Health & safety bulletin
Fatal Fall
28th March 2008
Xmo Strata was made aware of the following accident. The accident did not involve Xmo Strata, however, by raising awareness of such incidents, we are all better able to identify the risks and put preventative measures in place.
A contractor was recently killed when he fell from height whilst working on an ExxonMobil terminal.
The engineer was carrying out work on a roof when he fell approximately 52 feet to the ground. He was wearing his harness, but had secured it to an anchor point which was insufficient to hold his weight; the anchor point he used broke and was found on the ground next to him.
The worker was 44 years old and had been doing this type of work for several years; he is survived by a wife and three children.
Falling while working at height is the most common form of fatal injury and should be undertaken with great care and thought. Do not get complacent and think this could never happen to you - it can.
When choosing an anchor point, always use a purpose made point wherever possible. If no purpose made point is available, consider the following:
- Will it support my full weight if I fall?
- If possible, am I tied off safety overhead?
- How far will my lanyard stretch and what is directly below me if I should fall?
- Will anything cut or burn my lanyard?
- Have I tied off as close to my job as possible and can I still work safely?