Worker caught between machinery and Bin in Construction Site A team of construction workers was assisting in a piling operation

using a boring rig attached with a boring bucket. After every bore, the boring bucket was lifted over a skip bin and its bottom flap opened to discharge the bored earth. The Deceased was tasked to open the bottom flap of the boring bucket. To close the flap, it was pressed against the skip bin and the bucket rotated to lock it in place. Just before the accident, the rotation of the bucket against the skip bin caused the bin to skid on the ground. The Deceased was then walking between the boring rig and the skip bin when it skidded. He was struck in his abdomen by the skip bin and caught in-between the skip bin and the track of the boring rig. He passed away in the hospital later on the same day.

Figure 1: Worker was caught in-between the skip bin and the track of the boring rig

Recommendations *: Industry stakeholders undertaking similar work activities must consider the following measures: Practice good housekeeping at the construction site and implement a traffic management plan to control and separate vehicular traffic from human traffic. Conduct risk assessment to identify residual danger zones at the construction site (including the area around each boring rig) prior to work commencement. Install warning signs and clearly demarcate all danger zones with physical barriers and / or red-white tape. Highlight to workers the location of the danger zones during safety briefings and site walk-around, emphasizing the hazards associated with working in-between objects and the need to stay clear of these areas. Strictly enforce and provide on-site supervision to ensure no entry (including no entry by authorized personnel) into cordoned-off areas when any machine with unguarded moving parts is in operation. Review the work method on the need to open the bottom flap from inside the danger zone of the boring rig. Explore the possibility of opening the bottom flap from outside the danger zone. Ensure that the boring bucket does not come into contact with the skip bin (as well as the contents of the skip bin) while it is rotating as this may cause the bin to twist / skid. Document the safe work method and include into the training programme for workers. Work with the equipment manufacturer in reviewing the design of the boring rig to reduce human-machine interaction, for example, by installing devices to facilitate automatic opening or remote opening of the bottom flap by the boring rig operator or supervisor from a safe location. Provide workers with a means to communicate effectively in a high noise work environment, for example, through the use of walkie-talkie headsets with suitable noise reduction rating. Provide sufficient illumination for work at night or in dark areas. In particular, proper lighting must be provided for all work within a danger zone.