An industry expert has warned about the dangers of using fall-protection hoists incorrectly following a fatal accident.
The incident happened when a carpenter fell five meters from a scaffolding tower. Although he was wearing a harness, it was not fixed to a solid object. After landing on solid concrete, the man received multiple injuries and later died in hospital.
The secretary of industry watchdog Build Safe UAE, Elias McGrath said: “The wearer needs to be trained to make sure he is using the PPE [personal protective equipment] correctly – otherwise it is just there for decoration.” He added that there have been a number of accidents of this type in the past – and even cases where workers in confined spaces have got themselves tangled in their own harnesses.
McGrath added that the grade of equipment also had it’s part to play: “You have to look for the certification mark and each organisation needs its quality control checks – especially when it comes to helmets.”
“If you don’t have a quality in the plastic, it really isn’t going to make a difference. This is one example where quality plays a really important role” he said.
It is believed that the scaffold was being dismantled at the time of the incident, which happened during building works at a UAE hotel swimming pool.