‘Il-Bajla’
Due to the ever-increasing business in construction, several hazards and risks have become more frequent. As such risks from working at heights, falling objects, lifting operations, and industrial equipment have also become common. On the 13th of January 2021, I witnessed the following lifting operation.
The crane was hoisting the bucket with the person from street level. Lifting the load to almost the maximum height of the crane and transporting it throughout the length of the boom. I immediately thought what will the outcome be should the person fall during the dumping of the concrete, sand or whatever material was being transported in the same bucket. The person may potentially make contact with the material being dumped which may lead to injury, suffocation and/or death. I did some research on the use of cement buckets and the lifting of people.
Local legislation states that the lifting of persons may be carried out only if the equipment being used to lift the persons has been specifically designed to do so, the controls of the lifting machine are always manned and there are emergency arrangements in place to save the person being lifted should an emergency arise.
The legislation gives an opportunity to the employer to make use of work equipment which is not originally designed for the lifting of persons if action is taken to ensure the safety of the person being lifted.
When such a statement is made within a regulation, one should refer to Approved Codes of Practice, Standards or Guidelines which have been published by international or national organizations. Research led me to guidance published by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) ‘Krejnijiet’, the Safe use of lifting equipment published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), code 1926 Construction published by the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) and the guidance on the safe system of work plan (SSWP) published by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in Ireland.
In the guidance published by OHSA it is clearly stated that equipment and objects are never to be hoisted together and that whenever lifting of people is carried out, such lifting is to be only undertaken with the use of a cage designed for the purpose and certified by a competent person. However, no specific mention of the cement bucket is made (Krejnijiet – Gwida ta’ Prattika Tajba, n.d.).
The HSE states that lifting of people with equipment which is not designed for this purpose shall only be used when it is not practicable to gain access by less hazardous means and such equipment shall be de-rated by 50%. Where it is practicable to obtain equipment specifically built for the lifting of people, such equipment shall be used. (Safe use of lifting equipment, 2014).
The HSA does not recommend the use of buckets with riding positions and this should only be used when the provision of a safe working platform is not practicable (SSWP New Commercial Building Pictograms, 2006).
OSHA standard is much more direct. Section 1926.701(d) specifically states the following “No employee shall be permitted to ride concrete buckets”.
Transporting concrete safely always depends on the situation, the equipment being used and the restrictions imposed by the construction of the building itself. Prior planning and adequate research will increase the chances of using the best equipment with minimal skin contact and work at height risks (“Methods of Transportation of Concrete – Dumpers, Trucks, Belt Conveyors, Monorail, Tremie”, 2021).
It is evident from all guidance that the use of the ride-on bucket, lifting an employee up to 5 stories high and transporting the bucket and the employee a substantial number of meters across a construction site, was not the best and safest method of work. Why did the employer subject the employee to such risks and why did the employee agree to carry out such works?