Construction: Heating and air conditioning installation

These are the most common injuries and hazards for people working in the heating and air conditioning installation industry, as shown by injury claims.

Construction: Heating and air conditioning installation

These are the most common injuries and hazards for people working in the heating and air conditioning installation industry, as shown by injury claims.

Safety solutions

WorkSafe expects employers to have safety solutions in place to protect workers from the most common sources of injury.

Hazards and solutions

Hazard 1
Exposure to asbestos and silica
For asbestos, request asbestos register and establish procedures for when asbestos is identified. Train employees in procedures. Refer to the OHS regulations and Asbestos Compliance Codes.

For silica, suppress dust when cutting or grinding masonry and concrete by vacuuming or wet cutting. Ensure P2 respirators are worn.
Hazard 2
Lifting pushing and handling materials
During design, consider ease of access for installation and maintenance.

Arrange for bulky materials to be delivered to the final work location or use mechanical load shifting devices (eg hand trucks, cable trolleys) to move materials around site.

Provide lifting points or handles for heavy or awkward loads.

Use appropriate mechanical devices to lift and hold pipes in position (eg duct lifter).

Order materials in smaller size containers (eg use 100m drums of cable instead of 500m).

Position machines to ensure safe access for cleaning and maintenance.

10 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.

19 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.

18 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand/fingers.
Hazard 3
Noise
Ensure employees are not exposed to noise that exceeds the exposure standard.

Arrange for a noise assessment if employees are exposed to excessive noise (eg workers have to raise their voices to communicate over a distance of one metre) and there is uncertainty as to whether employees exposure may have exceeded the noise exposure standard.

Eliminate or minimise the source of noise (eg enclose or isolate noisy machinery, reduce vibration, use barriers to absorb and screens to block the direct path of sound, use silencers on air exhausts, exhaust pneumatics out of the area, buy the quietest tools / machinery available).

Place warning signs in areas of excessive and continual noise (eg where employees exposure is likely to exceed the exposure standard).

Warn other workers nearby that you will be undertaking noisy work and advise them to move away or wear hearing protection.

Provide hearing equipment and ensure it is worn at all times, and provide employees with audiometric testing. Employers should provide a choice of different types of hearing protection appropriate to the noise level in the workplace.

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons ears.
Hazard 4
Slips trips and falls
Provide appropriate height access equipment, and use the highest level of fall prevention (eg work from mobile scaffolds, scissor / boom lifts instead of step platforms or ladders) as is reasonably practicable.

If step platforms or ladders are used, ensure they are suitable for the work and correctly positioned and set up.

Ensure all working areas and access areas are clean, level, well-lit and in good condition.

Remove unwanted material and construction waste regularly from site so it does not accumulate.

Ensure spills (eg water or oil) are cleaned up immediately.

Ensure materials, power leads, tools and equipment are positioned and secured to avoid creating tripping hazards.

8 per cent of the injuries were to a persons forearm / wrist.

10 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.

18 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand/fingers.

7 per cent of the injuries were to a persons leg.
Hazard 5
Using equipment and tools
Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (eg tables, benches or stands that bring work to waist height, height access equipment to limit reaching above head height, ergonomically designed power tools that are lightweight, low vibration, noise restricted and fitted with clutches and safety guards) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Provide power tools rather than hand tools (eg power sheers, nibblers, riveters).

Provide pipe cutters and cable strippers instead of hacksaws and knives.

Ensure power saws are not used unless the blade guards are functioning correctly.

Cover sharp edges of duct work.

Fit protective caps to the end of all thread droppers.

Train employees, especially young workers, in the selection and use of hand tools and how to safely use them (eg avoid working in front of face and always work away from the body).

Provide appropriate personal protective equipment (eg gloves that absorb impact energy, protection from sharp edges that is puncture resistant, hearing protection, respiratory protection).

Ensure employees wear appropriate personal protective clothing (eg long pants, boots).

8 per cent of the injuries were to a persons forearm / wrist.

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulders.

18 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand/fingers.

7 per cent of the injuries were to a persons leg.

19 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.

Construction: Heating and air conditioning installation

Construction: Heating and air conditioning installation

Safety solutions

Hazards and solutions

Exposure to asbestos and silica

Lifting pushing and handling materials

Noise

Slips trips and falls

Using equipment and tools

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