Common types of hazards

Large vehicles
Bulldozers, front loaders, and cranes, as well as trucks and other large vehicles can pose a risk to staff when working on site. Being struck by a moving vehicle is the number one cause of workplace fatalities in Australia, with 80 deaths recorded by Safe Work in 2020.

Slips trips and falls
One of the most common hazards faced by workers is slips, trips, and falls, accounting for 40% of all major workplace injuries and costing employers over £500m per year. Common causes of slips, trips, and falls include wet floors, unsuitable footwear, obstructions, poor lighting, and uneven surfaces.

Confined spaces
As shown in this recent incident, where three workers were carried along a sewer following the collapse of a 150-year-old sewer gate – working below ground or in confined spaces can be extremely dangerous. If structures are unstable, there is a risk of suffocation, or being crushed if there is a collapse. Working with electricity, water, or sewage further increases the dangers.

Working at height
Working at height is common practice across the power and utilities sector, whether this be scaling pylons and towers, inspecting water and gas systems, or operating machinery. Working at height poses the risk of falls – one of the largest causes of fatalities in Australia – if correct measures are not put in place to prevent them.

Electricity
Working with electricity significantly increases the chance of electrocution, which could lead to serious injury and even death. Two of the most common causes of workplace electrocution are inadequate or faulty safety gear, and contact with overhead power lines.

Dangerous substances
Particularly in the gas sector, where the use of dangerous substances is common, workers are susceptible to a range of risks including carbon monoxide poisoning, fires, and explosions.

Water
The hazards associated with water infrastructure are often electrical, due to the combination of power and water systems, which together, are extremely volatile. Failure to comply with safety precautions can also lead to workers falling into filtration or water tanks.

Working alone
According to the Lone Worker Landscape Report, 68% of companies have experienced an incident involving a lone worker in the past three years, with a fifth of these incidents described as severe or very severe. The report also revealed that organisations in utilities, telco, engineering, and construction experienced the highest level of lone worker incidents.

A lone worker is any employee who spends all or part of their working day out of sight or ear-shot of colleagues – even if there are others elsewhere on site. If in doubt, ask yourself; would someone know immediately if that person needed help? If the answer is no, that employee is a lone worker.

When working alone, the danger for workers is further heightened, as there is no one to signal for help in an emergency. Due to the high-risk nature of the hazards present within the utilities industry, receiving immediate support or medical help could really be the difference between life and death.