Page 1039 - Xmo Strata - Bulletin Archive

5 – Walking Hazards
This is not trip hazards, but people walking into objects, be that doors, furniture or materials. We have
all seen videos of people walking into a lamppost or plate glass door whilst taking on phones or texting,
and this is one of the reasons why phones are banned on site – they provide a distraction that can have
serious consequences.

4 – Reactions
This is an unexpected category, but the fourth most likely cause of an accident is people trying to avoid
a perceived threat by taking evasive action. This might be swerving a vehicle to avoid a hazard (often
resulting in a more serious accident than that being avoided), or by jumping when startled.
Bulletin 269 (http://www.xmostrata.com/health/2011-10-13.php) describes several incidents where Xmo
crews swerved to avoid a collision, fortunately none of these resulted in an accident, but this is a
reminder to always be aware of your surroundings and have a plan if you need to make quick
manoeuvre.

3 – Falls
Similar to item number six, this is a significant hazard for us due to the need to work at height for a
large proportion of our work. We therefore require specific work at height checklists to be completed
before any work above ground level. We have issued four bulletins this year about accidents due to
falls from height, the latest being a fatal accident in bulletin 379 (http://www.xmostrata.com/health/2013-
10-10.php).

2 - Trips and Slips
We are all familiar with slip and trip hazards, as they are present in every workplace. We regularly get
Potential Incident reports featuring trailing leads, pot holes, damaged drain covers, kerb stones etc that
can be potential trip hazards. A pot hole or kerb stone may seem like a very minor hazard, but they are
the cause of a huge number of accidents. Earlier this year there was a well publicised case where a
police officer allegedly tripped on a curb. See Bulletin 307 (http://www.xmostrata.com/health/2012-06-
14.php).

1 – Strains
Manual Handling is a common activity and one in which it is very easy to over exert yourself. All
crews are trained in manual handling, but it is important to recognise your limits and assess the loads
before attempting to manoeuvre any load. Wherever practicable use mechanical aids to take the
weight or use team lifting. According to the HSE Labour Force Survey, there were 112000 cases of
musculoskeletal back disorders per year (averaged over 2009-2012) that were caused or made worse by
manual handling. See Bulletin 375 (http://www.xmostrata.com/health/2013-09-12.php).

Please continue to use your LMRA checklist and consider these common accident causes as part of
completing your clearance certificate and at each stage of your job.

We are all a product of learning. Every skill we have; everything we know; everything we believe and everything we do has
been learned throughout the course of our lives. Some of us learn best by studying graphs and charts, some through visual
presentations, and some by reading detailed text books. It is important that we receive information in a format that works
for us as individuals! That’s why at Xmo Strata we use a variety of communication platforms such as bulletins, newsletters,
videos etc. However, if you feel there is a better way for us to share health and safety information, please let us know.
Ultimately, your safety is in your hands – but we will do all we can to keep you well informed!