Ceiling Fixing Failures - RMIT
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— Safety Alert Ceiling Fixing Failures Issue Date: 15 October 2019 HSW-PR07-TM02 Rev: 1.0 Improving the Health, Safety and Wellbeing for Our Community Context: There has been a number of near miss incidents where items of hardware attached to ceilings be Property Services contractors have fallen to the ground. Fortunately, no injuries occurred as a result of these incidents. In all cases the fixings method chosen has failed to hold the installed hardware in place allowing the installed hardware to become dislodged and/or fall from the ceiling. A brief description of recent incidents: A recently installed acoustic panel fell from ceiling During construction a recently installed ceiling and services collapsed and fell Recently installed light fixtures found hanging by electrical cable A 20kg ceiling panel located over a seat and bench in the Library has fallen from the ceiling Common findings from investigations: In all cases the fixing method chosen, have failed to hold the installed hardware in place Installation not carried out as per manufactures recommendations Wall fixings used to fix items into a ceiling Poor workmanship No quality control or risk assesment processes in place to determine: o the suitablility of the ceiling structure o suitablility of the fixing methods being used o if correct installation processes were followed o if corrrect fixing was used during install Actions Required The Principal Contractor is to ensure that the appropriately qualified person has reviewed and approved any ceiling fixings to ensure they are appropriate for the load of the item Install of any hardware above head height, must be as per manufactures recommendations or an approved engineering design The Principal Contractor must carry out a documented risk assessment to determine: o the suitablility of the ceiling structure o the correct installation processes o suitablility of the fixing methods being used o how the correct installation processes will be assessed o if corrrect fixing was used during install o training and competence requirements of the installers Project milestones are to be reviewed and updated to include an inspection test point (ITP) for all ceiling fixings, to ensure that the Principal Contractor has completed the following: o ceiling fixing risk assessment o inspection of installed ceiling fixings, including use of adhesives, anchors and fixings Who Needs to Know This alert is to be communicated to all Property Services personnel and all Property Services Construction Partners, including building contractors and designers. For more information visit Worksafe Victoria: Safe Work Method Statements for High Risk Construction Works Compliance Code: Demolition & Compliance Code: Prevention of Falls in General Construction Please direct any feedback or questions to RMIT at [email protected]
Transcript of Ceiling Fixing Failures - RMIT
— Safety Alert Ceiling Fixing Failures
Issue Date: 15 October 2019
HSW-PR07-TM02 Rev: 1.0
Improving the Health, Safety and Wellbeing for Our Community
Context: There has been a number of near miss incidents where items of hardware attached to ceilings be Property Services contractors have fallen to the ground. Fortunately, no injuries occurred as a result of these incidents. In all cases the fixings method chosen has failed to hold the installed hardware in place allowing the installed hardware to become dislodged and/or fall from the ceiling. A brief description of recent incidents:
A recently installed acoustic panel fell from ceiling During construction a recently installed ceiling and services collapsed and fell Recently installed light fixtures found hanging by electrical cable A 20kg ceiling panel located over a seat and bench in the Library has fallen from the ceiling
Common findings from investigations:
In all cases the fixing method chosen, have failed to hold the installed hardware in place Installation not carried out as per manufactures recommendations Wall fixings used to fix items into a ceiling Poor workmanship No quality control or risk assesment processes in place to
determine: o the suitablility of the ceiling structure o suitablility of the fixing methods being used o if correct installation processes were followed o if corrrect fixing was used during install
Actions Required The Principal Contractor is to ensure that the appropriately qualified person has reviewed and approved
any ceiling fixings to ensure they are appropriate for the load of the item Install of any hardware above head height, must be as per manufactures recommendations or an approved
engineering design The Principal Contractor must carry out a documented risk assessment to determine:
o the suitablility of the ceiling structure o the correct installation processes o suitablility of the fixing methods being used o how the correct installation processes will be assessed o if corrrect fixing was used during install o training and competence requirements of the installers
Project milestones are to be reviewed and updated to include an inspection test point (ITP) for all ceiling fixings, to ensure that the Principal Contractor has completed the following:
o ceiling fixing risk assessment o inspection of installed ceiling fixings, including use of adhesives, anchors and fixings
Who Needs to Know This alert is to be communicated to all Property Services personnel and all Property Services Construction Partners, including building contractors and designers. For more information visit Worksafe Victoria:
Safe Work Method Statements for High Risk Construction Works Compliance Code: Demolition & Compliance Code: Prevention of Falls in General Construction
Please direct any feedback or questions to RMIT at [email protected]
— Safety Alert Ceiling Fixing Failures
Issue Date: 15 October 2019
HSW-PR07-TM02 Rev: 1.0
Improving the Health, Safety and Wellbeing for Our Community
Light-weight acoustic ceiling panel fall from ceiling
8-meter-long suspended ceiling light fall from ceiling
Photo 1: Adhesive Pattern as per the manufactures instruction
Photo 2: Fallen panel - note adhesive contact compared to manufacture requirements
Photo 3: Lighting location after fall
Photo 4: Light module achour fixing that pulled from the ceiling
20 KG ceiling panel fall
Photo 6: Ceiling structure showing glue pattern
Photo 5: Ceiling panel location in Library following fall from ceiling above
Photo 7: Glue pattern indicated that the ceiling panel moved at least 30mm before glue set
Ceiling and Machanical Services Collaspe Light fixing failure
Photo 8: Ceiling and mechanical collapse Photo 9: Light fixing failure
