Worker in critical condition after falling 10 m

A worker was taken to hospital in critical condition on Friday, 6 September after falling around 10 metres from scaffolding at an Australian Capital Territory (ACT) construction site. As of Saturday morning (7 September), the worker was in a serious condition and the full extent of his injuries had yet to be determined, according to ACT Work Safety Commissioner, Greg Jones.

WorkSafe ACT is investigating the incident and has issued a Prohibition Notice, preventing work onsite until the identified safety issues, including falls from heights, falling objects, electrical safety and fire safety issues, are rectified. Jones said investigations into the cause of the incident would likely continue for some time.

“At this time our thoughts are with the injured worker, his family, friends and work colleagues,” he said. “It was a significant incident and we will be working with all parties to understand how it occurred over the coming days and weeks. This will assist in the prevention of future incidents of a similar nature.

“A fall from a height is one of the most significant risks on a construction site and I’d like to remind all employers to ensure safe work practices are in place and are communicated to workers. Workers should ensure they understand all relevant safe work practices and report any unsafe issues they may come across.”

Support has been made available to those working onsite, including those who may have witnessed the incident.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Zhao jiankang