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Saturday, March 16, 1974
ACCIDENTS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES
Four Killed And Over 270 Injured Last Month
Four workers were killed and 274 injured last month in accidents
on construction sites, according to figures released by the Labour Department
today.
of falls.
The victims in the four fatal cases were all killed as the result
Another 46 workers were injured in similar accidents.
The Industrial Safety Training Officer of the Labour Department,
Mr. Nick Carter said today: "This type of accident is a persisting problem
in this industry. During 1973, 10 construction workers died and 578 were
injured as a result of such falls,"
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"These accidents," he added, "are mainly caused by bad housekeeping,
unsafe means of access, unsafe work platforms and workers taking short cuts."
"Proper means of access and safe working platforms are essential.
Makeshift arrangements should be probibited. Trenches and excavations should
be foncod, and where it is necessary for workers to cross, proper access should
be provided."
Mr. Carter stressed that the main way of preventing this type of
accident lay in maintaining high standards of housekeeping at all times.
"This does not mean the clearing and tidying of a site occasionally,"
he said. "It means a continuous process during the whole building operation.
Good housekeeping not only helps prevent accidents, it also increases efficiency."
He appealed to management, supervisors and workers to work as a team
with the common goal of reducing accidents on construction sites.
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