The purpose of this safety alert is to highlight the risks of hoist rope and brake failure on tower cranes. Employers, builders, workers and crane operators should apply the principles in this alert to any crane with a hoist rope. Planning is the first step in ensuring that work is done safely. For example;
- ensuring that each tower crane can be installed at an acceptable distance away from other tower cranes and concrete placement booms.
- ensuring the tower crane boom remains an appropriate distance above the concrete placement boom.
- consideration of proximity to overhead powerlines and appropriate control measures to prevent or minimise risks.
Read more in the safety alert and provided links to 'Tower crane code of practice 2017' and 'Mobile crane code of practice 2016'.
On Friday 22 February 2019, WorkSafe ACT was called to an industrial yard in Hume after being alerted that a mobile crane had tipped over. Inspectors were faced with a 300T mobile slewing crane that had tipped while undergoing maintenance/servicing and came to rest with the driver cabin approximately 10 metres in the air.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the tasks were being undertaken without the required counterweights resulting in the crane tipping once the boom section was extended where it exceeded the stability moment for the crane.
Click the link below to read the full safety alert.
The risks of falling objects at building sites will be the focus of WorkSafe inspectors when they visit Victorian construction sites in the coming weeks. In January there were a number of serious incidents involving falling objects, including an incident in which a tower crane dropped a concrete slab weighing about 11.5 tonnes.
Common causes for falling objects include gaps between safety screens or holes in safety netting, missing kick or toe boards on scaffolding, and debris or materials coming loose from plant while being lifted. Unsecured items stored close to edges or exposed to high winds can also cause incidents involving falling objects.
Visit the link below to view the full safety alert.
On Wednesday 30 January 2019, WorkSafe ACT was called to a construction site in Braddon where a large precast concrete panel fell from the building and impacted a neighbouring property.
It is imperative that a rigid system and safe work method statements are prepared and strictly followed when undertaking high risk construction work. There are no circumstances under which the installation of concrete panels can occur without being sufficiently planned and documented in a safe work method statement. It is imperative that any safe work method statement is strictly followed and the planned process is not deviated from without appropriate planning and documented variations made to the safe work method statement.
Following a number of recent incidents involving SafeWork inspectors, businesses and workers are being reminded that it is a criminal offence to hinder, obstruct, assault, threaten, or intimidate an inspector.
SafeWork SA has commenced a six-month audit campaign of Elevating Work Platforms (EWPs) (i.e. scissor lifts) in order to educate businesses and operators about their safety duties and enforce compliance with the law.
SafeWork SA Work Health and Safety Inspectors will visit workplaces using EWPs higher than 3 metres across a range of industries, including construction, to ensure appropriate safe systems of work are in place to protect workers, and that workers and employers are educated on their responsibilities.
In November 2018, a concrete pump operator sustained serious injuries when his arm was caught in moving parts within the receiving hopper of a concrete pump.
Cleaning out concrete pumping equipment including the hopper can be a highly hazardous operation. Entanglement, crushing and amputation hazards exist in a concrete hopper and pumping device of the concrete pump. Read on to find out more about preventing a similar incident.
This safety alert reminds electrical workers of the hazards associated with working on or near energised (live) electrical equipment. These hazards include electric shock, arc flash explosion and fire.
The lead up to the end of the year is traditionally a high-risk period for all sectors of the construction industry in South Australia. With just a few weeks left until the festive season, principal contractors, Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU’s) and workers may feel under pressure to get jobs completed prior to the holiday period.
Avoid tragedy in the lead up to this holiday season by staying focused on the most important aspect of construction work – ensuring you and your mates get home safely to your families every day
A Safety Alert has been issued by NT Worksafe to highlight the risk of horizontally mounted fire extinguishers detaching during transportation and causing a hazard to other road users.
