Part 8
Hazardous objects
(struck-by, struck-against, caught-in/between)
Contact with objects like falling tools/materials, moving loads, collapsing stacks, or pinch-points is a leading source of serious harm. As mentioned previously, the HSE recorded 18 “struck by moving object” and 14 “struck by moving vehicle” worker fatalities in 2024/25, with contact with moving machinery (13) also prominent. Even small items can be lethal when dropped from a height, underscoring the need for dropped-object controls.
Example cases:
Collapsing wall
A 1.8 m retaining wall collapsed, crushing a 57-year-old employee. HSE found failings in the planning and control of temporary works and the building firm was fined £56,775 and ordered to pay £44,000 in costs .
Glass panes falling from lorry
A worker was killed when 17 panes of glass fell from a truck during unloading. Investigators said the job wasn’t properly planned, supervised, or carried out safely. Two firms were fined and a director received a suspended sentence.
Stack collapse
A construction firm was fined over the death of a 33-year-old kitchen fitter, who was crushed at a site when two stacks of concrete blocks fell, pinning him against a lorry loader. The HSE cited unsafe stacking/handling arrangements.
Mitigation strategies:
Complete a risk assessment first: Identify object hazards per task (overhead work, unstable stacks, vehicle interfaces); for solo tasks, decide what must not be done alone and require a buddy/rescue plan. Update when conditions change.
Housekeeping & layout: Keep walkways clear/dry; remove trip hazards; segregate pedestrian routes from vehicle routes; mark drop zones.
Safe storage & stacking: Heavy on lower levels; height limits; use racks, bins, dunnage, and tie-downs; only de-stack from the top; never stand beneath raised loads; control “first-row removal” instability.
Engineering controls: Toeboards, debris nets, canopies; tool tethers at height; barriers/guardrails; forklift load backrests; crane/fork attachments to prevent load shift.
PPE (last line): Hard hats, eye/face protection, safety footwear; task-specific gloves/shin protection. Supplement, don’t substitute, higher-order controls.
Safe practices & training: No work under suspended loads; LOTO and blocking for service/clean-outs; use spotters/signallers around vehicles; secure loads and lift evenly; pre-task dropped-object sweeps.
Lone-worker safeguards: Prohibit solitary high-risk moves (heavy lifts, unstable stacks, cutting supports); scheduled check-ins; radio/GPS/SOS or man-down devices; periodic supervisor verification.
