Electrical apprentice injured after fall from height
1 March 2023
A third-year apprentice was injured in December 2022 while installing a solar panel system on a single-storey house. The apprentice fell three metres while attempting to climb off the roof via an access ladder, resulting in six broken ribs and a bruised torso. Although the apprentice was wearing a harness at the time, they were not attached to the rope at the time of the incident.
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This is a timely reminder for everyone in the electrical industry to ensure they are doing everything they can to minimise the risk of falls from height. Don't wait until it's too late to protect yourself and your workers from unnecessary injuries or fatalities.
Resources
The following codes of practice provide practical guidance on how to achieve this and should be read in conjunction with the Information sheet - Managing the risk of falls at workplaces.
CODES OF PRACTICE: Managing the risk of falls at workplaces + Managing the risk of falls in housing construction
Looking for an easy way to do Risk Assessments that require SWMS?
You need to make sure that a SWMS has been prepared whenever any of the 19 ‘High Risk Construction Work’ activities are carried out - this includes a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres.
You can avoid the guess-work and save time by using the NECA Safe Digital App to complete your Risk Assessments. The 19 High Risk Construction Work activities that require a SWMS have been loaded into the App.
Simply answer the questions and the Risk Assessment tool will determine whether or not a SWMS is required and prompt you to provide the relevant details and documents.
Any questions?
Contact Safety on (08) 6241 6100 or email safety@ecawa.org.au.