Incident

Investigation revealed that he accidentally reversed the sweeper through the closed doors of an industrial goods lift. The sweeper, with the operator aboard, fell 1.4 metres onto the lift buffers in the lift well. The operator was trapped between the sweeper and the buffers and received fatal crush injuries. The sweepers tyre tracks, revealed in the soda ash which had been spread on the floor before the cleaning operation began, showed no signs that the operator had applied the sweeper's brakes before striking the lift doors.

The machine was mechanically sound and the operator was a competent person who had been trained in the safe use of the machine.

A WorkCover inspector found that the level of lighting in the area may have contributed to the operators misjudgment of the proximity to the lift doors. Inspection showed that the lift doors were incapable of resisting the impact of the sweeper. There were no warning signs or barriers near the lift doors.

Recommendations

A risk assessment should be carried out where powered mobile plant is used in proximity to lift doors. If this assessment discloses the possibility of contact, physical barriers should be erected to prevent accidental access to the lift. These barriers could be either temporary, erected when work is being carried out adjacent to the lift; or permanent, in high-density traffic areas. These barriers must not impede access to or from the lift.

No-go areas should be indicated by lines in a high-visibility colour on the floor and staff informed of what they mean.

Lift doors may be reinforced to resist the impact of fork-lift trucks and mechanical sweepers, if practicable.

The working area should be appropriately illuminated. AS1680.1 Interior lighting and AS/NZ 1680.2.4 provide guidance on workplace illumination.

Care should be taken that lift doors conform to the relevant Australian Standard.

Further information

For further information contact Senior Inspector Frank Glass on (02) 9370 5032, Engineer Chris Rolfe on (02) 9370 5409, or the WorkCover Information Centre on 13 10 50.