An electrician was installing an LED office light – overhead - in the "Denkfabrik“. He needed to secure the lampshade to the lamp housing using sheet metal screws, a task that required pre-drilling.

While doing so, the drill bit (4mm) slipped off the lamp housing and injured the thumb of the left hand he was using to steady the fixture.

He received initial first aid and was taken to the hospital for treatment, where the wound was cleaned and closed after a small surgery.

The employee was then sent to sick leave to rest his hand.

NB – This incident occurred in Germany, legislation in Germany does not permit the wearing of protective gloves while drilling.

KEY FINDINGS

• The injured person had received all required safety trainings including Take 5.
• All the equipment and tools used were in a good condition.
• The risk assessment had not been updated; Take 5 not carried out with the right quality.
• Subjective time pressure, as further tasks were planned at the same day.
• The work was carried out alone and no mounting fixture was used.
• The work was unnecessarily performed upside down from a ladder.

NOTE

Take 5 is a safety checklist is a quick 5-minute personal risk assessment that workers complete before starting any task to identify immediate hazards and set safety controls. It follows a simple 5-step procedure: Stop, Look, Identify, Assess, Control.

LESSONS LEARNT

• The Take 5 process that was carried out before the start of the maintenance job was of a poor standard – always undertake a good quality Take 5 assessment.
• As a manager, check during VFL`s if Take 5 is carried out regularly.
• Carry out assembly works with a colleague whenever possible.
• Usage of mounting fixture, whenever possible.
• Perform repair work in a safe environment. In this case, the lamp should have been dismantled and repaired at a suitable workstation.