Work has stopped on the $1.6 billion Toowoomba Second Range Crossing after two further serious accidents last week.
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The large infrastructure project, funded by the federal and state governments, is building a new highway crossing of the Great Dividing Range at Toowoomba.
Work is being completed by a group of companies named the Nexus Consortia.
The two new incidents are in addition to a series of serious incidents now being investigated by Queensland’s Workplace Health and Safety division.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads began an audit into work practices on the project site earlier this year.
In February, there had been 17 accidents in the space of 18 months the prfoject has been working with unions speaking about "cowboy attitudes" by some workers.
Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey told State Parliament on Tuesday his department had ordered the work stop on one section of the infrastructure project.
“I was advised late yesterday that the Department of Transport and Main Roads has instructed the contractor delivering the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing to suspend work at Piers 2 and 3 of the Viaduct section of the project,” Mr Bailey said.
“This action follows two serious incidents at the project late last week which are under investigation by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.”
Mr Bailey said it was unusual to stop work but necessary to ensure the safety of workers with the site responsible for 10 heavy vehicle rollovers in 18 months until February, and two further incidents last week.
"These are unusual circumstances and should underscore the gravity with which the Palaszczuk government views this matter and our commitment to safety at work," Mr Bailey said on Tuesday.
In the first incident a heavy, unsecured load was dropped onto a vehicle last Friday but no one was injured.
"What we saw was an incident that was very dangerous and could have resulted in some severe injuries," he said.
In the second accident the large trailer attached to a semi-trailer suddenly flipped onto its side after a water tank being carried by the semi-trailer was moved.
An exclusion zone was set up and the incident is also beixng examined by Workplace Health and Safety.
The project is building a new 40 kilometre four-lane highway from the Warrego Highway near Toowoomba.
Mr Bailey said the continuing incidents were a major problem for the project and for workers.
“There is a well-documented history of health and safety incidents on this project, so these recent reports are extremely concerning and we are taking them very seriously,” he said.
Work will remain at standstill for seven days while investigations are underway.
The results of the safety audit into the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing project were due at the end of April, Mr Bailey said.
“I am not satisfied with the operations on this site,” Mr Bailey said.
“The safety of workers is paramount.
“That audit process has been underway. It was due to Government by the end of April, and I expect to receive a copy of the report later today,” he said.
Mr Bailey and Industrial Relation minister Grace Grace met with the Nexus Consortia in February 2018 after a series of industrial accidents.
“We made it clear then that given there have been so many plant rollovers and serious concerns raised by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ), we need to see a significant improvement,” he said.
The Nexus Consortia consists of Acciona Infrastructure Australia, the Australian arm of a multinational infrastructure giant and Spanish multinational, Ferrovial Agroman.
- with AAP
