PLANT MACHINERY & SITE SAFETY
POWERED-ACCESS ACCIDENTS: AVOIDING THE RISKS
Powered access machinery is extremely beneficial for businesses to work at height safely and efficiently, however, on rare occasions they can be a risk of accidents. To raise awareness of the potential risks of powered access machinery, health and safety experts from Horizon Platforms have shared the biggest accident risks.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST ACCIDENT RISKS? Electrocution
An IPAF report showed electrocution was one of the top five incidents relating to powered access in 2022. The number of workplace incidents for electrocution have risen since 2018, but have slightly dropped by two incidents from 2021 to 2022. Statistically, most electrocution incidents happened when working on elevated platforms and affected the operator/occupant of the machinery directly.
How to reduce risk: “Health and safety training and following recommended guidelines such as those from IPAF is recommended. Guidance includes following the Minimum Approach Distance (MAD), knowing where nearby power lines are and inspecting tools before use.”
Falls from height
HSE data shows falling from height is the biggest cause of workplace death across all industries, highlighting the importance to follow safe working guidelines. 40 people sadly lost their lives due to falls from height at work in the 2022/2023 period. The encouraging news is the number of falls from height in workplaces are reducing over the long term, due to improved safety standards in UK workplaces.
How to reduce risk: “Firstly, you should assess if working from height is actually a requirement of the task at hand and reduce any need to work at height where possible. Getting the right training and wearing the right personal fall protective equipment can help save lives, as can crucial features such as guardrails and stable platforms.”
Overturns
Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) need the strength of the ground to offer structure underneath and reduce any risk of the machinery tipping over. Over the last year of reported data from six countries there
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The construction industry sees the highest number of fatalities from powered access- linked incidents globally. With that in mind, experts from Horizon Platforms share advice to reduce risks when using this type of machinery.
were 40 overturns involving 44 people and 13 fatalities. Whilst the fatality risk is relatively low, it is still important to take proper precaution when operating MEWPs to reduce any form of safety risk.
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