Rob Lanham Returns With Another Safety Story

Nov 4, 2021

Rob Lanham, the Aggregates Program Manager at the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, previously joined the show to discuss his recent heart attack. Today he returns to share another safety story involving a young man who fell eight feet and hit his head on a concrete pier, all because he did not clear up his work area or use the safety harness provided to him. This individual sustained permanent brain damage and was never able to work again. Rob’s story underscores the importance of using PPE each and every time, and paying attention to your surroundings. It was the inspiration behind this podcast series, and serves as an important reminder of how much one small mistake or slip can cost you.

 

Episode Highlights

• During Rob’s previous position with an aggregate producer, a young individual slipped and fell eight feet, and hit his head on a concrete pier
• Rob witnessed the worker being brought into the hospital, and his injuries were significant and severe
• He spent a year in the hospital, underwent countless surgeries, and ultimately sustained permanent brain damage
• He was unable to work again
• The accident occurred because he did not clean up his work area or use safety harness provided
• He stumbled over some tools
• He returned to speak to the owner of the company and apologized for the undue strain he had placed on the company and his coworkers

• This story underscores the importance of using PPE each and every time, and paying attention to housekeeping and your surroundings

 

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions

• What are tasks done on our site that involve working at heights and what are the proper policies and procedures we follow to stay safe?
• Housekeeping is an ongoing practice – how can we continue to improve our housekeeping practices?
• Does anyone have a story about housekeeping or work-at-heights they’d like to share?

Quotes:

“This individual - I saw him when they unloaded him from the helicopter and wheeled him into the hospital. It was awful. He had fallen and hit his head on a concrete pier.”

 

“He ultimately spent about a year in the hospital, had many, many, many surgeries, and was permanently brain damaged and had physical limitations for the rest of his life.”

 

“He could never work again.”

 

“The accident occurred because he was working in an area where they had taken safety railing down to bring in a large part to put into the crusher. 

 

“He did not clear up his work area, and he did not put on the safety harness that was hanging on the railing next to him.”

 

“He stumbled over some tools on the catwalk and fell eight feet and hit his head.”

 

“This gentleman that was injured, that sustained life-altering, permanent brain damage, all he wanted to do was apologize to the owner of the company for all the undue strain that he had placed on him, the people he worked with, and the organization.”

 

“You never know how much one small mistake or a slip could cost you.”

 

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website