Death by Steel Beam: A Workplace Fatality Is Now Reported Around the World

Communication, Construction Safety, Health and Safety, Leadership, Workplace Fatality sarah

Word of mouth has become ‘world of mouth’, thanks to the internet. Pegasus Engineering Limited has had details of its’ workplace fatality posted on ‘The Construction Index’, a well-known UK construction website. See New Zealand steelwork company fined over fatal accident. The story had already been published in NZ on April 11th 2019, see Stuff.co.nz  Payments of $419,000 ordered for workplace death at Canterbury firm.

This proves that apart from the unquantifiable human cost, your workplace fatality can now damage your company’s brand and reputation worldwide.

What happened?

  • In June 2017, a worker was using a crane to remove steel beams from trolleys. During a lift a beam became destabilised and the worker had their left arm, torso, neck and head crushed when the beam tipped onto him.
  • The dead worker’s colleague who was first on scene suffered emotional harm as a result of the incident
  • The worker had been trained and certified to use the crane and lifting equipment
  • No risk assessment had been completed

 

What did the courts say?

WorksafeNZ made the following statements:

  1. No risk assessment was made
  2. No one had considered the risk of a beam tipping over
  3. If clamps (a simple engineering solution) had been used to secure the beams onto a trolley the accident could have been prevented.

 

WorksafeNZ’s, Simon Humphries – Head of specialist interventions said: “This serves as a reminder to all PCBUs [persons conducting a business or undertaking] to ensure proper safety procedures are always in place.”

It is worth noting that Judge David Saunders acknowledged that the company had pleaded guilty and “expressed its genuine remorse to the families affected by the accident, and … its actions had “spoken loudly” about the support it was arranging”

 The Judge also said the fine was: “a deterrent penalty with ‘some bite’…. but there was no suggestion that this company had a slack or casual attitude to its obligation.

Fine:                                    NZ$250,000

Reparations:                     NZ$165,000            – $45,000 to the worker who was first on scene

                                                           – $100,000 to the family of the worker for emotional harm

                                                           – $23,240 other losses and costs

What can you and your team do to prevent a workplace fatality?

  1. Complete your onsite risk assessment for all major pieces of plant and machinery
  2. If you are using a crane (even for a repeated operation) you need to ensure that the load is secure, that you have identified the centre of gravity and the lift is within the crane’s capacity.
  3. As was stated by Tasha Szeto (Worksafe prosecutor) there needs to be:
    • constant reminders about safe operation are in place,
    • active supervision; and,
    • workplace monitoring (audits)

 

If you have anything to add to the list on crane safety and how to prevent a workplace fatality at your worksite please call Sarah on 0272 007 680 or email sarah@employmenow.co.nz.

Have a safe and productive week.

SB

 

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