Horror week of fatal accidents

Wednesday 15 September 2004

A spate of accidents that has left six men dead in a week is a real cause for concern, says Occupational Safety and Health national operations manager Mike Cosman.

In just seven days, six fatalities have been reported to OSH. The first happened last Tuesday, when a man helping to rig a crane on a Wellington construction site was crushed. Three separate accidents yesterday, in Whakatane, Te Rapa and Northland, brought the total for the week to six. The other fatalities happened in Greymouth and Palmerston North. Of the fatalities notified, OSH is investigating four.

Mr Cosman said it was unusual for so many fatalities to happen at once, and should serve as a wake-up call for both employers and workers.

"Employers should take the time to reassess the safety systems and procedures they have in place to make sure they’re keeping their workers safe and healthy on the job. Workers also need to take responsibility to look out for themselves and their mates."

Mr Cosman said if a task looks dangerous, it probably is. "If in doubt, stand back and think about the possible consequences of what you are about to do, ask someone else for help or advice, or walk away. We don’t want this gruesome tally to grow."

He says it’s a sad fact that many people see workplace health and safety as being a lot of paperwork and red tape. “But the cost of a workplace accident for a worker and their family can never be measured in dollars.

"It is easy to be wise after the event - but with a bit of thought and common sense it is possible to be wise before the event and help reduce the appalling toll of death and injury."