More than 220,000 properties remain without power across southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales on Monday as residents deal with the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. 

The first priority is of course your safety and that of your family and employees. Please follow the advice of the emergency services and look out for each other. Our team is readily available to assist your business if you are being impacted by the heavy rain and flooding.

Master Builders NSW can assist you in the following areas:

Legal Team

  • Extension of time clauses in contracts - all MBA NSW contracts allow for extensions of time due to adverse weather. Check your contract clauses for delays and extension of time responsibilities. If needed, feel free to contact the legal team on 02 8586 3555. 
  • We are here to provide advice on flood or rain damage liability for current or completed projects.

Insurance Team (MBIB)

Industrial Relations Team

  • Payments to employees that are unable to perform work duties due to inclement weather. 
  • Visit this link for detailed information on inclement weather policies and how Ex-Cyclone Alfred may impact site work.

Work Health and Safety Team

If you need help in any of the above areas, call Master Builders NSW on 02 8586 3555.

Financial Support announcement for workers affected by Cyclone Alfred (Announced 10/03/2025)

Workers and sole traders in NSW impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred can access income support at the Job Seeker level for up to 13 weeks. Eligible workers in 31 LGAs can apply from 2pm tomorrow via MyGov or Services Australia. Personal hardship assistance will also be available for affected areas.

As communities recover from the impacts of Cyclone Alfred, it is important to know what support is available. To find recovery and clean-up advice, including financial support visit nsw.gov.au/cyclonealfredrecovery

  • Recovery information: Get the latest information on recovery support in areas impacted by floods and storms caused by Cyclone Alfred.
  • Recovery Assistance Points: From Thursday 13 March, Recovery Assistance Points will be stood up to understand community needs and share important information. As the situation progresses, plans will continue to be reviewed to ensure as many impacted communities are supported.
  • Financial support available: Financial assistance is available for communities affected by Cyclone Alfred. For more information visit nsw.gov.au/cyclonealfredrecovery
  • What to do immediately after a flood, including information on insurance, replacing IDs, licences and personal documents.
  • Flood clean-up assistance and advice: Guidance on how to stay safe when cleaning up after a flood, including disposing of rubbish and waste.
  • Landlords' and tenants' rights after an emergency: When properties are affected by disasters, landlords and tenants have certain rights and responsibilities under NSW laws.
  • The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has declared an Insurance Catastrophe for the southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales regions impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred and subsequent storms. The ICA’s Catastrophe declaration escalates and prioritises the insurance industry’s response for affected policyholders. Information about clean up and the claims process can be found on the ICA’s website.
  • Managing animals after a natural disaster: Find assistance and guidance on how to look after animals after a flood or storm.
  • Access to essential medications: Pharmacists can supply many essential prescription medicines if you do not have access to your script. For more information, speak with your local pharmacy, GP or call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
  • Managing your mental health: Find the available support and learn to look after your own and your loved ones' wellbeing after a natural disaster. A range of 24/7 mental health services and professional help is available from the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511. For free health advice, call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222. Need support in your language? You can call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450.
  • Donations for people affected by Cyclone Alfred: GIVIT is supporting impacting comunities get the essential goods and services they need. Donate now to help people affected.
  • Register. Find. Reunite: If you have been affected by the severe weather event, use the Register. Find. Reunite service to let your family and friends know you are safe and sound.
Need more information?

If you haven’t found the answer to your questions here, give us a call or email us.

Severe weather checklist

  • Remove any loose material and rubbish
  • Perform a site clean-up and empty rubbish skips
  • Ensure the scaffold contractor secures and braces any on-site scaffolding. After the storm, have them inspect the scaffolding to confirm whether it’s safe to use
  • Securely fix down roofing materials, such as fascia, gutters and flashings, and lash them down if they’re not installed
  • Brace or core-fill block masonry walls
  • Add bracing to framed walls
  • Check with your temporary fence supplier that the temporary fence has been installed with the potential wind loads likely during storms or cyclones. Temporary fence installation must comply with regional wind categories (refer to AS-4687)
  • Delay material deliveries until after storms have passed
  • Put site drainage in place to legal points of discharge to avoid flooding
  • Close all windows and doors to prevent any internal damage.
  • Return to the worksite when it’s safe to do so and assess or repair any damage.

Scaffolding

  • The scaffolding supervisor should undertake a full pre-shutdown inspection of the scaffolding
  • Check scaffold foundations (e.g. screwjacks, baseplates and sole boards) are appropriate and ensuring that any potential stormwater run-off will be diverted away from the foundations
  • Re-tension screw-jacks where applicable
  • Ensure sufficient ties are in place to cater for strong winds
  • Check integrity of shadecloth and reattach or repair where damaged
  • Ensure access to incomplete scaffold has been prevented through barricading and signage
  • Ensure all planks on the uppermost lift are secured to the transoms with tie-wire unless a captive plank system is incorporated in the design of the transoms
  • Remove all loose materials from the scaffold platforms on the uppermost lift.

Ensure an emergency contact number has been supplied by the scaffold contractor in the event that an emergency inspection or repairs need to be undertaken during the break (e.g. after a severe storm).

