05:05 pm, Friday 29 January, 2010

WorkCover has released a safety alert on temporary bracing of concrete tilt up panels following an incident involving a collapse of a 40-tonne panel.

The crash has resulted from an installed bracing that was not up to par with the engineer’s design under a moderate wind loading.

WorkCover reminds employers that the design of the bracing should take into account the location, the panels, the work site’s access needs, and the procedure for its installation and dismantling.

The engineer must also review and approve any modifications to the bracing system’s design, before any changes can be made.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 requires employers to make sure that  training and information to ensure their safety.

According to WorkCover, there are several risk controls measures that have to be incorporated in the safety procedure for the temporary bracing of tilt up panels.

An experienced engineer should prepare a design for the temporary bracing before starting construction work.

There must also be a system to verify that the required braces are installed according to the  engineer’s specifications.

A review must be made by the engineer if there are any changes proposed regarding the installation of the bracing.

Finally, a regular safety inspection must be conducted by a competent person to  check for the structural integrity of the bracing.

Report by Julia Alder - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know