement'' in terms of safety.

''Given the size of the site, there were no real major issues,'' he said.

''The types of notices we issued today were fairly limited in scope.''

Mr McCabe said the preliminary report included four infringement notices, which are on-the-spot fines of $2160, issued primarily on sub-contractors in regards to testing and tagging of equipment.

Fourteen improvement notices will be issued largely relating to electrical issues, in addition to nine prohibition notices, mainly in regards to electrical issues. One prohibition notice will be issued to the principle contractor and the remainder on sub-contractors.

Mr McCabe said 147 people were on site during the blitz.

Work will continue this week.

Speaking before a Building Science Forum of Australia event on building quality, Engineers Australia Canberra division president Andrew Montgomery said building inspections during construction were vital to cost and structural integrity.

During the formation of the new ACT Building Act, Mr Montgomery said discussion should focus on exempt buildings, design and documentation.

''Recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed input costs are very high,'' he said.

Mr Montgomery said developers were taking advantage of inconsistencies and the lack of detailed requirements related to design and documentation, with different legislation in Australian jurisdictions.

''In the ACT somebody took an approach in drafting legislation that people would do the right thing and as a result the act is not specific enough,'' he said. ''It is certainly a concern with engineers in Canberra and around Australia.''

He said the issue would be raised with government representatives during meetings this week, with exempt structures including patios and verandas also to be discussed.

''Because of nature of these structures, they have not required planning or building approval in the past and were assessed as being almost hazard free,'' he said.

''The public felt it was correct that these minor structures do not attract fees or documentation, but as they have continued to grow there is need for another look where some of these structures are failing.''

ACT government Environment Sustainable Development Directorate construction services manager Craig Simmons addressed the event, held at the Hellenic Club of Canberra, on the subject of the new act and other regulations in place in the ACT.