PART $1$: Read the presented case scenario below. Write $150-$word answers to the following questions.

What were the hazards present at the worksite?

How would you prioritize the identified hazards?

What controls should have been implemented?

On July $25,2019,19-$year$-$old Andrew James was working as a labourer for Interlake Paving in Stony Mountain. Interlake, a small company owned by Gerald Shepell, had been contracted to perform a labor work. James was standing on an aluminum stepladder using a manually operated sprayer to apply a cleaning agent to an exterior building awning. The ladder became unstable, and the worker fell onto the pavement and was injured. Shepell later pled guilty to breaches of the Worker Compensation Act and was fined $$34,000.$

The key to preventing workplace injuries and fatalities is to identify hazards and control them. In the case of Andrew James, the process of Hazard Recognition, Assessment, and Control $($HRAC$)$ would have identified:

Cause

Andrew Jame fell from unstable ladder. The worker fell from the stepladder due to the instability of the ladder. The ladder was placed on an uneven surface, which increased the likelihood that it would become unstable, especially as the worker climbed higher.

Contributing factors

Inappropriate choice of equipment. A ladder was chosen to elevate the worker instead of using an elevating work platform or a telescoping pole so that the worker could work from the ground. It might have raised questions about the adequacy of the equipment $($ladder$)$ provided to James.

Three$-$point contact not maintained. The two$-$handed work procedure $($holding the spray tank in one hand and the nozzle wand in the other$)$ did not allow the worker to maintain three$-$point contact, further demonstrating that inappropriate equipment had been chosen. It might also have raised questions about the adequacy of the training provided to James.

PART $2$: Write one or two paragraphs providing your opinion on the following statement: "Some accidents are unavoidable. There is only so much we can do to control hazards."