A worker sustained rib and shoulder blade fractures after a 1.8 m section of 150 nominal bore pipe rebounded within a designated drop zone during removal from an elevated work platform. Workers cut the pipe free and dropped it from height during the task.
The pipe landed within a 14 m² drop zone but deflected on impact and rolled across the area. Despite the presence of spotters, the moving pipe struck a trades assistant who was sitting on a kerb inside the exclusion zone.
The incident shows how dropped objects can travel unpredictably after impact and expose workers to line-of-fire hazards, even where controls are in place. It demonstrates how quickly routine lifting tasks can escalate when exclusion zones do not account for secondary movement on hard surfaces.
Takeaways
- Design exclusion zones: Allow for bounce, deflection and rolling, particularly when handling long or heavy pipe sections.
- Enforce exclusion: Keep all personnel out of drop zones during overhead work with dropped-object potential.
- Position spotters: Maintain clear lines of sight and authority to actively control access and intervene when needed.
- Install barriers: Use physical controls such as barricades or bunding to restrict object travel beyond the drop zone.
- Supervise effectively: Monitor compliance and maintain control of exclusion areas throughout the task.
- Assess ground conditions: Factor in hard or uneven surfaces that can increase rebound and secondary movement.
