15 Jan 2016

Height Safety: Worker Fell Head First From Formwork

Safety Liftin Gear Health & Safety

A construction firm has been fined after a worker fell 2.5m head first and sustained serious injuries. The hearing at Taunton Magistrates Court revealed that the employee was working at height on a construction site, when the formwork panels he was installing “gave way” and he fell head first over a ledge.

An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive found that there had been a lack of planning for the height work, and the construction firm were using an unsafe method of installing the formwork.

The company was fined £13,000 and ordered to pay cost of £3,742.18 after pleading guilty to failing to comply with the Work at height regulations 2005.

Working at Height

Working at height is dangerous work. The law requires anybody who is planning to work at height, be it employers or the self-employed organise a plan so that the work is carried out in a safe manner.

If you can avoid working at height, do! It is important not to put yourself, or others in a working situation that they could injure themselves unless it’s unavoidable or absolutely necessary. Conduct the appropriate risk assessments, and make sure all your staff are fully trained, and briefed on the safety precautions.

If you find yourself having to work at height, make sure you are protecting yourself from potential injury at all costs. Over 60% of fatalities during working at height are a result of falls, either from ladders, scaffolding, platforms, roof edges, and fragile roofs make sure you are using Fall Arrest Block, safety harnesses, Lanyards, safety lines and roof anchors as required. If you do not have access to this equipment do not undergo the work.

Before undergoing any height work make sure that all the equipment that you will be using has been inspected thoroughly for any damage. If you do come across any damage do not use, and postpone any work at height until the equipment has been replaced.

Click here to view all our products in our Hight Safety Department. If yo have any questions about our products the please call us on 0808 123 69 69 or email our specialist Customer service team at sales@safetyliftingear.com

05 Jan 2016

Improve Your Lifting Safety in 2016

robin Health & Safety

Lifting heavy equipment can be extremely dangerous. It is crucial that correct training and equipment is used to prevent accidents and fatalities in the workplace.

Last year it was reported that a 37 year old warehouse worker died in a tragic accident on his first shift as saw operator for a business in the Cardiff docks area.

There were no eye witnesses to the accident but it is believed that the worker may have been attempting to attach lifting chains around a girder unsupervised. Staff members found him pinned between two pieces, attempts were made to remove the girder but Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Although training was provided, there was no clear instruction about which method for moving or cutting the two tonne steel columns should be used. It came to light that the company did not have written guidance on how to lift the girders, leaving their employees to create their own ways.

The company was fined £112,000 and ordered to pay £98,000 in costs.

Accidents like these, whether they end in a fatality like the above case, or a worker ends up hurt are tragic, because they are so easily preventable.

As an employer it is your responsibility to ensure that your employees are working in a safe environment by providing comprehensive training to all your employees and training them to use the right equipment and wear the correct PPE at all times.

Before engaging in any type of heavy lifting, you need to ensure that all of your equipment meets or exceeds the working load limit (WLL) of the load you are planning on lifting or moving.

Additionally you must also ensure that any lifting tasks are correctly planned, supervised and conducted in a safe manner, with people who are fully trained to use the equipment needed. You must also perform an inspection of all the lifting equipment that you will be using. Do not use equipment that is worn or damaged in any way.

Here at SafetyLiftinGear we stock a fully comprehensive range of top quality heavy lifting equipment, including a large range of beam clamps, chainblocks, leverhoists, electric hoists, wire rope hoists, round slings, chainslings and more. Click here to view our extensive lifting equipment range.