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Incident alert
Mobile crane rollover at construction site
In December 2021, a 30-tonne slew was set up on the side of the road with the crane jib fully extended when it rolled onto its side. The jib has landed on a new house frame under construction and the fence of the house behind. Luckily, no one was injured. Investigations are continuing.
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Incident alert
Fatal incident involving garbage truck
In November 2021, a mechanic died after being trapped in the back of a rear-loading garbage truck.Early investigations indicate the man had climbed into compacting section of the garbage truck to fix a problem when for reasons yet to be established he was trapped and suffered fatal injuries. Investigations are continuing.
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Incident alert
Worker burned following chemical explosion
In November 2021, a worker suffered burns to his shoulders, knees and face following an explosion at a marine maintenance facility. Early enquires indicate he was doing fibreglass repair work inside the hull of a boat using acetone. It appears a nearby heat gun has potentially ignited vapours generated by the acetone resulting in an explosion. Investigations are continuing.
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Incident alert
Safety at swimming pools
In December, a young girl was pulled from a local swimming pool unresponsive. Thankfully though, she quickly recovered. The girl was at the pool for school-based activities.
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Workplace health and safety alert
Fit testing for tight-fitting respirators
The purpose of this safety alert is to highlight the importance of fit testing for tight-fitting respirators for workers who need to use them, and to reinforce this requirement under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011.
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Incident alert
Overhead powerline incidents
In October 2021, a man suffered electric shock and severe burns while installing gutter guarding on the roof of an industrial shed. For reasons yet to be established, the worker came into contact with a nearby 11kV single wire earth return (SWER) while he was on the roof. In November 2021, a worker suffered serious burns and another minor injuries when a mobile concrete placing boom contacted an 11kV overhead powerline at a residential construction site. Initial enquiries indicate the mobile concrete placing boom was operating at the time of the incident.
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Incident alert
Fall from construction site scaffold
In October 2021, a worker fell approximately 3.5m from a scaffold bay extension platform (hop up) onto a scissor lift at a construction site, sustaining serious injuries.
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Incident alert
Worker seriously injured by wood chipper disk
In September 2021, a contractor suffered multiple fractures and a severe laceration while repairing a chipper disk weighing around two tonnes. For reasons yet to be established, the unrestrained chipper disc (part of a large wood chipping machine) has fallen from an upright position striking the contractor’s leg as it fell.
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Incident alert
Worker dies after being struck by mobile crane
In August 2021, a worker died after being struck by a mobile crane in pick-and-carry mode (lift and shift). Early investigations indicate the man was acting as a dogger and in control of a load when he was holding a tag (tether) line attached to the load that was being relocated at a workplace. It appears the worker was walking between the front of the mobile crane and the load when he was hit by the crane.
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Incident alert
Scaffold related incident
In July 2021, a spectator at a local sports ground in Brisbane was crushed by a tower frame scaffold. Initial enquiries indicate the scaffold appears to have blown over because of possible wind gusts, fatally crushing the man. Investigations are continuing.
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Incident alert
Use of high-pressure water spray equipment on asbestos roofs
In August 2021, as part of cleaning, sealing & painting at a house residence, a home maintenance business used high pressure water spray equipment on an asbestos cement roof. Asbestos contaminated dust and debris (ACD) was spread across the yard, in vegetation, on adjoining structures, as well as the driveway and a car. ACD also spread on to a neighbour’s driveway and car, and onto the street and into council drains. In a separate incident also in August, a painting contractor appears to have used high pressure water spray equipment on a roof believed to have asbestos containing material ACM debris was distributed on parts of the property and two neighbouring houses.
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Incident alert
One worker killed and six injured when powerline arced to harvester
In July 2021, one worker died and six others received electric shocks when a harvester came close enough to an overhead powerline to cause an electric arc. Initial investigations found the powerline had dropped approximately 3.6m from its original height because the stay wire on one of the poles had broken, potentially due to corrosion.