Slips and trips are regularly the biggest single cause of reported injuries in the construction industry.
In addition to several thousand over-3-day accidents, slips and trips cause over 1,000 major injuries on UK sites each year.
Under the CDM 2015 Regulations more often than not when out on site we always see cables and hoses being used every day. As Health & Safety consultants, we have to ensure that all of those working on site are paying extra attention to route cables and hoses in order to eliminate the risk of tripping and electric shock as we all know this increases tenfold due to the use of damaged cables. Therefore, planning must be done well in advance as to how and where the cables are routed to minimize these risks. As we all know, cables can easily become inaccessible, dangerous and sometimes a logistical nuisance!
We appreciate no two sites or jobs are the same, however as a guide to help we have listed below the the actions and requirements that must be taken to reduce the risks:
Cable Management:-
- Keep passageways clear from cables to minimise trip hazards – do this by using cable bridges as required to route cables across walkways.
- Always route cables in an orderly manner and use cable ramps to prevent trip chances.
- Make use of cable trays to lay down multiple cables.
- Keep cables as short as possible. Where cable stands or storages are provided ensure that they are used especially for rolled excess and unused cables.
- Hang up cables and make sure they are returned to the proper storage areas when not in use.
- Separate or isolate cables from sources when not in use.
- Ensure all cables are kept away and clear of water along with any other materials that may come into contact with water.
- Regularly check the plugs and conditions of the cables.
- Always check the cables and hoses prior to use, for any sign of wear and tear. If you find any exposed cable, immediately remove it from site.
Follow these tips above to ensure you don’t let bad cable management trip you (or anyone else) up!
To help avoid any accidents on site Work Safety Solutions can provide you with the correct cable tidy’s that would suffice for most cabling jobs.