Keeping everyone safe on site

Every day PlaceMakers delivers frames and trusses to building sites across the country. We want to ensure our customers, and our staff, are kept safe during drop-offs

Many new builds involve significant amounts of work carried out at height. Given the high potential for serious injuries or death, it’s important that appropriate controls are put in place for all workers. This includes anyone working at height during deliveries, and when placing product at height.

Person Controlling the Site

As the required controls for work at height become more common across building sites, managers are finding that productivity is increasing across the whole build process. Appropriate planning is key to ensuring that fall protection is in place, before commencing any work at height.

PlaceMakers requests that, whenever a delivery is made to a site where the load needs to be placed on frames or similar, that a safe means of access to unlatch the load is provided.

It’s important that when loads are placed at height, the driver, or other designated person, is able to loosen it safely.

Note: it is a requirement that the person in control of a site notifies WorkSafe at least 24 hours in advance of any work where there is a risk of someone falling five metres or more, regardless of the details of the work.

PlaceMakers Policy for Drivers

PlaceMakers is dedicated to ensuring that its drivers are not exposed to unnecessary risk at work. As such, it is PlaceMakers policy that all drivers have the right to a safe working environment, and they have the legal right to decline unsafe work. This includes situations where they’ve been asked to work at height, and are unable to do so safely.

When a driver arrives on site, and no safe means of load loosing is in place, they’ll return it to the place of origin, unless instructed to leave it at ground level.

This also applies where no one is present on site, and no method is in place for the driver to access the site and loosen the load.

Suggested hazard controls

There are many methods to control the risks and hazards associated with working at height. These include:

• Scaffolding.
• Safety nets.
• Elevated work platforms.
• Fall bags.
• Fall arrest harness systems.

The system used will depend on the nature of the work being carried out.

It’s important to note that the first priority must be to prevent the fall. If that isn’t practical, methods for minimising the harm from the fall should be employed.

PlaceMakers can help source and supply many different types of fall protection; your account manager can help with any queries.

For further information, please refer to WorkSafe Working at Height guidelines on www.business.govt.nz/worksafe, or contact your account manager.

 

 

Main image: Appropriate planning is key to ensuring that fall protection is in place, before commencing any work at height