LIFE CAN CHANGE DRAMATICALLY
IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE Organised by Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA), the Teamsafe workplace safety and injury prevention program presents a human face on why following safety processes based on participation, facilitation and empowerment is so important. Now working as a Teamsafe coordinator at Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, David Crawford shares the workplace experience that dramatically changed his life in the blink of an eye.
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t age 27, David Crawford was an avid soccer player, surfer, golfer and tennis player; he was also in the midst of a successful career in the building industry. Working on a roof at a Sydney building site, David questioned the way the roof was being designed but was told it would be fine - nothing to worry about. But those supposed worry-free times would soon be a thing of the past. “I was walking across the rafters when one of them suddenly gave way and I fell about four metres to the ground,” he said. “I was actually lucky not to have been killed because I landed right beside a row of exposed tree stumps.” The fall damaged David’s C6/C7 vertebrae - he had to learn to live with quadriplegia and rely on a wheelchair for mobility. The incident sparked a major review of building-site safety and prompted new regulations covering scaffolding, harnesses and roof railings in New South Wales. That was 25 years ago, and David’s life is radically different today from that of his 27-year-old self. “I retrained as a building supervisor and also got drafting qualifications, but I came up against enormous barriers in gaining employment in the building industry,” he said. “The physical and emotional trauma of my accident also created a lot of uncertainty about my future.” In the midst of all this, David embarked on an extensive personal rehabilitation program. With the assistance of personal trainers he underwent an exercise and weight training program, hydrotherapy, acupuncture and alternative therapies. In 2006, David heard that Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA) had set up Teamsafe, a workplace safety and injury prevention program. He didn’t hesitate to become one of its ambassadors and is now also its coordinator. The Teamsafe program is designed to complement an organisation’s work health and safety (WHS) program by presenting powerful messages on the importance of workplace safety and watching out for your workmate’s safety. From the perspectives of those who have experienced life-changing injuries and have first-hand knowledge, David and his team of ambassadors share their personal
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stories and the experience of living with a disability. They put a real-life, human face on why following safety processes based on participation, facilitation and empowerment is so important. The most important message is “if you are unsure it’s safe, stop and reassess”, said David. The presentations also reiterate an organisation’s WHS focus and address complacency and the need for change. David acknowledges that change isn’t always easy - but reinforces that reluctance to do things differently can come with a big human price tag. Board directors, all levels of management and workers are encouraged to participate in the Teamsafe presentations. This is particularly important as the goal is to help employers meet their WHS obligations, maintain a safety focus at work and at home, reduce workers compensation costs, avoid downtime and retraining costs, and help prevent the pain of injury and death that is felt by workers and their loved ones after a workplace incident. The presentations last for 60 minutes and can be adapted to groups of all sizes and to meet organisational and site logistical and operational requirements. They also include a question and answer session where participants can ask any questions they have about workplace safety or living with a disability. David and his team have presented to all types of industries such as aviation, construction and infrastructure. Some of the organisation’s clients include: Roofsafe Industrial Safety, Tycen Demolitions, Qantas, GIO, Air Services Australia, Holsworthy Army Base, Sunset Coast Water, CFMEU, BHP Billiton, BlueScope Steel, John Holland Group, Leighton Contractors, Sydney Water, Australian Aerospace, United Group, Built, Fulton Hogan and ITS Trenchless. Teamsafe also helped Sunset Coast Water win the 2008 ExxonMobil Award for Excellence in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) at the annual National Safety Awards of Excellence. “WHS is not about being lucky or unlucky; it is about management and workers taking preventative action. Life should not need to change in the blink of an eye before safety becomes a priority,” said David. For more information on how Teamsafe can help your organisation, free call 1800 819 775, email teamsafe@scia.org.au or visit www.scia.org.au/injury-prevention-teamsafe.