Associations
MBA SEMINAR ON WORKING AT HEIGHTS
Edited by Eamonn Ryan
MBA North recently presented an Occupational Health and Safety Compliance Seminar : Fall into line with lifelines , in collaboration with The Institute for Work at Height ( IWH ).
The seminar was sponsored by FEM , BCIMA , ALVA Training ,
OHS Care CC , Gravity Access Elevating Solutions , PASMA , SAIOSH and MBA Greater Boland . Experts speaking noted that working at height presents serious risks to the life and health of workers in the various fields of construction , whether HVAC & R or plumbing , but these risks can be mitigated with proper equipment , procedures and training . They offered a number of real-life fall case studies . Lydia Mentoor , Johannesburg regional manager for construction sector insurer Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company ( FEM ) outlined a case in which a lanyard detached from the locking hook and an employee fell from height , resulting in an open skull fracture , fractures of the facial bones and nose , rib fractures , dislocation of both shoulders and a
Khashayar Kouchpeydeh / Unsplash fractured ankle . He was in a coma for 28 days and a further 5 days in a medically induced coma . He had surgery to reduce swelling on the brain , as well as multiple procedures to fix his facial bones , shoulders and ankle and remove loose teeth . The employee spent a total of 55 days in hospital with medical bills and loss of earnings totalling over R3.9-million , and permanent disabilities as a result . His PD was calculated at more than 31 % of his monthly pension .
In another case , an employee had a swing fall from the 15th floor and his body hit a wall , causing multiple injuries including multi-level spinal cord fractures , extensive pelvic and hip fractures and internal injuries including a ruptured spleen and bowel tears . His treatment and surgical procedures included multi-level spinal fusions , total hip replacement , removal of the spleen and a colostomy , and he spent 105 days in medical facilities , at a total cost including lost earnings of over R6.3-million , excluding the costs of a wheelchair and renovations to his house . The employee is a paraplegic requiring a wheelchair and constant care , who must also use a permanent colostomy bag and must be hospitalised for two days every three months for review and renewal of the colostomy . His disability was calculated at over 31 % of his pension , with a constant assistant allowance ( CAA ) for his care-giver .
BEST PRACTICE APPROACHES TO LIFELINES AND ANCHORS Speaking on understanding lifelines and anchors , Hein Stapelberg , managing director of Gravity Access , said : “ It is
Working at height presents serious risks to the life and health of construction workers .
" There is a hierarchy of controls to manage the full risk of working at height – first , we try to eliminate the fall risk entirely . If that ’ s not possible , we try to find other ways of doing the work without being exposed to a fall risk ."
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RACA Journal I May 2023 www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za