Falling items persist as a leading source of on-the-job harm in the construction industry, endangering not just workers but also those near the worksites. This threat is far from theoretical, with over 280 construction employees sustaining injuries since the onset of 2023, along with numerous close-call incidents recorded in recent times. Highlighting the critical need for SWMS and WHS management systems, such as Bluesafe SWMS or Bluesafe WHS Management System, ensures optimal work safety practices.
To underline the severity of this issue, WorkSafe released an animated video detailing the events contributing to a sprinkler head plummeting 26 storeys at a Melbourne construction site in March 2020, shrieking perilously close to ground-level workers.
The innovative dropped object calculator by WorkSafe – a tool enabling users to input an item’s weight and ascertain its potential damage when dropped from certain heights – projected that the sprinkler head would have struck the ground at speeds exceeding 153 kilometres per hour, bringing the same force as a moving car collision.
This video was conceived as part of a $195,000+ Enforceable Undertaking with Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd post-incident, encompassing the funding of educational resources and a grant.
Sam Jenkin, WorkSafe Executive Director Health and Safety, pressed construction workers and duty bearers to watch this enlightening video. It utilises investigative data to recreate the incident and provides guidelines on preventative measures duty bearers could have engaged to lessen risk.
“Every year, falling objects severely injure hundreds of workers,” stated Mr Jenkin. “What’s alarming is that WorkSafe inspectors continue to witness ignored warnings where objects fall from construction sites, leaving only luck to spare someone below from grave injury.”
He reminds us that the falling sprinkler head was merely one of numerous severe accidents involving falling objects at construction sites within the last five years, underscoring:
Mr Jenkin asserted that risk control measures for falling objects are well-known. Hence, there should be no justification for duty holders neglecting to execute them.
“Issues such as holes in safety screens on mid and high-rise construction sites, absent kickboards on scaffolding, or debris or materials becoming dislodged while being hoisted can wield devastating consequences for someone unfortunate enough to be beneath at that critical moment,” he warned.
WorkSafe’s enforcement intervention against ten companies for events involving fallen objects has thus far culminated in more than $1.05 million in fines, expenses, and undertakings since 2023.
In emphasising the necessity of quality work safety products like WHS management systems, SWMS, and policies, it is incumbent upon employers and site duty bearers to take active steps to avert object falls:
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Original article link: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/news/2024-10/catching-risks-falling-objects-they-strike