If you’re employed in the construction industry, you must be mindful while using scaffold as they are commonly known to cause worksite injuries.
Every now and then, you might hear or read stories of workers falling and receiving severe injury or even dying at these sites. So, we need to be very careful.
Did you know that working at height is second only to vehicle accidents in terms of deaths? It accounted for 122 deaths between 2015 and 2019, and it is still the highest-risk bearing occupation. While it is true that accidents can happen in the workplace, fatalities as the outcome is quite heartbreaking.
Why do scaffold-related accidents happen?
According to Worksafe QLD, scaffolding incidents may happen if
- A scaffold collapses either during, before, or after it has been placed.
- An object from a scaffold falls overhead.
- Components from different systems are mixed (for instance, mixing aluminum tube with steel).
- Someone falls from a great height.
- There is work near overhead electric lines.
- There is work in a mobile plant or near other workplace traffic.
There is an extra risk if a poorly constructed scaffold is brought into a construction site. Naturally, the chances of an incident occurring are much more likely in such a case.
Here are a few other contributors to safety hazards that you must be aware of:
- Extra non-company personnel must be present on-site, which doesn’t always happen.
- At least three scaffolders must be available on-site to build and dismantle, but that isn’t always the case.
- Parts and personnel are sometimes not available.
- Scaffold are not regularly inspected and checked for quality.
- Poor quality scaffold lying around for extra support.
How can you prevent this?
Firstly, all old and poor-quality scaffolding must be done away with. It is dangerous and serves no real purpose.
Next, any used scaffolding must be thoroughly checked.
Work With The Scaffolding Expert
If you have decided to use scaffolding at your worksite, you must trust your work with someone who is experienced and can ensure the safety of your workers. We are a trusted around the nation for our aluminium scaffolding sales and hire as well as swingstages. We can come in, do a thorough check, and estimate what type of scaffolding will work and what safety measures are required.
To learn more, call us on 1300 266 777 or email us at salesqld@compss.com.au or salesnsw@compass.com.au.