ACT Worksites See Decline in Safety

I came across an interesting post recently which highlighted the dramatic decline in worksite safety recently in the ACT. According to the post only around one third of ACT workplace have passed safety inspections undergone in the past year, which is significantly less than the previous years.

One of the reasons presented by the posts author as a possible cause of the deterioration is political difference between the government and Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury. Rattenbury wants building industry businesses to contribute more financially to improve site safety by training workers more. Whatever the cause, the result is a cause for concern, the fact that safety education is increasing, yet safety is decreasing is distressing and needs to be addressed.

Read the following post from the website Canberratimes.com.au :

Only one in three ACT workplaces that underwent a safety inspection last financial year passed – a dramatic deterioration on previous years’ outcomes.

 The poor result has highlighted a policy difference between the government and its new cabinet partner, Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury, who wants the building industry to pay more to help train workers.

 Just 35 per cent of inspected businesses complied with health and safety laws in 2011-12, compared with 54 per cent in 2009-10. The government’s target was 80 per cent.

 ACT Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe said the trend was likely to reflect his inspectors’ focus on the construction industry, which has been blighted this year by a record number of serious accidents and deaths.

 Mr McCabe and former public service commissioner Lynelle Briggs are expected to report the findings of an inquiry into the industry’s practices within a week.

 The Canberra Times reported on the weekend that WorkSafe ACT and its preceding agencies lost half of their inspectors over the past seven years, at a time Canberra was undergoing a construction boom.

 Only 34 qualified inspectors now supervise construction sites, down from 68 in 2004-05.

Labor frontbencher Simon Corbell, who became the ACT’s first Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations Minister last week, said yesterday the result showed why the government had created the new portfolio.

 ”Poor compliance across industry is a deep concern for the government. My first priority will be to respond to the findings that Mark McCabe and Lynelle Briggs present in the coming weeks.”

 Mr Corbell said the government employed five extra inspectors when it merged WorkCover with WorkSafe in 2010.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/dramatic-decline-in-safety-at-worksites-0121111-296sm.html#ixzz2C691NXOH

Something needs to be done to introduce a more safety orientated culture on work sites if we want to see a reduction in workplace incidents.  Businesses need to look at safety as more than just a matter of legal responsibility, they need to concern themselves with the safety of their staff.

The Greens party proposed an increase in building industry levy in order to raise funds for training of apprentice workers, to increase site safety. The increase would see a $1000 increase for a $1 million job, which was well within businesses budgets, according to Rattenbury. However the government does not want to burden the construction industry in a time of economic staggering, they are however in favour of the levy, just not now.

Increased training of apprentice workers will hopefully decrease the number of incidents they are involved in due to their inexperience.

It is unknown if and when the levy will actually come into existence, however in the meantime construction businesses must ensure that workers in their employ are sufficiently trained and in possession of a construction safety white card, not only to fulfil their legal obligations but also to ensure that young workers and apprentices are aware of the hazards on a construction site and how to overcome them.

 

Danger of Working Alone on Site

The risk of injury for people working in solitary may be increased because of the difficulty contacting emergency services and following other emergency procedures when they are required to do so.

Emergency situations often arise because of the sudden onset of a medical condition, accidental work-related injury, disease or exposure to the elements. The incidents caused can be very serious and even fatal for workers who are separated from others or working alone. These workers are on their own, therefore they cannot be heard or seen when an emergency arises.

A safe system of work needs to be developed for people who work alone. Employers have a duty to conduct a risk assessment and have a means of communication available for emergency situations.

Employers need to firstly identify hazards that may affect the person working alone and assess the risks of injury from the hazard by considering the likelihood of the hazard occurring and the worst case scenario if it does occur.

Implementing control measures to minimise the risks would be the next step and these control measures need to be reviewed on a regular basis.

The person who will be working alone must be trained and instructed on working alone and the procedures to follow as these will differ from ordinary workers who work in a group.

By abiding by the rules of the site and safe work best practice workers that work in Solitary environments can do so confidently without the fear of associated with working alone.

 

 

Safe Lifting with Soft Slings

Lifting is a dangerous enough act but lifting with soft slings can be even more dangerous. Workers should never stand under a suspended load, even workers involved in the lifting. Anyone working or visiting a site should be informed of this.

