5 Simple Ways to Stay Safe At Work

Did you know that in Safe Work Australia's Construction Industry Profile, plumbing has the second highest number of serious worker compensation claims in the construction industry? This World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28th of April, we’re sharing simple ways to keep safe at work.

Wear your Personal Protective Equipment

It may not be breaking news that there’s a lot of yucky stuff about when you’re working in plumbing – asbestos, dust, human waste. And it can be pretty noisy too. At least, make sure you’re wearing your

• Coveralls
• Hard hat
• Goggles/safety glasses
• Slip-resistant boots
• Gloves
• Respirator/dust mask
• Ear muffs/hearing protection
• Harness (if working at height)

Don’t be shocked

In 2020, Safe Work recorded 270 incidents and risks of electric shock. Plumbers are at real risk of electric shock, especially when working with metal pipes.

• Switch off the electrical main switch (or switches) and attach a tag stating ‘Danger—do not switch on’
• Install an insulated bridging conductor with end clamps that have insulated grips, spanning the length of pipe you need to cut.
• Make sure your skin isn’t touching metal pipes by wearing gloves and long
• Notice if you’re feeling any shocks or tingles from metalwork in the installation, and ask around to see if others have.
• Really clean the section of metal pipe on each side of the length being repaired.

Secure your ladder

In 2021, 11% of Australian workplace fatalities were as a result of a fall from a height, with some of these involving falls of less than 4 metres. It can be scary working on a ladder, but there are ways of doing it safely:

• Make sure your ladder is on a stable surface, secured at the top and bottom so it won’t move
• Maintain three points of contact to your ladder while climbing or descending: either with two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand.
• Stay away from doorways, so that a swinging door doesn’t knock your ladder over
• Ensure the ladder extends at least one metre above the landing
• Set up warning signs and/or have a person stand at the foot of the ladder so that others know to stay away.

Clean up after yourself

Make sure you’re not taking work home with you. Before you leave the worksite, leave the space cleaner than you found it by:

• Cleaning up any spills
• Using industrial-strength cleaners and disinfectants to sanitise the space, and antiseptics to clean your equipment
• Properly dispose of materials such as dirty rags
• Changing out of your work clothes before getting into your vehicle, and washing your work clothes separately from your household laundry. 

Maintain your mental health

Most WH&S policies aim to get you home safely, by did you know that young construction workers are almost 6 times more likely to die from suicide than a workplace accident? Every year, 190 Australians working in the construction industry take their own lives; that’s one person every second day.

Watch out for the following signs in yourself and others

• Sleep changes
• Social withdrawal
• Lethargy
• Changes in appetite
• Self-harming, including self-inflicted cuts, burns, hair-pulling
• Noticeable increase in giving away possessions or putting affairs in order
• Worsening work or academic performance
• Increased thoughts or mentions of death, suicide or dying.

If you notice a decline in your mental health, Safe Work recommends:

• Planning and prioritising your day
• Eat healthy food
• Joining a club or social group
• Dedicate time away from electronics
• Exercise for 30 minutes a day
• Turn off screens half an hour before bed
• Listen to music
• Cut down on alcohol and cigarettes
• Connect with your social network
• Seek help and support