Falling between levels

Yes

Yes

No

No

Persons under 5 years of age

Falling on level surfaces etc

Vulnerable age

Related hazards

Multiple locations

Secondary hazards

DWELLING: The dwelling is on the third floor of a

four storey purpose built block, constructed in

1949, containing 20 self-contained flats. The flat

is located to the rear of the building.

DESCRIPTION OF HAZARDS

Background: The flat has two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. The living room has a

substantial, metal framed door opening onto a small balcony. The door catch is flimsy but there is a bolt to

the top of the door. There is a significant lip (125mm high) to the bottom frame of the door and the balcony

area beyond is 3m wide by 1.25m deep, with ornate iron guarding 950mm in height. The gap to the guarding

is 150mm. The floor of the balcony is thin sand/cement screed laid on concrete. The floor screed to the

balcony is breaking up. The ground below the balcony is concrete.

LIST OF RELEVANT MATTERS

LIKELIHOOD & OUTCOMES

Key

3

Seriously defective

2

Defective

1

Not satisfactory

-

Satisfactory/NA

Secondary hazards

a

Disrepair to balcony floor

2

b

Unforgiving ground below

3

22 (IDeA - 01)

June 2006

HHSRS 06/06

# Compounding matters

-

None

A

B

-

-

a

Ease of opening the balcony door

2

b

Lack of safety catches

2

c

Opening limiters

3

d

Disrepair to balcony door

2

e

Height of guarding

3

f

Opening in guarding

3

g

Repair of guarding

3

h

Height above ground

3

i

Nature of ground

3

j

Lack of safety glass

1

22 (IDeA - 01)

June 2006

HEALTH AND SAFETY RATING SYSTEM SCORES

LIKELIHOOD

Low

High

1 in

320

Av 1946-79 Flats: 1791

320

< 4200 2400 1300 750 420 240 130

75

42

24

13

7.5

4

2.5

1.5 >

Justification

The door gives relatively easy access to the balcony. Although it has a bolt, it has a flimsy

catch and could be left open for ventilation sometime over the next twelve months. The

lack of reasonable height (150mm less than 1100mm optimum), the climbability of the

guarding, and the large (150mm) gap to the guarding all combine to give a substantial

increase to the likelihood of a fall between levels.

OUTCOMES

%

Av 1946-79: 0.4

Class I

31.6

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Av: 3.2

Class II

57.4

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Av: 5.9

Class III

10.0

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Av: 90.5

Class IV

1.0

< 0.05 0.15 0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Justification

The distance to the ground (three floors) and the unforgiving nature of the ground below

the balcony justifies a change of outcomes from the national average so that Class II harm

is the most likely and Class I is the second most likely. It is highly unlikely that a child

falling from this height on to concrete slabs would only suffer severe bruising (Class IV) .

Av. 1946-79 Flats: 6

RATING

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

Score:

1176

RATING SCORES AFTER IMPROVEMENT

IMPROVE

Likelihood to

1 in 1800

Outcomes t

31.6

57.4 10.0 1.0

%

Justification

Improving the guarding to conform to current height and gap requirements, and is secure

against climbing; providing a more effective catch to the balcony door; providing

alternative means of ventilation; and repairing the balcony floor; will all reduce the

likelihood of an occurrence to the average. However, because of the location of the flat

the outcomes will still be more severe than the national average.

Av: 6

NEW RATING

A

B

C

D

E-

F

G

H

I

J

Score:

209

Av: Nos

Average likelihood and health outcomes for all persons aged under 5 years, 1997-99.