Also workers should never ride on top of the load being lifted. Workers should be careful about where they stand in relation to a load when lifting is occurring because the load may slip or fall and hit into them. Workers should never stand with their backs to the load.

Workers engaged in the lifting must lift vertically to avoid the load swinging horizontally when lifting off the ground and never use the equipment to drag the goods.

Experts also say the load should be positioned in such a way that it makes removal of the lifting equipment easy so that force is not needed. Workers should always avoid choke-hitching because loads can easily tip over.

Once everything is attached, begin by test-lifting the load slowly and carefully off the ground. While doing this check that it is still safe to lift the load and check the angles before continuing. Make sure that the load is distributed as evenly as possible.

It is often overlooked that as the lifting angle grows the pressure increases and must be managed accordingly. Wrapping should be used when securing goods together if they consist of separate parts, to prevent the load from unravelling while being lifted.

The golden rule of soft sling lifting is that overloading should be avoided and the slings maximum load capacity should never be exceeded regardless of how much time you think it will save.

 

 

OHS News – Safely Working in Extreme Cold

(Photo: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Hot environments are a topic often given attention but cold environments also present a very real and serious hazard to workers. Because construction workers spend much of their time outdoors, working in extreme environments are a particular concern.

Our bodies are unable to acclimatize to the cold in the same manner that they can adapt to heat and so some would argue that extreme cold is more dangerous than extreme heat. When the body is unable to warm itself, serious cold-related illnesses and injury may occur and permanent tissue damage and possibly death may result.

Lowering of body temperature (also known as hypothermia) has an effect on the brain, causing erratic behaviour and numbness, muscular weakness and cramps. Hypothermia can occur when land temperatures are above freezing or water temperatures are below 37° C and symptoms may include fatigue and drowsiness, uncontrolled shivering, bluish skin, slurred speech or inability to speak, hypothermia, irritable or confused behaviour or even frost bite.

Some of the long term effects can include arthritis, rheumatism, chest complaints and heart disease, because of the strain on the heart caused by circulatory changes so this is not an issue to be taken lightly.

In order to work safely in a cold environment:

  • Wear the appropriate PPE (Personal protective wear)
  • Take breaks in a warm place or rest area out of the cold and get warm
  • Drink warm liquids such as soup or hot chocolate
  • Take frequent rest breaks out of the cold
  • Delay outdoor work until it can be undertaken at a warmer time of the year.

Workers should receive training and be warned in advance of the presence of this hazard. They should also know how to react in the face of this hazard and what to do in emergencies such as hypothermia.

 

Construction Workers: Practical Ways to Overcome Stress

(Photo: Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Work on building sites can be stressful. Especially considering that construction workers often have to stick to deadlines while adhering to the necessary safety procedures, this can be a stressful task. There is however some simple steps to follow in overcoming stress.

  • Remember your site training and general construction safety training. Take responsibility for your own physical and emotional wellbeing.
  • Determine in advance the habits and negative attitudes you possess that add to the stress you experience.
  • Develop better communication skills to ease and improve your relationships with management and co-workers, this is also vital to your safety and in an emergency.
  • Learn to recognise the warning signs of excessive stress at work. Short periods of stress are not as harmful as a job where you are stressed constantly. Look out for the warning signs that may include health effects, depression and other emotional effects.
  • Take care of your physical and mental wellbeing. Exercise, eat healthier, get enough sleep and cut down on alcohol and caffeine which may all contribute to lessening stress.
  • Take a break and relax for a while if the stress seems too much to handle. Recharge yourself before taking on the next task.

White Card Update: Work Safely on Contaminated Sites

The most common contaminants found on construction sites that could be harmful to workers are  metals (like lead),  inorganic compounds (like cyanide compounds), oils and tars, pesticides, toxins, explosive or asphyxiant gases (like methane), combustible substances (like petrol), fibres (like asbestos, synthetic mineral fibres), infectious materials (like medical wastes) or radioactive waste.

The health effects of contaminated sites cannot be denied especially associated with long term exposure. The health effects of exposure to these hazards include headaches, nausea, skin rashes, breathing problems, organ failure and long term effects such as cancer.

