02:55 pm, Tuesday 9 April, 2013

The Background

The issuing of this alert was prompted by an incident where a service technician received serious injuries when he fell 6 metres from a scissor hoist that he was working in.

He had elevated himself in the scissor hoist to repair an overhead crane that had been stopped. However the crane that he was repairing overturned the scissor hoist after a second crane that was operating on the same runway hit it.

Contributing Factors

- Repair work was being conducted on a runway with two cranes

- There were no actions undertaken to ensure that the second crane did not come into contact with the crane that was being repaired

- The actual handrail of the scissor hoist had been elevated to a point that was above the structure of the crane

Action Needed

- Risk assessments need to be conducted before work starts on a multiple crane runway

- Safe work procedures need to be implemented prior to the commencement of work

- Anti-collision measures need to be fitted to the cranes to ensure a collision doesn’t take place

Further Information

- AS 1418.3-1997 Cranes, Hoists and Winches

- Part 3 Bridge, gantry, portal (including container cranes) and jib cranes

- AS 2550.1 Cranes, Hoists and Winches-Safe use

- Part 1 General Requirements

Report by Zoe Dunbar - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know

11:57 am, Friday 2 December, 2011

Five more fatalities have been added to Victoria’s workplace toll for this year. These recent incidents bring Victoria’s workplace fatality toll to 21 for this year, according to a media release by WorkSafe Victoria.

WorkSafe Health and Safety Executive Director Ian Forsyth said that the accidents including the five recent fatalities which happened in the past 11 days are a gruesome reminder of the importance of workplace safety.

“Christmas is traditionally about spending time with loved ones and we want to ensure this happens. Every worker deserves to go home at the end of the day. Tragically, 21 workers so far this year didn’t get that opportunity,” said Mr. Forsyth.

The latest fatality occurred yesterday at a boat manufacturing company in Campbellfield when a 26-year old victim suffered from fatal head injuries when a 150kg piece of machinery fell on him from an overhead crane. He was brought to a hospital but was later on pronounced dead.

A night before this incident, another worker lost his life when he was run-over by a reversing street sweeping truck in Bayswater. He was directing traffic when the truck hit him.

Concurrently, a 37-year old worker was brought to a hospital after sustaining life-threatening injuries when he was crushed while doing repair works on a dock leveller at a company in Laverton North yesterday.

WorkSafe investigators are working with emergency workers at a water treatment plant near Carrum after a sub-contractor carrying out routine sampling failed to return from the tank area.

Other horrific workplace accidents which happened last week include a 73-year old farmer who died after being gored by a bull near Alexandra; a 45-year old man who was killed after a cherry picker collapsed with a man on board at Lara; a 46-year old man who was killed after being crushed by a vehicle in Westmeadows.

Mr. Forsyth encouraged workplaces to be extra vigilant in the lead up to Christmas as this month is one of the busiest periods for most industries. He also urged Victorian workplaces to take action in improving safety.

“We’re calling on Victorian workplaces to stop, think and take action about improving safety. Simple steps make a real difference to individuals, families and businesses.”

WorkSafe will relaunch its ‘Homecomings’ campaign on December 11 which aims to highlight the fact that the most important reason for making a workplace safe is not at work at all. The campaign will end on January 7.

Report by Haydee - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know