Adkins ConsultantsFacts on Health and Safety

Construction Accidents

• 56% falls from height
• 21% trapped by something collapsing or overturning
• 10% struck by a moving vehicle
• 5% contact with electricity or electrical discharge
• 4% stuck by a flying/falling object during machine lifting of materials
• 3% contact with moving machinery or material being machined
• 1% exposed to a hot or harmful substance

Safe Access on Site

• Everyone can get to their place of work safely
• Edges from which people could fall are provided with double guard rails or other suitable edge protection
• Holes are protected with clearly marked and fixed covers to prevent falls
• Site is tidy
• Good lighting
• Fenced off from public

Basic Safety Philosophy for Success

• All accidents are preventable
• No job is worth getting hurt for
• Every job will be done safely
• Incidents can be managed
• Safety is everyone’s responsibility
• Continuous improvement
• Safety as a “way of life” for 24 hours/day
• All individuals have the responsibility and accountability to identify,
eliminate or manage risks associated with their workplace
• Legal obligations will be the minimum requirements for our health and
safety standards
• Individuals will be trained and equipped to have the skills and
facilities to ensure an accident free workplace

Common Causes of Fire

• Negligence in conducting hot work, such as welding, cutting or grinding
• Improper use of candles
• Improper handling of flammable or combustible liquids or flammable gases in near to-potential ignition sources
• Matches and cigarettes that are improperly disposed of or left unattended near combustibles
• Smoking in undesignated areas. E.G. Inside the villa, near diesel tanks, combustible materials

Electrical

• Damaged electrical conductors, plug wires or extension cords
• Use of faulty, modified or unapproved electrical equipment
• Insufficient space or clearance between electrical heating equipment and combustibles
• Short or overloaded circuits
• Loose electrical connections
• Lighting

Safe Ladders

• Never allow more than one person on a ladder
• Use tool belts or hand lines to carry objects
• Do not lean out from the ladder in any direction
• If you have a fear of heights – do not climb a ladder
• Do not allow others to work under a ladder in use

Lethal Ladders

Make sure the ladder is:
• Right for the job. Would scaffolding or a cherry picker be better?
• In good shape
• On a firm base and footing 4 up – 1 out
• Rising at least 1 meter beyond the landing that there is a proper hand hold
• Always have a firm grip on the ladder and keep a good balance

Electricity

• Treat electricity with respect
• Constantly check that cables are not damaged or worn
• Keep trailing cables off the ground and away from water
• Never overload or use makeshift plugs and fuses

The Roof

• Always inspect a roof before you walk on it
• You must have protection to stop you from falling off the edge
• You must use proper safety harness and running cables when working
on top of a roof
• 50% of fatal injuries involving roofs are fall thru fragile materials
• 30% are falls from edges and openings

Excavation Work

• All excavations must be shored or battered
• Any excavations should be considered for a guard rail or barrier.
• Vehicles working too close to the side of the trench or
rubble piled on the sides may cause collapse
• Vehicles tipping into excavation must use stop blocks
• Make sure the excavation is inspected daily
• Ake sure you know where any underground pipes and cables are
before you hit them
• There is no safe ground that will not collapse
• Trench sides can collapse without warning

Crane Safety

• The weight of the load must be carefully estimated
• The crane must be fitted with a working automatic safe load indicator
• The crane must always work on a hard, level base
• The load must be properly fixed and secured
• The banksman must be trained to give clear signals
• Never be carried with a load

Traffic Vehicles & Plant

• Vehicles and pedestrians should be kept apart on site – separate them as much as possible using barriers
• Adequate clearance around slewing vehicles
• Avoid reversing where possible & use one-way system
• Vehicles should have reversing alarms/sirens
• Passengers only on vehicles designed to carry them

Goods Hoist

• Installed by a competent person
• Rated capacity clearly marked
• Current examination and inspection report
• Suitable base enclosure to prevent people being struck by moving part of hoist
• Landing gates kept shut except when platform is at landing

How to use a fire extinguisher

• Pull the pin
• Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire
• Squeeze the handle
• Sweep the nozzle from side to side

Manual Handling: Lifting

• Split the load if possible
• Assess the weight, shape, freedom to move, centre of gravity, hand holds
• Use leverage if possible
• Get close with feet apart
• Secure grip
• Bend knees, keep back upright
• Never twist your back – do a three-point turn
• Move smoothly
• Take care when putting down