Stories from a Safety Advisor

03 Feb 2021

With over 20 Safety Advisors conducting site visits for clients across Aotearoa, there is no shortage of stories from sites where the consultative process has provided immediate insight into site safety, with minor and sometimes major changes able to be enacted straight away.

Andrew Quinn, a Safety Advisor based in Wellington, recounts a recent site review where a quick check and swapping of some equipment ensured a high level lifting operation was conducted safely with minimised risk.

“I did a site review during the first week back on site in January this year. It’s a multi-storey site in central Wellington, where a mobile crane was being used to erect the fixed crane.

"It was great to see everyone back at work in good spirits and the site was well prepared and set up.

"As they were about to lift one of the heavy horizontal sections, I noticed that their slings and chains were not in a good state, nor were they inspected and signed off as ‘fit for duty’ by a competent person – a preferred work practice at least every 12 months.”

Andrew asked the crane operator and rigging company to verify that this was the case, and they all agreed that the certification had expired. The equipment that was loaded for the day hadn’t been checked, and it was due for inspection.

“It was an easy decision to use the mobile crane company’s gear, which they had brought along. A quick check showed their gear was inspected and certified, so it was used with total peace of mind and with minimal delay.

"Everyone involved could plainly see the potential consequences of equipment failure, so it was great to bring that safety awareness back to the site. Maybe it was the cobwebs after enjoying some time off over the holidays…”

Get in touch with the Site Safe team to organise a site review for your site. Our team of Safety Advisors will consult with you and guide you through the whole process to ensure that your team and site/s are maintaining the highest health and safety standards.

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