Work Safety Alert on Collapsed Elevating Work Platform and Safety Legislation Assignment

Introduction of the Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Power-operated Elevating Work Platforms

The following 2 pages show the Work Safety Alert published by the Labour Department in August 2021. It is about a fatal accident that is related to falling from the working platform of a collapsed truck-mounted Elevating Work Platform.

1. Date of Accident : August 2021

2. Place of Accident : At roadside

3. Summary : 

Two workers while working on the working platform of a truck-mounted elevating work platform ("EWP") to conduct tree pruning work, fell together with the working platform as the boom of the EWP suddenly broke. One worker died and the other worker was injured as a result. 

4. Work Safety Alert for Contractors/ Proprietors/ Employers : 

To ensure the safe operation of EWP, contractors/ proprietors/ employers should provide and maintain safe plant and a safe system of work which should include, but not limited to, the following: 

• Ensuring the EWP is of good mechanical construction, made of strong and sound materials;
• Ensuring the EWP is properly maintained and free from patent defect;
• Ensuring that the EWP is regularly inspected, tested, and properly maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions in order to ensure that it is in safe working condition at all times;
• Ensuring that the inspection, test, maintenance and repair of the EWP are performed by persons who are suitably trained and competent for such work;
• Appointing a competent person to conduct task-specific risk assessments to identify all potential hazards associated with the work, taking into account the nature of work and the working environment;
• Formulating detailed safe work procedures and safety precautions with due regard to the result of the assessment, and in conformity with the instructions given in the machine manufacturer's manual;
• Where the EWP is mounted on a truck, ensuring that the manufacturer's instructions in respect of levelling of the truck, proper extension of stabilizers and/or outriggers beams, and restriction of the EWP operations within specified working range are strictly followed;
• Ensuring that the EWP is loaded within its safe working load;
• Ensuring that the EWP is operated by an authorised person who has adequately trained and is competent by reasons of substantial training and practical experience;
• Providing all workers/ employees involved with necessary safety information, instruction and training, and ensuring that they are familiar with the safe work procedures and the necessary safety measures; and
• Establishing and implementing an effective monitoring and control system to ensure that all safety measures are strictly followed. 

The Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Power-operated Elevating Work Platforms came into effect in March 2007. Several Power-operated Elevating Work Platforms (PEWP) would be applied on the working environment for all internal and external works at height.

Up to August 2021, there were 4 numbers of fatalities related to the PEWP in workplace. Write a report to your company’s Director on how the above guidance notes shall be followed, how the safety measures for PEWP operation should be planned and implemented. State the problems and obstacles you may encounter under the current working situations.

The report should include but not limited to the followings:

i. Introduction of the Guidance Notes on Safe Use of PEWP

ii. Objectives of implementation of safety measures for PEWP

iii. Problems and obstacles of current situation in the workplace

iv. Discussion on planned safety systems of work for PEWP and how the system is to be implemented

v. Conclusion

vi. Recommendations

vii. References

(The assignment is to test your knowledge on the major hazards or risks in workplace operations and how they can be controlled according to the current safety and health standards in Hong Kong. In making references to a particular section of the safety regulations and guidance notes, you only needtoquotethesectionnumbers of the Ordinance/ subsidiary regulations/ guidance notes in the format, e.g., “OSHO, F&IUO Construction Sites (Safety) Regulation or Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Power-operated Elevating Work Platforms” at end of the related sentence, but please do not copy the whole section from the law directly!