Yet another fall, yet another person on the critical list. This week has seen no fewer than four people fall from heights of a storey and above – with the consequence
of them landing in hospital with life-endangering injuries.
The saddest thing is that they can be prevented. Many times, such accidents involve construction workers who fall while on the job, but the even more saddening thing is that the others are usually men at home who are doing a spot of DIY maintenance.
Not that there is anything wrong in this, any man worth his salt always gives it a go. But at what cost? All it takes is one slip, one wrong step or one wrong move and people plunge to their near, or actual, death.
Unfortunately, the underlying problem is that people do not use safety harnesses, or even hardhats at that. The initial reaction to reading this is probably: “what would I need a hardhat or a safety harness for?” and the answer is simple – they could save your life.
Various ministries and safety organisations have repeatedly pleaded for people to start using safety gear, but as always in this country, we think we know best and that the experts are talking a load of old codswallop.
The Occupational Health and Safety Authority has huffed and puffed till it turned blue in the face, telling us that we are a very unsafe and “careless” workforce, and they are right.
How many times do you drive past petrol stations to see attendants having a sly fag? How many times have you seen construction workers without steel-toed boots (yes, they are supposed to wear them as well) or without hard hats? How many times have you seen workmen drill into walls without even asking where the wires run through?
One would have to imagine that the answers to all the above-posed questions are “many”. And this is exactly what is meant when we say that we are an unsafe “people”. A classic example of sheer and utter stupidity is a photo that was published on that lovely website, OnlyinMalta.com where a housewife was dangling off her balcony as she polished her windows to the levels of shininess required by the Hubble Telescope’s mirror.
It is utterly maddening. What makes people even more irate is to then hear the obituaries and tributes that follow: “Oh he was so hard-working, such a nice man.”
These injuries can be prevented! And it’s not rocket science either. One does not need an abseiling harness to ensure safety, a simple rope, preferably checked by someone that knows what they are doing, can go a long way. It’s not ideal, granted, but it’s better than plunging freefall to the ground.
Would a person stand in a bucketful of water while drilling a hole in the wall with an electric driller. I would hope the answer to that is no, so why do people insist on carrying out very dangerous jobs without taking the precautions to ensure their safety? It’s so tragic and sad, simply because it can be prevented, or at least reduced. All it takes is a bit of preparation. Safety should come first, second, third and last.