This safety alert covers the importance of carrying out risk assessments and identifying instability risks before assembling structural steel beams on the ground.
What happened?
A steel fabricator working on a commercial construction site suffered significant injuries after a structural steel I-beam fell on them.
The worker was assembling sections of a large steel I-beam at ground level when another worker moving some mobile plant struck the I-beam, causing it to tip and fall.
What's the risk?
Structural steel beams assembled on the ground can become unstable and fall without warning.
Beams are often large (600 mm-900 mm high when on their side) and can topple if not properly supported.
Common risk factors include:
- beams not adequately supported during assembly
- contact from moving plant or equipment
- increasing beam size and weight on modern construction projects.
What you need to do
Before starting work, PCBUs/businesses should carry out a site-specific risk assessment to identify instability risks and put controls in place.
Effective controls may include:
- using props attached to the beam
- installing a cradle or engineered support system
- setting up exclusion zones to keep other workers clear of potential fall areas, and reduce the risk of mobile plant coming into contact with unstable objects.
You should also:
- ensure beams are supported at all times during assembly
- manage plant movements to prevent accidental contact with beams
- consider sequencing work to minimise exposure to unstable items.
