HSE warns the cladding and glazing sectors to improve safety after person is injured by falling glass.
The HSE has warned the glazing and cladding sectors to operate safe systems for unpacking large sheets of glass after uncovering a spate of poor practice.
The reminder follows a recent incident where a person was struck and injured by several sheets of glass falling from a crate held on a metal stacking platform. Construction inspectors have also witnessed a series of examples of unsafe practice on routine site visits.
The HSE has warned that unpacking wooden crates containing large sheets of glass on steeply inclined stacking platforms can be highly dangerous. Circumstances including ground and weather conditions can cause glass sheets held vertically on platforms to become unstable.
The HSE is calling on companies to conduct a risk assessment before unpacking, to identify circumstances under which the glass could become unstable. If the risk of glass falling on workers cannot then be eliminated, the sequence of work should be altered to reduce or control the risk. This may include excluding workers from areas where they could be struck by falling sheets.