The following steps should be followed to minimise risk of adverse health effects due to hazard exposure:

  1. Conduct a Site Assessment. Contaminants may be introduced to soil by industrial processes which in small amounts may be dangerous but in larger quantities may prove fatal.
  2. Conduct an Environmental Audit. Local councils usually require an audit on potentially contaminated sites which will include an assessment of the soil and health risks, advice on remediation of identified problem areas and information about the health and safety of workers on site.
  3. Develop a health and safety plan once contamination has been identified and assessed. Plans should include information from assessments and cover all relevant steps and processes, such as training, work variation, health monitoring etc.

Occasionally contamination is only discovered after work on the site has already started as the construction processes uncover contaminants. Even after a site has been tested contamination may be discovered if previous inspections miss contaminated spots on site and once discovered the situation needs to be dealt with as above before work on site can continue.

 

White Card Update: New Zealand Construction Injury Rates a Lesson for Aussie counterparts

According to figures released by the Kiwi Labour Minister 50 people will die on Canterbury work sites over the next 6-7 years if something is not done to improve safety. The construction industry’s injury statistics are alarming which is why the Minister has stepped in. The economy will also suffer with around 600,000 hours being lost to sick leave and injury costs. The Accident Compensation Authority could end up having to fork out $80 million in pay-outs.

According to the Minister the London Olympic Games construction project was an example that should be aspired to. With a workforce of a similar size to a rebuild project ongoing in Christchurch, the London team experienced no fatalities, which is what the New Zealanders are aspiring towards. This post on the website Stuff.co.nz has more:

At the Christchurch Safe Rebuild Seminar at the Addington Events Centre yesterday, Wilkinson said New Zealand had much to learn from the health and safety example set by the London Olympic Games build project.

Kiwis were six times more likely to injure themselves at work than their British counterparts which was unacceptable, she said.

“To put it bluntly, they do health and safety better than we do in New Zealand.”

Although no construction or demolition workers have been killed during the rebuild, three people had been injured seriously enough within the central city redzone to be reported to the Labour Group of the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.

One person sprained an ankle, another was injured when he tested the power of a waterblaster on his hand and, the most serious, was a man who broke his neck falling off a ladder at the Hotel Grand Chancellor demolition.

Several serious injuries have been reported from rebuild sites in the greater Christchurch area, but the Labour Group did not have those figures to hand yesterday.

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/7760714/Construction-injury-rates-mean-50-deaths-by-2018

The construction project in London was the first modern games construction project in the world where no workers died on the job having turned a virtual “wasteland” into a world class Olympic venue and village. The project which included 5 permanent stadiums, 11 residential blocks, 30 bridges, new railway lines and roads, also finished on time and within the budget set with fewer injuries recorded than the national average.

The London project which employed up to 12,500 workers and lasted over 5 years and total of 80 million hours so no fatalities and an excellent injury record of only 150 incidents, well below the national average is quite a feat.

A co-operative effort has been hailed as the contributing factor to the good safety record which advocated a heavy-inspection approach. The approach also maintained strict control of the private companies that were outsourced to preform many of the building tasks. This involved supervision of staff, an emphasis on safety by foreman rather than pushing for speed, an approach which other construction projects in London have maintained well after the Olympic build project has ended.

The target of every build site should be to attain a zero fatality and injury record. New Zealand and certainly Oz can learn from the example of the English who proved it can be done.

 

 

Crushed Worker Left Quadraplegic

Another tragic workplace accident has resulted in a worker being left a quadriplegic after he was crushed by equipment. The company paid a fine of $93,000 but the worker paid with much more. The incident occurred in 2010 when the man was trapped and crushed by a pallet stacking machine. Although the incident did not occur on a construction site, the industry can learn from it because heavy machinery is also a firm fixture on building sites.

Read this post on News.com.au for more information:

Tatiara Seeds Pty Ltd pleaded guilty in the state’s Industrial Court to failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace over the accident at Bordertown in February 2010.

A man employed to carry out maintenance and general labour work was trapped and crushed by the robotic palletising system, leaving him confined to a wheelchair for life.

