Rick Millar Technical Manager

Fall’s from Height Incidence’s and Incidence reduction

Are you over thinking it

SAFETY ALERT Height Safety & Risk reduction

& Costs related to Falls

Falling from Heights - This type of fall does not always end in a fatality but can have both or either minor and major injuries outcomes,

Falls generally happen from an elevated area such as roofs, ladders, vehicles and stairways. They can be caused by slip and fall accidents or due to faulty equipment. These types of accidents can be reduced by the use of proper personal protection gear, training and employee diligence.

The Personal Cost of an Accident / Incident Every incident carries both a Personal and Financial loss

Personal Loss can be deemed as Minor or Major Minor Injury may be physical damage to the person • Sprains and Strains • Bruising and swelling • Cuts requiring stitches or medical treatment • Simple fractures • Minor burns • Infectious and Skin irritation's

Basically, any injury that is severe enough to cause permanent damage to the body is a major injury and this is usually seen in life threatening situations. The injuries that are harmless are the minor type. Bruises and scratches are considered minor because they do little harm to our bodies.

Major Injury could be medical events such as • Heart Attack / Stroke • Heads Injuries • Deep Wounds • Loss of limbs • Crush injuries • Neck injuries • Back injuries • Death

Financial Cost of Accidents /Incidents As in the personal rating of injuries the outcome of an incident may also be deemed major or minor The major / minor rating has influence on the potential $ of compensation when placed before a Court and the Resource Regulator Discussions with K.L. Gates a Law Firm located in Sydney highlighted the variance in outcomes though did provide for a figure of around; • $450,000 for a major injury • 25,000 for a minor injury

Further to the above it was felt that a companies insurance policy premiums could be increased, such increases may increase 3 fold or more depending on the severity of the incident There will be loss time caused by the incident, some times requiring changes to the work method or procedures before work can be restarted A company will often be expected to challenge the court and be involved in legal proceedings taking up the time of workers, supervision and managers Value of Compensation is not set in stone , courts ruling on compensation can take unexpected turns

In 2013, 7730 claims for serious injury in all industries and 2 deaths for the mining industry for year 2017 were lodged due to a fall from height in Australian Industry, meaning that 21 employees per day lodged a claim for a falls-related injury that required one or more weeks off work, Safe Work Australia stated in a 2013 report. The cost to employers can be immense, as injuries range in severity and injured employees may also be absent from work for lengthy periods of time. Breaches of the duty of care by persons conducting a business or undertaking also attract significant penalties and as noted previously, serious cases may have a penalty as high as $3m with the potential for personal liability of officers of that company of up to $600K and/or 5 years imprisonment,” Injured workers are also entitled to workers compensation from their employer and may make further claims against other parties involved in the accident. Companies should also consider ramifications associated with such workplace accidents which can negatively impact the business’ ability to attract customer and future staff.

Comments from Safe Work Australia

Provision of Compensation is detailed in the following two cases

These two cases are listed by Gerard Malouf & Partners Solicitor's and Barristers

The difference in compensation is quite large however the cost of the injury is high, preventative measures can be used to negate such costs both financial and Personal

Falling from Heights - This type of fall happens from an elevated area such as roofs, ladders, and stairways. They can be caused by slip and fall accidents or due to faulty equipment. These types of accidents can be reduced by the use of proper personal protection gear, training and employee diligence.

Falling from Heights

The serious injury report as demonstrated in the document 1st Feb 2016 Shows the worker falling from the right hand side of a vehicle on the trailer sustained a fractured skull in the fall

The incident report details the provision of hand rails, grab handles on the left hand side of the Articulated dump truck which if used may have forestalled the accident

No industry is static. Technological advances lead to changes in equipment and processes, to keep abreast of these changes, employees and contractors to site need regular training. Improperly trained workers can cause accidents that result in workplace injuries or litigation against your firm. Poor claims experience means potential higher premiums and loss of income in the future

Failing to maintain workplace safety Many workplace hazards, such as slips, trips and falls, need to be controlled. When a business ignores workplace safety, on-the-job injuries are likely to occur. Employers are obligated by Commonwealth and State Regulation to maintain a safe workplace. Those that do not are subject to sanctions (including fines) An employer that has a history of workplace injuries and non-compliance with work place regulation and codes of practice may be subject to higher insurance and cost including loss of business

Mining Industry and Delivery drivers injured on site

Many Fall injuries occur during deliveries to a mining sites requiring workers to move about the tray unsupported, a fall from such a position can cause serious and permanent injury Any time a person leaves the ground they need to be protected, there are many solutions available, often requiring planning and equipment to reduce or eliminate such incidences occurring .

Equipment available to assist in the reduction of falls

There are many elements in Fall Arrest, not least of these are the systems used as attachments for fall arrest equipment when working on mining trucks and equipment This slide provides a collage of pictures showing the systems used by personal working at height in mining and heavy engineering for attachments of fall arrest systems.