HEALTH & SAFETY ALERT

Alert No.031 Page 1 of 2 Date: 18 February 2014

Collapse of Slab Formwork

Incident Description:

Column steel casing to be casted with concrete via mobile concrete pump,
Concrete pump hose not able to reach the column,
Gutter is placed on top of the slab formwork and used to direct flow of concrete all the way to
the column,
Slab formwork decking discontinued accommodating this concrete pour arrangement,
During the concrete pour, the gutter support collapsed and impacted on the slab formwork
breaking one Doka beam resulting in the collapse of a segment of the deck to the slab below
about 3 meters high along with the 3 personnel,
One person sustained bruises on his leg,


HEALTH & SAFETY ALERT


Alert No.031 Page 2 of 2 Date: 18 February 2014



Factors Contributing to the Accident:
The slab decking, supported with only two prop jacks for each Doka beam from both ends, is
still under construction and not yet fully connected to other slab formworks leaving spaces in
between,
The Doka table formwork is not able to take the load borne from the combined weight of the
improvised chute, the concrete flowing to the chute, number of personnel on top and the
impact of vibration / thrust of concrete ejected from the concrete pump pipes,
A lack of planning for the task of casting the intended column,
Sequencing of the works to that area of the site,
Incompetent supervision and management of the column casting operation,


Recommendations for Preventive Actions:
Contracted concrete supplier should be able to deliver concrete in the correct and safe
procedure by way of flexible hose extensions into far-flung areas needing casting,
Use concrete bucket as an alternate measure for transferring concrete into columns when it
is identified that a concrete pump will not be able to reach desired location,
Part assembled or installed slab formwork sections are not to be used as work platforms for
carrying out nearby or adjacent tasks,
Ensure competent personnel are in charge of concrete pouring and lifting operations,

This Safety Alert should be displayed on all Safety Notice Boards and discussed at Tool-
box Talks & Safety Meetings.
Thank you, KEO HSE Dept.