Ref No.: 201218 (3)
UEN: S97SS0046G
Dear Valued ASPRI Members,
WSH Council Reminds All to Take Time to Take Care of Your Safety and Health this Festive Season
The year-end festivities are around the corner. More employees are going on leave to celebrate the festivities with their loved ones while others at work are rushing to complete their projects. Please be extra careful at work and never compromise on your safety and health.
You can remind your colleagues, friends and family members to take time to take care of their safety and health as well. The Workplace Safety and Health Council has created a Christmas e-greeting card for your sharing.
View the e-greeting card here or scan the QR code below to share the e-greeting card using your mobile devices.
Show your support for safe and healthy workplaces at www.wshc.sg/nationalcampaigns.
Prevent falls through fragile surfaces
Falls through fragile surfaces accounted for a number of fall from heights workplace fatalities. Workers performing work activities such as roof and building maintenance that involve work on fragile surfaces must therefore exercise caution to avoid the risk of falling. Falling through fragile surfaces can result in serious injuries and even death.
Here are some examples of surfaces that are likely to be fragile:
- Roof skylights.
- Glass (including wired glass), fiberglass, polycarbonate roofs.
- Old ceramic roof slates and tiles.
- Corrugated roof sheets
- Cemented panels or ceiling boards beneath the roof.
However, we can eliminate or reduce the risks of falling through fragile surfaces. Here are some control measures that can be adopted:
- Identify fragile surfaces and display warning signs.
- Work from beneath the fragile surface using suitable work platforms.
- Barricade fragile surfaces where possible.
- Avoid stepping on fragile surfaces directly by deploying suitable work platforms such as crawl boards, roofing brackets and/or roof ladders.
- Use safety harnesses with secure anchorage points. Workers must be educated on the importance of anchoring and performing 100% tie-offs when using a harness.
- Provide adequate supervision to ensure proper implementation of control measures.
Companies can show their support by pledging for the Target Zero Falls Campaign 2018 to prevent falls through fragile surfaces. Take time to take care of your safety and health so that everyone can return home safe and healthy to their families.
Get more resources on working at heights here
