Fall from 63cm can prove fatal - expert
BUTTERWORTH: A fall from as little as 63cm can result in serious injuries or even death, depending on how the victim lands and the surrounding conditions.
A fall from a height as minimal as 63cm can lead to severe injuries or even be fatal, according to Dr Syazwan Syah Zulkifly, deputy director of Universiti Utara Malaysia's Risk Management Division. The severity of such falls cannot be determined solely by the height of the drop; surrounding conditions and the way the victim lands play a significant role.
Dr Syazwan highlighted this point through the case of a telecommunications tower maintenance worker who tragically fell 63cm at Kampung Juru, Simpang Ampat on July 11. The victim passed away 37 days later following treatment at various hospitals.
Dr Syazwan pointed out that workplace accidents are often linked to elevated structures like roofs, scaffolding, or ladders, but falls from lower levels are frequently overlooked. The worker in the described incident allegedly walked on a plinth to avoid the hazardous route due to overgrown bushes and long grass in the tower area, which raised concerns about the broader environmental factors in the workplace rather than the worker's actions leading up to the fall.
The expert emphasized that safety management involves evaluating access routes, surfaces, equipment organization, and handholds to ensure they are safe and suitable for workers. Employers are responsible for establishing work systems, workplaces, access points, equipment, information, instructions, training, and supervision to foster safe work practices. Risk assessments should not be mere compliance documents but should be transformed into actionable safety measures at the workplace.
He stressed that risk assessments should not be static but should be reviewed whenever changes in the workplace could affect the level of risk. Even a workplace that is safe at one time can become hazardous, with surfaces becoming slippery, uneven, or access routes changing. Dr Syazwan urged all parties not to speculate on the cause of the incident or assign blame during ongoing investigations, instead urging the tragedy to serve as a lesson to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
