The 18 to 25-year olds are most likely to die in a workplace accident. Fact.
And in construction, falls from height are the biggest killers, then being trapped or hit by something or being hit by a moving vehicle, writes Paul Williams, Health, Safety and Environment Manager at the ECA.
Some hazards take longer to kill you though, like inhaling asbestos fibres or other dust and fume contaminants.
Robust health and safety is not about stopping people doing things but about helping ensure activities are completed safely so we can all go home in one piece when work ends.
Learning the lesson about the importance of health and safety can prove to be a hard one. Take this case.
A health and safety inspector was called to the scene of an accident involving Gary, a 17-year-old apprentice electrical engineer in a small factory.
One day, he was asked to mind a machine that produced rivets for car manufacturing. Guards were in place on the machine to prevent someone accidentally getting caught in the moving parts.
Gary spotted that a few rivets were stuck in the machine feed and moved the guard to free them up, failing to notice that the rotating wheel of the machine would draw his hand into the moving parts.
He lost the thumb and first finger of his hand.
Tragic, because Gary believed he was helping by not following health and safety rules and taking a ‘shortcut’.
Gary had spent most evenings player snooker at his local club. The accident ended any hopes he harboured of a career in the sport.
Learn the importance of health and safety the easy way: pay attention, follow set rules and always be prepared to stop work or challenge situations or behaviours you believe are unsafe.
Remember.
To be good at your job, think safety and care about yourself and those around you.
To be professional, take health and safety seriously – think and work with safety in mind.