Two colleagues have suffered slip / trip / fall injuries in separate incidents that both required stitches

1st incident - An employee was checking to see if there was a fault on a quarry crusher.  As he left the area, his boot lost grip due to the wet conditions and he fell backwards, landing on the crusher walkway with his head striking the kickplate.  This resulted in a laceration to the back of his head which required 7 stitches and glue to seal the wound.

2^nd incident - A contractor fell whilst manually guiding parts of the crusher that were being lifted in to place.  He lost his footing as he stepped backwards, falling against the handrail, causing scrapes and bruising to his arm, including a puncture wound that required stitches.

KEY FINDINGS

• All personal protective equipment (PPE) including boots were in good order.
• Change of levels in the areas presented tripping hazards.
• The areas were restricted for space.
• The areas were wet.
• Relevant inductions, Take 5 assessments and permits were completed.
• Housekeeping was good and areas clear of debris.

• Are flooring surfaces and hand holds appropriate for the working environment?


• Is the area for the task level and free of tripping hazards with sufficient space to carry out the task?


• Are there opportunities to make improvements to working areas to minimise the risk of slips, trips and falls?


• Are tasks that are likely to be carried out considered in the design of working areas?


• Are Get a Grip principles practiced and enforced?


• Is Take 5 used prior to doing non routine tasks?