Construction Safety - Safe Access

 

Access and egress refer to the rate or means of entry and exit to a workplace or work area. Routes that provide access and egress should be controlled, safe, suitably constructed, kept free of obstructions and well maintained. 

Serious injury can result from hazards such as fires, slips and trips, contact with moving vehicles, unauthorised entry into hazardous work areas, falls into floor openings and falls into water, when access and egress arrangements are not properly maintained.

 SITE ACCESS

It is extremely important to always know who is on site at any given time and aware of personnel present in a particular work area. In the event of an emergency, such as fire, it will then be possible to determine whether anyone has been unable to evacuate the site.

It will also be possible to direct rescue services to the appropriate work area. Always follow the appropriate access control procedures every time while enter and exit a site or  a controlled area. 

EGRESS ROUTES

Egress Routes need to be clearly marked out, well lit, unobstructed and well maintained if they are to allow personnel and others on site to exit quickly in the event of an emergency.

For these reasons, never lay down or store tools, equipment, work pieces or other items on routes of egress. Operations should be planned so that they do not damage egress routes, and any accidental damage should be rectified immediately.

SLIP, TRIPS, FALLS

Egress routes are often also access routes, and part of your work area. But even when they are not, access routes and work areas should be kept in a safe, unobstructed and well maintained condition, as this can help to reduce the risk of dangerous slip and trip accidents.

MOBILE PLANT

Each year, a number of people die as a result of being struck by a moving or falling object. In most cases, these deaths involved accidents relating to vehicles in the work place. It is important to separate vehicles and pedestrian's in work area, and to remember that only suitable trained, certified and authorized people should operate mobile plant, that should always be aware of vehicle movements within your workplace and people should stick to pedestrian routes when going to or leaving work area.

FLOOR OPENINGS

All floor openings should be guarded by scaffold barriers and toe boards, and appropriate warning signs should be displayed to prevent falls. Personnel working within the barrier must wear a safety harness attached to secure anchor points. When operations are suspended for significant periods, additional precautions should be considered, including fixed covers. Covers should be made of a suitable, load bearing material.

HAZARDOUS WORKING AREAS

 Access restrictions, such as barriers, are required for hazardous work areas. Machine shops, elevated work platforms, confined space, roofs, floor openings and work areas over or near water pose significant hazards and it should not be possible for unauthorized personnel to enter these areas. Personnel should stick to designated pedestrian walkways if need to walk through these areas and do not be tempted to cross barriers or take unnecessary short cuts.

If need to work in a hazardous area, must follow the specific access procedures for work area. This may include access control and equipment control. May not be able to take personal items into certain work areas, such as confined space.

ARRANGEMENT OF WORK AREA

Work are should be organized to ensure that have enough height and space for access and egress, as well as to move around and carry out operations safely. Low level ceilings or pipe work should be highlighted. Particular safe working procedures are required in work areas with limited access and egress, including confined space.

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