Enhancing Safety in Elevated Work Platforms: EWP Campaign Overview 2013-2014

1. Elevating Work Platform Campaign 2013-2014 Name: Stuart Davis Position: Principal Adviser (Construction Engineering) Contact: 3247 9484 WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY QUEENSLAND

2. Elevating Work Platform Campaign Commencing August/September 2013 Re-visit 2014

3. Elevating Work Platforms Some points of note with EWP’s • Increasing trend of incidents, • Greater use in construction industry, • More complex units, • Plant being used for more diverse jobs, • Operator skill level at times lacking, • No WHSQ campaign in recent history.

4. EWP - Audit Issues What will WHSQ look at? • Ground support, • EWP condition, • EWP use, • Fall arrest harness issues, • Training and competency, • Plant interaction with other workers.

5. EWP – Ground Support Ground support, inspector will look for: • Wheels sinking in ground, • Drop offs (steps) in work zone, • Pit covers, • Working near excavations/trenches, • Some situations inspector may require verification from Geotech Engineer

6. Boom lift in Sydney - 2013

7. Ground Support Example Inspector notes: • Boom lift EWP working under bridge, • Evidence of wheels sinking, • Natural ground, no engineer certification, • Prohibition notice, • Prepare ground for EWP loads – point loading to be less than that allowed by engineer

10. EWP – Condition (1) What will WHSQ look for? • Obvious damage & neglect, • Daily operator pre-start checks – simple • 3 month periodical inspections • Annual inspection safety inspections • Major (10 year) inspection,

11. EWP – Condition (2) What will WHSQ look for? • Obvious damage or rust – Unit prohibited • Generally Improvement Notice for annual safety inspection. • Prohibition notice obvious unsafe condition

12. EWP – Major inspection • Major inspections specified in AS 2550.10 • Can be enhanced inspection where gradual & comprehensive • But most owners don’t do this • Default to 10 year interval with strip down • Preferable by manufacturer or Engineer • But not covered by Regulation like mobile cranes – Inspector needs evidence of poor condition to enforce

13. JLG 33 HD – Knuckle Boom – levelling system failure Serious incident – Seized pin

15. EWP – Training & Competency (1) • Training/skill questions (HRWL, Yellow card, familiarisation training, etc) • Inspector to observe operation – some cases directions may be given to PCBU, • Operators operating EWP boom length 11 m or more – no HRWL – stop work (applies even with “lock off system”),

16. EWP – Training & Competency (2) • WHSQ will be encouraging documented familiarisation training • Working with industry to develop preferred set of pro-forma checklists • Generally will not receive enforcement action unless clear example that operator is incompetent

17. EWP – Use (1) • Capacity platform not being exceeded, • Platform not being used to push vertical or horizontal, • Where small steel work lifted – to be on engineer designed racks, • Large surface areas (i.e. aircon ducts) - wind loading verification, • Confined areas ( too tight, crush hazards)

18. SIDE LOAD ENGINEERING or MANUFACTURER CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

20. EWP – Use (2) Work suitability issues - • Not being used to lift suspended loads, • Being loaded on tilt tray safely – always winch unit onto tilt-tray, • No standing on mid or top rails • No dropping loads onto basket • Proper precautions if using to access area (i.e. onto roofs)

21. EWP – Use (3) Work suitability issues - • Not being used close to excavations, • Not being used as a crane (with suspended load),

23. Fall Arrest Lanyard Type • Standard industry practice to use 1.8 or 2.0 m lanyards. • At low heights and in small platforms with top anchor points, occupant could hit ground under certain heights (i.e. 3 to 4 m) • Recommend shorter lanyards in some situations (i.e. 1.2 m lanyards for certain applications). • What about inertia reels (fall arrest blocks)? – • Normally have to be above head height to operate. • More prone to contamination and wear • But if acts on horizontal could be used.

24. Small EWP platform with top anchored lanyard attachment point – 1.2 m lanyard is reasonable

25. Larger EWP platform with bottom anchored lanyard attachment point – 1.8 m lanyard is reasonable

26. Lanyard on Scissor Lift EWPs? • Lanyards not recommended on scissor lifts. Why? • If scissor lifts fails fall vertically down or onto its side – fall arrest harness will not arrest fall. • Some argue that harnesses are good to contain users on platform, but guardrail does this. • Lanyards & harnesses could encourage persons to climb onto mid rail or out of unit.

27. No harnesses – standing on mid rail – unsafe.

28. What to expect Inspectors will follow Departmental policy. • Technical guidance to be provided to inspectors Enforcement types: • Agreed action (able to rectify while onsite) • Improvement notice • Prohibition notice • Infringement notices

29. WHSQ documentation Audit tools will be made progressively available to industry Campaign reports on the audits will be produced by WHSQ