WORKING AT HEIGHT
three points of contact at the working position. This is not just two feet and one hand, it can be two feet and your body (use your knees or chest to help with stability) supported by the stepladder. Ensure a handhold is available to steady yourself before and after.
Before starting work at height, whether a worker or employer, do your planning.
HSE has banned the use of ladders to access scaffolds and you will be fined if you ignore this ban.
Again, not true. Ladders can be used for access as long as they are of the right type, in good condition and effectively secured (tied) to prevent movement. You should ensure they extend at least one metre above the landing point to allow for a secure handhold when stepping off.
So if ladders are still ok to be used, what, you might ask, are the most common causes of accidents when working at height?
Roof work is high risk and falls from roofs, through fragile roofs and fragile roof lights are one of the most common causes of workplace death and serious injury. Apart from the construction industry, these types of accidents can also occur on roofs of factories, warehouses and farm buildings when roof repair work or cleaning is being carried out.
You should always check the most fragile elements. These include roof lights, liner panels on built-up sheeted roofs, non-reinforced fibre cement sheets, corroded metal sheets, glass (including wired glass), rotted chipboard and slates and tiles.
Fragile roof accidents are preventable and again information on safe working practices can be found in the HSE information sheet - Fragile Roofs: Safe Working Practices.
twitter.com/TomoCleaning
Before starting work at height, whether a worker or employer, do your planning. By law you must take account of weather conditions that could compromise safety. You should also check that the place (e.g. a roof) where work at height is to be undertaken is safe. Each place where people will work at height needs to be checked every time, before use.
Do also make sure that materials or objects cannot fall. All care should be taken to stop objects falling and suitable and sufficient measures should ensure that no one can be injured.
It might be advisable in certain circumstances to use exclusion zones to keep people away or mesh on scaffolding to stop materials such as bricks falling off. Do always bear in mind the storage of materials you will be using so that you won’t cause injury if they are disturbed.
It should be common sense but you should always plan for the worst. Minimise the distance and consequences of a fall, by using the right type of equipment where the risk cannot be eliminated altogether.
If you are an employer, make sure your workers can get safely to and from where they work at height. Do remember that the equipment they use is important too. It should be suitable, stable and strong enough for the job. Ensure that it is well maintained and regularly checked.
Above all be sensible. Never overreach when working at height and also never overload.
And one final point. There is no harm in planning for emergencies and rescue. Agree a set procedure for evacuation, think about foreseeable situations and make sure employees know the emergency procedures. Don’t just rely entirely on the emergency services for rescue in your plan.
Working at height need not be hazardous. Just plan and use your common sense.
www.4see.co.uk
63
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80