The company admitted it was negligent in allowing a panel in the fence surrounding the compound so that employees could walk in and out without activating safety sensors that would prevent workers being struck, trapped or crushed by the moving parts of the machine.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/tatiara-seeds-pty-ltd-fined-over-workplace-accident/story-fndo4dzn-1226489301978

There are a variety of machines and equipment on construction sites that can cause crushing injuries. Moving machinery in particular needs to be addressed. There are a few things construction workers and contractors can keep in mind in order to prevent workers suffering a similar fate to the worker who lost mobility in his legs in the incident at Tatiara Seeds.

The main safety factors to consider when pedestrians and moving machinery and equipment collide on a construction site are signage, separating pedestrians and vehicles, no-go zones, vehicles reversing, vehicle and pedestrian visibility.

  • Separate pedestrians and vehicles

Provide separate traffic routes for pedestrians and vehicles or securing these areas with barricades. Pedestrian walkways should be clearly marked and separate from other areas. Make sure walkways are not blocked keep them clear so that pedestrians don’t have to step onto the vehicle route. Also create no go zones for vehicles especially where there is a lot of foot traffic. Also don’t allow untrained or inexperienced workers to operate vehicles, machinery or equipment.  Employers should also limit the number of vehicles allowed onto a worksite.

  • Reversing of vehicles should be avoided

Although this is not possible on smaller sites, it should be aspired to. If not smaller sites should make use of reversing sensors, reversing cameras and mirrors and warning devices such as reversing alarms are vital. Drivers should be directed by a signaller who is wearing the appropriate visible clothing.

  • Ensure visibility of vehicles and pedestrians

Lighting, PPE and signs are all important elements in ensuring that vehicles are visible to pedestrians and vice versa.  Mirrors, reversing cameras and sensors that can help drivers see movement all around the truck. Visual warning devices such as flashing lights, reversing alarms and high-visibility markings should be fitted and operational on all machinery, vehicles and equipment.

Warning signs must be clearly and prominently displayed in well-lit areas to serve as a constant reminder to pedestrians of the hazard of traffic.  Traffic routes should be clearly sign posted to indicate restricted parking, visitor parking, speed limits, vehicle movement, height restrictions and other route hazards. Speed limits should also be enforced on construction sites.

By ensuring attention to the movement of vehicles and moving machinery/equipment on site many of the crushing incidents that we so often hear of, can be avoided.

 

White Card Update: Asbestos Fear on Canberra Site

Asbestos reared its ugly head again on an inner city construction site in Canberra according to Work Safe ACT. The contamination has led to asbestos handling concerns because of the nature of the building site which is the site of a hotel redevelopment. Work on the site was shut down temporarily but has since resumed after being given the go ahead to do so by Work Safe ACT.

There has been allegations that those in charge of the site did not ensure its safe removal and disposal which resulted in workers refusal to enter the site for fear of jeopardising their own health. In addition workers were not provided with the proper PPE to be worn in the presence of asbestos contaminated materials, neither were they decontaminated appropriately once finishing work. The employer has since addressed these issues which led Work Safe ACT to clear the site to reopen.

Some of the problematic issues identified were inappropriate supervision and lack of wash-down facilities on site which both have consequences for workers exposed to asbestos.

This post on the Abc.net.au website has more information:

“Everybody who’s been walking around that site’s been in a dangerous position. There’s been demolition on the site while workers have been removing asbestos in the basement,” he said.

It’s a very high traffic area. There’s a lot of people walking past that site. You’ve got to be concerned that they haven’t been controlling the asbestos on the site not only for the workers but for the public.”

Mr Hall said there were a number of concerns on many levels.

“Also we have the direct threat that there could be something go wrong with the demolition process and not only kill workers on the site but more importantly there is no or very little protection for the public,” he said.

“There’s meant to be protections put around the site to minimise or prevent parts of the building falling and crushing people in the walkways or around the building when they’re demolishing it. We don’t see any evidence of that.

“So there’s some fundamental things gone wrong.”

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-27/asbestos-fears-at-canberra-building-site/4282806/?site=canberra

Sites where renovation work is being undertaken are the biggest risk to workers in terms of asbestos contamination. This is because in the past many building materials were made with asbestos to make them more durable. During renovation these asbestos containing materials become disturbed, releasing harmful asbestos fibres.

