XN000022-1972-09-20 — Page 7

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Wednesday, September 20, 1972

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR WORKERS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES

Nine workers were killed and 375 injured on building construction

sites during August, according to reports received by the Labour Department.

Four of the workers were believed to have been asphyxiated in a caisson.

Commenting on this case the Industrial Safety Training Officer,

Mr. A.H. Carter, said today it was an accident which did not occur frequently,

but unfortunately it was one which was very often accompanied by the death of

more than one person.

"The accident involving the four deaths followed the classical pattern,

that is when one worker was overcome, his fellow workers went to his assistance

and they in turn met the same fate," he said.

Mr. Carter pointed out that the presence of unknown gases was always

possible in wells or caissons. "They may be asphyxiating, toxic or explosive."

He said safe and reliable methods to test for the presence of these

gases were available and he urged managements to make use of the equipment and

ensure the safety of their workers before sending them down a caisson or well.

Mr. Carter also emphasised that all workings of this nature should be

thoroughly ventilated by mechanical means before work commenced, and this

ventilation should be continued during work.

All workers should wear safety harnesses of a type which will enable

them to be lifted vertically out in case of emergency. A harness should be

attached to a life-line and an attendant on the surface should hold the free

end of the line. A visual or sound system of signals should be employed.

Suitable resuscitating equipment for dealing with any person overcome

by unknown gases should also be made readily available on sites where work

involved caissons or wells.

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