Slips, trips and falls on domestic construction sites costing millions

10 May 2010

Slips, trips and falls on domestic construction sites* are costing the community millions of dollars a year in medical costs for injured workers.

In the last financial year, treatment costs for roof tilers who had suffered slips, trips or falls in the workplace came to over $1.3 million. $1.1 million was paid out to bricklayers with similar injuries and more than $2 million to carpenters.

WorkSafe Victoria has launched a campaign to reduce the number of domestic construction site injuries, Acting Executive Director for Health and Safety Stan Krpan said.

“Slips, trips and falls at work are one of the leading causes of sprains and strains, also known as musculoskeletal injuries.

“These injuries can have a long-term effect – which not only means paying for more time off work or treatment for workers; it also puts pressure on businesses through added business costs.

“Domestic construction companies have to think much more carefully about safety versus productivity.

“Losing a worker through a slip or fall will not only mean lost productivity for your business, you’ll also have to cover lost labour and maybe even train new workers.

“We’re urging construction workers and their employers to stop, step back, and think about safety when planning, working on and completing every job.

“This is about planning your projects and site layout, setting up your site, and ensuring your site is safe for each trade coming through.

“Improvising on the job, or taking short-cuts to get the work done, is only going to compromise your own health and safety,” he said.

The campaign is supported by Scott Cam, who co-hosts popular television show, Domestic Blitz. Scott, who recently became host of the 2010 series of The Block, began his working life as a carpenter and remains passionate about the industry.

“As a business owner and a tradie, I know how important it is that we all work together to keep each other safe,” Scott said.

“Simple things like keeping a clean site and not improvising with tools and equipment can have a big impact on safety.

“While I have seen safety standards improve since I started my apprenticeship, there are still too many tradies being injured at work. If I can play even a small role in lowering the number of injuries, I’ll be happy,” he said.

Scott features in a video, which can be seen on WorkSafe’s website – www.worksafe.vic.gov.au.

*’Domestic construction sites’ refer to construction work taking place on residential properties.