All work sites that contain asbestos material should be labelled and workers warned in advance of its presence however this is obviously not possible if the asbestos has not yet been identified. A risk assessment needs to be done before work even starts on older building to guard against this occurrence particularly inspecting old fire doors and workers must be equipped with the necessary PPE in order to prevent them from inhaling the dangerous asbestos fibres.

If fire doors containing asbestos are identified on a renovation or refurbishment site,:

1. It should be presumed that the door contains asbestos and the door should be marked.

2. Look for the plate or label on the doors spine and examine it as the core material will be detailed on the spine.

3. Assess whether a door has an asbestos core by sampling in addition to reading the spine.  This may be done by temporarily removing a number of the door-hinge screws and look for the core material within the screws’ threading or obtain a laboratory sample of the core material from threads.

Asbestos fire doors must be included in asbestos registers and be labelled with a warning label to alert persons to the hazard to prevent the costly and inconvenient shut down of the site and possibly even a fine for jeopardising the health and safety of workers on site.

 

White Card Update: Learn How to Safely Operate Basic Equipment

(Photo: Adam Hickmott / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Even the most basic equipment requires adherence to safety measures.  Even if you feel you know all about a certain piece of equipment, it is worth making sure you are perfectly knowledgeable about how to safely operate it on a construction site.

Some of the most basic and common of equipment have caused accidents and injury on site, most often because workers develop a more relaxed attitude towards these common pieces of equipment resulting in incidents.Construction work in particular usually requires the use of a wide range of plant and equipment and severe injury and even death can result if these items are not used safely.

The golden rule of plant and equipment use is that they should be checked before use for any faults. Any problems that are identified should be sorted out before using again.

Hand Tools

Hand tools are probably the most common form of tools used on a construction site. When utilizing these tools make sure you use the right tool for the task. Also use the appropriate PPE for the job, for example if the task may result in eye injury, use the appropriate eye protection. Hand tools are usually smaller so use a lanyard to secure the tool if it is feasible to do so, to stop the tool from falling and injuring a worker below.

Electric Power Tools

When using electrical power tools there is a risk of the operator being electrocuted.To minimize the risk of electrocution all electrical power tools should be tested and immediately tagged. Only use electric tools if they are in excellent working condition, any damaged leads, plugs, connectors, guards and other parts should not be used.

Also ensure that leads are kept away from heat sources, wet areas, sharp objects and other places where they may be damaged. This can be done by running cables at a height above the ground to keep them away from water and prevent damage.

Tools without insulated hand grips should not be used, neither should equipment that is overheating. Also ensure when operating electric power tools that the correct PPE are used such as wearing non-conductive footwear

Compressed air

Another possible hazard on construction sites are presented by compressed air which has the potential to cause serious, possibly irreversible injury. When working with compressed air workers should never direct the air jets against any part of your body or against co-worker’s bodies. Just like electrical equipment check that equipment is functional before use and if it has any damage or defect it shouldn’t be used. It is also important to your health and safety that PPE not be discarded, especially ear and eye protection.

Cranes and lifting gear

Cranes and lifting equipment can cause enormous damage due to the magnitude of items they carry. There is potential for injury of the operator as well as any workers on the construction site that are in a close enough vicinity to the crane.

Although all operators should be adequately trained to operate cranes and heavy equipment it is also useful for workers in the vicinity of the cranes operation to be familiar with the basic safety rules of crane use because any incidents may affect them as well. Dogger and riggers also need to be appropriately licensed.

Before beginning work ensure that the crane and equipment is adequate for the task at hand. Also find out the weight and mass of the load to be lifted beforehand to determine the capacity of the equipment required to lift such a load.

As with all equipment, cranes need to be checked and properly maintained. If they are defective in any way, they should be fixed before use.  Also erect signs and barricades to protect other workers and people on site from the injury.

Although there are a variety of tools and equipment that could injure workers on a construction site and their uses may vary, there are some basic safety rules apply to them all.

Ensure that they (tools and equipment) are properly functioning without defects, test and tag before use. Also ensure that proper PPE is used appropriately for the task being undertaken. Also ensure that the hazard is separated from the rest of the workers on site to ensure that they are not inadvertently injured. By remaining vigilant and mindful of your safety training, tools and equipment can be used effectively without any mishaps.