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Safety Warning
Workcover NSW has issued a warning to workers and employers in the construction industry following a spate of fatalities and serious injuries.
Just before Christmas a plumber and father of two was killed after falling into a collapsed trench at a building site in Cherrybrook in Sydney's north-west.
Workers at the sports club in West Pennant attempted to dig the 47-year-old man out of the three metre trench but he died at the scene.
Peter Dunphy, WorkCover's Acting General Manager Work Health and Safety Division said: "Many serious injuries or fatalities often result from a lack of planning and poor monitoring of the actual work being undertaken."
WorkCover says safety can be improved by having Safe Work Method Statements that address hazards associated with high-risk construction work, supervising the work when necessary, and paying attention to simple tasks such as general worksite house-keeping.
Other recent incidents:
• A 39 year old electrician died after suffering head injuries while using an oxy-acetylene cutter to remove a cast iron fire hydrant pipe from its ceiling-mount in Redfern in Sydney's inner west.
• A 39 year old welder was seriously injured by a 40-kilogram boulder while working on a section of Sydney's North West Rail tunnel site.
• A 24 year old carpenter suffered serious head injuries after falling from a single storey house in Parkes in the state's central west.
For more information about safety measures visit workcover.nsw.gov.au
or call WorkCover on 13 10 50.
