Interface

Spring 2023 29 www.hae.org.uk www.eha.org.uk Deaths involving construction vehicles cited in new report: Specialist says these could easily be prevented. “SAFETY DEVICES MUST BE FIT FOR PURPOSE” A recently-published report revealing that the construction industry accounted for the most work-related fatalities between April 2021 and March 2022, should be a wake-up call to the industry to ensure vehicle safety devices are fit for purpose, it has been claimed. The report, released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), analysed the cause of death of 123 workers that had been reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. Around a quarter of fatal injuries to workers in 2021/22 were in the construction sector (30 deaths), with a further 18% in each of the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector and the manufacturing sector (22 deaths in each). The most common kinds of fatal accidents to workers in 2021/22 continue as falls from a height, struck by moving vehicle, and struck by moving, including flying/falling, object. These accounted for over half of all fatal accidents to workers. ‘MORE CAN BE DONE’ Owing to the size of construction vehicles and machinery, visibility can be limited for operators. Complex blind spots combined with tough conditions on construction sites can be a major contributing factor to collisions. Yet accidents involving moving vehicles are the most easy to prevent, according to Emily Hardy, Marketing Manager at Brigade Electronics, a safety equipment supplier based in South Darenth, Kent. Emily said: “Many countries are committing to making it compulsory for safety devices to be fitted to vehicles, and this has helped the number of work-related deaths caused by moving vehicles to decrease, but there is still more that can be done. “Heavy duty industries, such as construction, agriculture, quarrying and mining, operate in some of the most demanding environments. Equipment – especially safety equipment – needs to be able to cope with extreme weather, debris, dust and unstable ground. We are encouraging fleet, plant and transport managers to take the environment into consideration when selecting safety devices to install onto construction equipment and machinery.” Before selecting a device, managers should look at the scenarios the safety products have been tested in, Emily advised. Devices should have been put through rigorous assessments in multiple settings and proved to be waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, and effective in extremely low or high temperatures. “Fleet, plant and transport managers must be confident that the safety devices they install are tough, durable and reliable, and will protect their workers during the type of conditions experienced on construction sites,” she said. << HEALTH & SAFETY