Formwork

  • Remove all loose sheets of ply, fillet and penetration mesh from the deck area and platforms on climbing formwork systems
  • Strap all packs of formply in exposed areas
  • Chain all shutters on storage racks
  • Remove all loose materials from stripping areas
  • Ensure all platforms on perimeter screens have been cleaned of debris and loose materials
  • Ensure all mesh infill panels are in place between screens.

Roofing materials

Remove all loose sheets, guttering, sarking, ridge capping, safety mesh, etc. from the roof or secure to the structure (i.e. purlins, portal frames, rafters) with rope or strapping.

Other exposed or open areas – pay particular attention to all wind-exposed areas of the site, such as formwork decks, climbing formwork system platforms, podium levels, balconies, ground floors and any areas on a high-rise where windows have not been fitted and the openings are not covered by perimeter screens, scaffolding or similar. Remove or secure all loose materials in these areas.

Erosion & sediment control

Minimise disturbance
Keep any earthworks to a minimum and maintain as much grass, mulch, gravel or erosion control blanket as possible, especially towards the edges of the works.

Stabilise your access
Maintain access points and haulage roads with risk to minimise the amount of material tracked onto public roads.

Install sediment fences
Install and regularly maintain silt fences on the downward slopes of the site. On steeper slopes, several silt fences may be required to reduce the sediment flow.

Divert up-slope water
Install diversion drains or speed bumps, which can direct any up-slope water away from the works, or water within the works, to other areas where access occurs regularly.

Clean up litter and waste
Regularly clean the work area to ensure that rubbish and other materials are not transported outside the works in the winds or water flow.

Ensure stockpiles of material and kept behind silt fences
Keep stockpiles protected from being transported by wind and water by erecting silt fences or surrounding them by a bund and where required cover them in waterproof sheeting.

Maintenance and monitoring
All appropriate erosion and sediment controls required to be put in place to minimise erosion and sediment control issues should be in place before the end of the day or before a rain event, and procedures must be put in place to ensure those controls are monitored and maintained.

Work and pay during severe weather

Members located in Northern NSW who are affected by Cyclone Alfred are reminded that workers working in the general building and construction and the civil construction sector are covered by the Inclement Weather provisions in the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 (see this link.).

Inclement weather means the existence of rain or abnormal climatic conditions(whether hail, extreme cold, high wind, severe dust storm, extreme high temperature or the like or any combination of these conditions) where it is not reasonable or it is unsafe for employees to continue working in those conditions. When inclement weather conditions exist, an affected employee is not required to start or continue to work where it is unreasonable or unsafe to do so. In cases where emergency work is required or it is necessary to complete a concrete pour already commenced to a practical stage, work may occur or continue provided that such work does not give rise to a reasonable concern on the part of an employee undertaking the work of an imminent risk to their health or safety.

Where an employee is not able to perform any work at any location because of inclement weather, the employee will receive payment at the ordinary hourly rate for ordinary hours. Payment for time lost due to inclement weather is subject to a maximum of 32 hours pay in any 4-week period for each employee.

Members with queries about inclement weather payment should contact Master Builders NSW Workplace Relations Department on 8586 3555.

Mould

Prevention
  • Preventing mould growth by preventing unwanted water entering a building, limiting the amount of water vapour released inside a building, and reducing dampness and removing excess moisture is the best way to manage risk, but during extreme weather this is not always possible, so you need to attempt to minimise this occurring
  • Consider using a mould inhibitor and prevention spray to reduce mould regrowth. This spray can be applied post decontamination and prior to the re-installation of plaster. When using chemical sprays and cleaning solutions, ensure you review the relevant safety data sheets and follow controls outlined by the manufacturer.
If you discover mould
  • Wrap and seal contaminated materials as soon as possible to stop spreading
  • Porous materials that have been wet for more than 48 hours or have visible mould growth should be removed
    • Where this is not possible, materials must be dried and cleaned
  • Dry the wet areas
    • Fans, wet vacuums, dehumidification units, heaters or air conditioners on dry mode can be used to speed up the drying process
  • Thoroughly clean contaminated surfaces and materials using water and detergent (soapy water) or a vinegar solution and drying completely. When using cleaning agents, ensure that workers are provided with the PPE stated in the product SDS
  • Clean all tools, equipment and other items used on the affected areas after use
  • Restrict access to the affected areas to limit the number of people exposed
  • Ensure workers are provided with proper PPE (e.g. masks, respirators, safety gloves etc.)
    • a properly fitted disposable P2 respirator, P2 with carbon activated filter layer or full face respirators are recommended for use in mould removal/cleaning, etc.
    • When issuing respiratory protective equipment (RPE), ensure that it has been fit tested, and workers are clean shaven when using. Workers must understand the correct usage of RPE prior to wearing.
  • Do a final clean up to remove any dust that may have settled within the area or nearby
Health and Medical considerations
  • Ask your workers if they have any respiratory conditions such as asthma which could make exposure worse, and put in place additional controls
    • People who are in a general state of good health and don’t have a history of respiratory or immunological conditions are unlikely to be affected by mould growth, however it is still important that all workers are protected from mould exposure.
    • People with asthma, allergies or other respiratory conditions may be more sensitive to mould
    • People with weakened immune systems, chronic lung diseases or other related illnesses are more at risk of mould infection, particularly in their lungs
      • Consider if at risk workers can be excluded from this work
    • Mould can affect the skin, eyes, throat and nose as well as compromise a person’s respiratory and immune systems