Builder fined $100,000 after worker's three-meter fall

Foreword

Today, Solve Safety is analysing and reviewing this latest reported WorkSafe Victoria's (workplace safety regulator) News and Safety Alerts. Solve Safety is not identifying the nature of the specific problem of any person or organisation in this commentary but only speculating on what could be happening generally in a situation like this, as described by the regulator's media press release.

Introduction

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Topic Elements

As a learning from the topic elements, Solve Safety has both analysed the background and the timeline of both how and why an incident like this could take place and what judgements or decision reasoning was reached by the workplace safety regulator’s published conclusions.

Are You Managing Your Workplace Falls from Height Hazards?

Background

According to WorkSafe Victoria’s recent news and safety alerts, a construction building site worker (dogman) fell almost three (3) meters during tower crane lifting operations whilst assisting moving materials on the sixth level for the building of concrete superstructure. The worker fell to an area on the same level that had been deemed an exclusion zone, typically denoted by pedestrian barriers with statutory warning signage fixed on the barriers. Such zones are commonly used in the construction industry to alert and keep people away from high-risk activity areas, including falling objects or moving plant and machinery etc.

Described by the regulator as a case that highlights the serious consequences of taking safety shortcuts, the incident has now sadly left this worker with ongoing health battles. It was further reported that prior to the incident, the dogman (building site construction worker) had expressed concerns that were dismissed about working in an area that was located outside the safety of the completed framework. This area had several unprotected live edges with fall hazards without any flagging and/or safety bollards (where a physical barrier is not practicable) installed at least two (2) meters away from any live edge to prevent anyone from entering the exclusion zone danger.  

WorkSafe Victoria further reported that as the worker steadied and guided a load being lowered by the crane above, they took several steps backwards and fell from their ledge almost three meters to the level below. The injured worker was taken to a hospital, sustaining a concussion, sprained ankle and vertigo. The regulator stated that it was unacceptable to ignore the dangers of unprotected live edges on construction sites, as falls from height continue to be one of the biggest causes of death and serious injuries on Victorian construction sites, despite the well-known ways to manage and reduce these fall risks safely.

Are You Controlling Your Workplace Falls from Height Risks?‍

According to this WorkSafe Victoria's news, workplace employers (duty Holders) should ensure they have currently risk assessed and reviewed their organisations’ operational activities and tasks (harm minimisation) controls for the prevention of falls from height, such as implementing the highest possible measures from the following five (5) levels of the hierarchy of controls:

1. Eliminate the risk, where practicable, by doing all or some of the work on the ground or from a solid construction.
2. Use a passive fall prevention device such as scaffolds, perimeter screens, guardrails, safety mesh or elevating work platforms.
3. Use a positioning system, such as a travel-restraint system, to ensure employees work within a safe area.
4. Use a fall arrest system, such as harness, catch platform or safety nets, to limit the risk of injuries in the event of a fall.
5. Use a fixed or portable ladder or implement administrative controls.

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