Falls From Trucks Campaign Steps Up

Continued high rates of injuries and deaths caused by workers falling from trucks has prompted Workplace Health and Safety Queensland to step up its efforts to ensure workplaces are managing the risk of falls effectively.

Of the 3100 serious injury claims from falls from trucks between 2009 and 2011, half led to truck drivers needing to take an average six weeks off work. In the eight years to 30 June 2011, 26 workers died following a fall from a vehicle, with trucks involved in 70 per cent of these incidents (18 fatalities). There has been no improvement in the number of workers killed each year since due to falls from height.

WHSQ commenced an awareness campaign last year, with 30 workshops held throughout the state looking at managing the risks of workers falling from vehicles. This year, the workshops were held on-site and saw businesses walking around their own site to identify falls risks on their trucks, trailers and loading area.

Businesses then made improvements to reduce their falls risks. Twelve of these are being developed into case studies which will be published in late 2014, detailing the processes taken to reduce falls risks.

WHSQ inspectors are now visiting workplaces where vehicles load and unload to assess how well businesses are managing their falls risks. These visits involve discussion between the inspector, the employer and workers.