Holiday Shutdown Safety: Protecting Workers During High-Risk Maintenance Periods
The holiday season has arrived, and professionals involved in industrial shutdowns or turnarounds face long hours on-site performing critical maintenance, repairs, or upgrades to production lines.
Shutdown environments bustle with activity and carry inherent risks, including hidden hazards like stored energy, latent error traps, and unsafe conditions that can lead to serious accidents for unprepared workers.
A recent news article delivered a sobering reminder of these dangers. A Sydney tradesman tragically lost his life on Christmas Eve after encountering live electricity in a roof cavity. This heartbreaking incident reminded me of a similar experience early in my career.
A Hard Lesson on Supervision
Early one morning, as contractors arrived for their first day on-site, I led detailed briefings with the team. We discussed isolation procedures for upstream power sources, the methodology for their tasks, and most importantly, I asked a crucial question: “Do you understand the level of supervision your apprentices require?”
Their answers reassured me that supervisors recognized their responsibility to guide apprentices during operations.
However, during my walkthrough, I discovered a lone apprentice in a roof cavity, holding side cutters and unknowingly taking life-threatening risks with live and dead power cables. This moment taught me an unforgettable lesson about the critical importance of effective supervision.
Maintaining the Commitment to Apprentice Safety
Now, five years later, I still ask contractors the same questions: “Who are your apprentices, and do you understand the supervision they require?”
I feel proud to see significant progress in how supervisors safeguard apprentices on worksites today. Companies like SS Electrics lead by example, prioritizing apprentice welfare while delivering high-quality work.
By sharing these experiences, I aim to reinforce the importance of vigilance, supervision, and safety during shutdowns. Let’s ensure every worker—especially apprentices—returns home safely this holiday season.
Liam Cooper
OHS Advisor