How to work at Height Safely
Article Date: 01/01/2010
Simon’s Safety Blog 1st January 2010
How to work at Height Safely
Falls from height account for the single biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the main causes of major injuries at work.
Indeed, the official injury statistics make for depressing reading. In 2007/08 alone, 58 workers lost their lives after falling from height and more than 3,200 suffered major injuries such as broken bones and fractured skulls. In total, over 600 workers have been killed in falls in the last decade.
So can you define “Work at Height”?
Most people immediately think that people working at height are scaffolders, roofers or linesmen etc, but don’t realise the definition also includes for example shop workers, teachers, basically anyone carrying out an activity below or above ground level, for example using a step ladder or standing on a chair to access a box from the top shelf or even changing a light bulb.
Therefore the definition of “Work at Height” is Any Height where a person could be injured by falling from it, below or above ground level.
Another important point to remember is that you don’t have to fall far to be injured – many serious and even fatal workplace injuries are caused by falls from below head height.
The work at Height Regulations.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR), came into force in April 2005 and the previous minimum height requirement has been abolished and the WAHR now apply to ALL work at height where there is a risk of fall which could result in personal injury – regardless of the height the work is being carried out at, the work equipment being used or the length of time the worker is at height.
The regulations place duties on employers, the self employed and any person who controls the work of others. Additionally the employee also has responsibilities, including using the equipment safely, following training and instructions and working in such a manner as to not risk the safety of others.
Key issues to consider.
The key issues for employers to consider when assessing the risks posed by work at height are the consequences of a fall and the suitability of the work equipment for the task.
The first action in all potentially hazardous safety and health situations is to undertake a comprehensive Risk Assessment. Using the results and actions of this assessment, the most important action is to find ways of eliminating or reducing the need to work at height under the ‘hierarchy of control’ which is part of the WAHR.
If working at height cannot be avoided, then the next step is to consider the use of work equipment or other measures that will prevent falls. Only as a last resort, where the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated, should other measures be introduced to limit or reduce the distance and consequences should a fall occur.
In this situation the planning process does not stop there, if you are proposing to implement measures to reduce the distance in the event of a fall, i.e. the use of personal shock absorbing lanyards or fall arrestor blocks, you must have an emergency and rescue plan in place.
Staff Competency.
Training and competence are essential elements in any work at height role, inadequate training and incompetency of your staff when using work at height equipment are all to frequently the cause of serious accidents.
Do not undertake or ask anyone else to undertake any work at height unless you are sure the process has been competently planned and you are certain that the person carrying out the work at height activity know what they are doing and how to carryout the role safely.
We strongly recommend that you gain training from a competent organisation such as ‘Simon Safety’ we can assist you to plan your work at height needs and train those who will undertake it, you will also require the provision of adequate supervision.
Finally to conclude my ‘Safety Blog’, with falls from height being the biggest cause of deaths in the workplace, it is essential that employers take all reasonably practicable steps to reduce the risks of injury posed by work at heights.
In short, employers and self employed persons should follow the hierarchy for managing risks from work at height. This means avoiding work at height if possible; using work equipment or other measures to prevent falls if work at height cannot be avoided; and, if the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated, using work equipment to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall should one occur.
By following these steps you can help the grim toll of deaths and injuries caused by unsafe working practices at heights.
For further information of how ‘Simon Safety’ can assist your business please don’t hesitate to contact me:
Simon Ashton, Managing Director – Simon Safety & Lifting Centre Ltd.
Email: sashton@simon-safety.co.uk