Page 738 - Xmo Strata - Bulletin Archive
P. 738
Health, Safety & Environmental Bulletin No 265
K Parmentier – 29 September 2011
Cherry Picker Fatality
Please see enclosed self-explanatory safety alert issued by JCI.
This incident again shows the importance of carrying out a last minute risk assessment
and always checking the area for overhead hazards before using any elevated equipment
(MEWPs, towers, ladders, or scaffold).
The following extract from our site rules gives appropriate distances for working near
power lines, but always check the site specific conditions:
Rule 23 - Do not work within 5.2m of electricity cables slung off wooden poles or
within 7m of cables attached onto steel power pylons – if in doubt, ask - don’t
work! Do not operate tall machinery (hiabs / MEWPS) within 9m of cables slung
from wooden poles or 15m from steel pylons. (Distances obtained from HSE
AIS8rev2).
Risk management is a big step towards accident prevention; however, it is dependent on the risk firstly
being identified, then controlled. We need safety awareness to be instinctive and form an integral part
of both our working and home lives; it is this, in turn, that may save the lives of others. Remember: if
shared, risks can be mitigated before they pose a threat.
If you have any queries regarding the Safety Bulletin content or require further information please
contact any staff member of Xmo Strata Ltd.
