Timber iQ August - September 2017 // Issue: 33 | Page 32

FEATURES
Regular training of proper use of tools should be given to workers. Image: Integral Skills
Harnessing safety on site
There are many safety regulations in place when working at
heights – and timber structures are no exception.
By Ntsako Khosa
A
ccording to Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal the latest
statistics from the Federated Employer's Mutual
Assurance Company (FEM) show that 20% of
accidents in 2017 so far are a result of working at heights,
which obviously has a high-risk factor.
Of the 20% of accidents there is one fatality, 17
permanent disabilities and more than 104 lost working
days. Proactive steps must be taken by project managers,
contractors and workers alike to ensure the safety of those
around them, at any height.
“The timber construction industry is bound by the same
health and safety regulations as applied to the rest of the
construction sector,” says Werner Slabbert, director of
Rustic Homes. With any construction site, it is essential to
ensure that staff are in possession of and know how to use
the correct personal protection equipment (PPE) before
going on site.
30 AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 //
“PPE includes items like hard hats, safety harnesses, safety
gloves, safety boots, overalls, safety goggles and earplugs,
where applicable,” he adds.
Trevor Williams from TJ Roof Group shares the same
sentiment saying that a safety harness must be put on
correctly and connected to a suitable anchor point. The
design of anchorage connectors depends on if they are
connected to steel, wood or concrete and if they are fixed
or mobile. ‘Snap hooks and carabiners should be self-
locking to eliminate the danger of rollout (accidental
disengagement of a connector),’ according to Master
Builders KwaZulu-Natal.
‘Protection should be provided to reduce the impact on
the internal organs, as well as major muscle and bone
groups around the pelvis,’ adds Master Builders KwaZulu-
Natal. It is very important to know what to look for. ‘A full-
body harness is designed with straps that fasten around