The NSW Government will amend the Public Health Order (PHO) to remove the 50% cap on capacity limits for unoccupied construction sites. This change will be effective on and from Monday 27 September 2021.

In the interim, sites will be permitted to exceed the 50% cap where all workers meet the current vaccination requirements for authorised workers.

Construction restrictions in Greater Sydney
From Monday 27 September, construction in Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains and Wollongong, can resume with 100% of workers on site. This includes in the local government areas (LGAs) of concern.

Maximum capacity of sites in Greater Sydney
Currently, all construction sites in Greater Sydney are limited to the lesser of one person per 4 square metres or 50% of the maximum daily workforce of the site. From 27 September, the 50% cap will be removed.  In the interim, sites where construction workers meet the current vaccination requirements that apply to authorised workers will be permitted to exceed the cap. This interim arrangement is available from midday on 21 September.

How many people are permitted to work on a construction site in Greater Sydney?
From 27 September, construction sites in Greater Sydney will be limited to no more than 1 person per 4 square metres of space at the construction site. Prior to 27 September, the 50% cap on capacity continues to apply to sites where not all workers on a site meet the current vaccination requirements for authorised workers.

Can vaccinated workers from LGAs of concern attend a construction site in Greater Sydney prior to the 27th September?
Workers from the LGAs of concern are authorised workers and can attend work if they meet the vaccination requirements in the public health order. This does not change. If they are attending sites where all workers meet the vaccination requirements, all those workers can attend the site regardless of the 50% cap. 

From 27 September, the 50% cap will be removed but the vaccination requirements will continue for workers from the LGAs of concern.

Does a worker that is not from an LGA of concern have to meet vaccination requirements from the 27 September to work on a construction site?
No. The removal of the cap does not change the current vaccination requirements for construction workers.

The NSW Government is considering arrangements for general reopening, and future vaccination requirements for construction will be considered as part of that process.