Penetrations

Penetration hazards are often difficult to see as they can be caused by a weakened structure that seems stable visually.

Penetration falls are a common cause of worksite injury. Falling through a ceiling or skylight can injure, maim or kill.

In Australia from 2009-2011, 123 construction workers died from work-related injuries. This number of deaths equates to 4.26 fatalities per 100 000 workers which is nearly twice the national fatalities rate of 2.23.

Falls from height accounted for 25% of fatalities (31 deaths) which include penetration falls. Many more workers have been injured.

Falls are the leading cause of death in construction every year. These deaths are preventable.

The most common causes of penetration falls are:

falling through a skylight while working on a roof;
falling down an open manhole;
falling through a damaged floor or ceiling;
falling through an open or closed window;
falling through a floor opening;
inadequate signage around penetration hazards;
inadequate safety protection around penetration hazards; and,
equipment (such as ladders or scaffolding) positioned on top of a penetration causing instability.

Any worker can be injured when falling through a penetration. Be sure to take appropriate precautions when working in an unfamiliar area.

Roles and responsibilities

Every person on a worksite has a duty to ensure their safety and the safety of those around them. If a worker identifies a potential hazard that may put someone's safety at risk, they are to notify their supervisor immediately.

Person conducting a business or undertaking

A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has the primary duty under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that workers and other persons at the workplace are not exposed to health and safety risks arising from the business or undertaking.

The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 for construction work, high-risk work and falls that need to be complied with when working near or around penetrations. The PCBU is to identify penetrations in the design stage and the type of guarding and signage that is required in relation to the type of penetration to prevent falls.

The PCBU must consult, so far as is reasonably practicable, with workers who carry out work for you, who are (or are likely to be) directly affected by a work health and safety matter.

The PCBU must consult, cooperate and coordinate activities with all other persons who have a work health or safety duty in relation to the same matter, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Where it is not possible to eliminate the risk of a fall, the PCBU must provide fall prevention equipment and devices which could include a secure fence, covers, fall arrest systems or work positioning systems.

The PCBU are responsible for providing workers with information, training, instruction and sufficient signage as is necessary to enable them to perform a task around penetrations in a safe manner.

The PCBU are responsible for developing safe work, emergency and rescue procedures in relation to scaffolding work that comply with the regulations, Australian standards and codes of practice and ensure those procedures are being carried out correctly.

Management or control

A person with management or control of a workplace must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the workplace, the means of entering and exiting the workplace and anything arising from the workplace are without risks to the health and safety of any person.

Workers and contractors

Workers have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that they do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons. Workers must comply with any reasonable instruction and cooperate with any reasonable policy or procedure relating to health and safety at the workplace.

Workers and contractors should report any insufficiently guarded, unguarded or dangerous penetrations to the PCBU or foreman to ensure fall protection of penetrations is maintained.

Checklist for working near penetration

Factor	Best practice	Options if best practice not available
Safe floor or platform areas Are there any unguarded penetrations or holes?	Provide guardrails with toebaords, covers or guards Provide properly constructed temporary guarding	Wear height safety equipment and/or install temporary static line systems, including travel restraint systems and fall-arrest systems
Roof inspection Is there any potential for falling?	Inspect to determine the roof's strength including the fixing and strength of safety mesh	Strengthen any suspect areas of roof support with temporary props or similar
Falls from roof edges Is there a risk of falling from a roof edge?	Install compliant edge protection	Static line systems including travel restraint systems and fall arrest systems Use barriers to restrict access a minimum 2 metres from an unprotected edge
Incomplete roofs Is a risk present from incomplete or damaged roofs?	Use safety mesh before the roof is laid	Use barriers or total restraint systems to separate roof workers from areas not yet meshed
Falls through penetrations Is there a risk of falling through skylihghts, holes or other penetrations?	Use safety mesh before the roof is laid	Securely cover skylights and penetrations or isolate with temporary edge protection Use barriers to restrict access minimum 1 metre high and at least2 metres from hazard
Falling materials Could materials suc as tools, equipment or other supplies fall from a height and hit someone?	Isolate the areas below roof work where people may be struck by falling material, debris or tolls	Isolate areas under roof edges unless toeboards are fixed to temporary edge protection to contain all material, debris and loose tools
Weather related hazards Could the weather such as heat, cold, rain, wind or ice pose a risk to workers and otheresa?	Consider: condtions of the roof surface mositure conditions wind speed UV exposure roofing material being installed	Roof workers to wear non-slip flexible grip protective footwear Commercial roofing - Steel toe-capped soft shoes UV radiation and sun glare - Wear sun screen, hats and sunglasses

How to assess a site with penetrations

Every worksite is different and the potential risk of a worksite penetration fall is just as variable. A thorough assessment of each worksite is required to identify penetration risks and to provide adequate preventative strategies.

When assessing a site, consider the following:

Check for any obvious holes or weaknesses.
Are there any windows, skylights, chimneys or other openings in the worksite vicinity?
Is there any damage to the floor or work surface such as water or fire damage?
Are there any areas of structural instability?
Have temporary covers been used to cover openings (such as a wooden board over a hole)? Have these been clearly marked?

Sometimes penetration risks are created during the project work, so it's important to stay vigilant and look for risks throughout a project's duration.

Real stories

Every year many Australians are hurt or killed through penetration falls. The following are some true examples of such incidents.

Case study one

Man impaled after fall - A building renderer fell 4m and landed on a scaffolding stillage, which pierced his torso. Emergency services workers cut the man free and he was transported to hospital with a 40 centimetre length of 40 milimetre diameter pipe protruding from his body.

Case study two

Fatal fall through roof - A 32 year old man who was employed by a rigging contractor on a construction site, died from injuries he sustained when he fell through a section of roof.

In the course of his work it was necessary for the man to climb a fixed vertical steel ladder to a platform eight metres above the ground. From this level a window was used to gain access to the first roof level. A steel storm water pipe was then used to gain access to the upper roof level, where a swing stage was situated. Apparently the young man was using the steel water pipe to ascend from the upper level when he either slipped, or lost his balance. He then fell backwards and head first through the lower level corrugated cement sheet roof.

No safety mesh was in place below the fragile roof and the deceased was not wearing a safety harness.

Case study three

Fall through skylight - A building engineer fell through a skylight on the Performing Arts Centre in Colac. The experienced building engineer fell 2.5 metres through a skylight on the roof while servicing an air conditioning unit. The man had previously carried out work on the roof and knew of the existence of the skylight.

Case study four

Unguarded Penetration in construction site - A worker fell three metres through a penetration in condeck at the Lorne Chalet Project. The worker was clearing material off the deck ready for steel fixers. As the worker lifted a loose sheet of plywood (covering the hole) he walked forward and fell through the hole.