but avoid loose hanging sleeves and pant legs that could pose a risk for grabbing on to any items.
Keep your hands safe when cleaning out gutters by wearing gloves. Most gutters and downspouts are made of sheet metal and sharp machine screws, which can rip open fingers and wrists very easily when trying to dig or scoop out debris. A thicker garden or work glove will provide the necessary padding.
Technical Difficulties? It is important to inspect all equipment before starting a cleaning job at height. In addition to ladders, lifts and scaffolds must be properly positioned and installed – any mechanical equipment should be properly connected and prepared, and users should review proper operating procedures before beginning the work.
Don’t forget that certain types of equipment, such as mechanical lifts, require safety equipment for proper use. All safety harnesses and lines must be secured and checked, and all workers should don all goggles, helmets, gloves and other safety equipment before ascending.
For indoor work areas, check the floor to make sure that it is level and stable. The area that will support your ladder or other height equipment should not be slippery or slanted, or else you risk your support falling out from under you. In those
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areas that include workers elevated above the floor, these should be clearly marked and segregated, so that people are prevented from walking or driving underneath – falling debris or equipment while cleaning can seriously injure anyone who may be below.
If possible, have a co-worker or assistant on the ground below you to help you get down and to continue to assess risks and potential dangers. This worker should of course also wear proper safety equipment, such as a hard hat, that will protect him/ her from any falling objects.
Partner Up In partnership with one of the UK’s largest retailers and the world leader in fall protection equipment, 4See Risk Management has developed systems which stop roof cleaning and safety management becoming a major liability and provide peace of mind. The system can be used on just one single roof or for an entire property portfolio.
We helped one of the UK’s leading national retailers with a large number of stores after they had serious health and safety concerns over staff working on their roofs. We put together a solution that worked well for them, and thanks to our relationship with Latchways, the world leader in fall protection equipment, we developed a management system for their 350 roofs across the UK.
Now, nobody moves on one of those roofs unless we and the local manager know about it. Nobody – staff or contractor – goes onto a roof without a photo identity card which we’ve issued, and nobody gets an identity card before they’ve been trained by us.
If you manage a building, you’re responsible for the safety of people cleaning at height, regardless of whether or not you directly employ them. So, even if you’re dealing with a major problem in the despatch department, you need to have one eye on the gutters above you. That’s why 4See Risk Management has developed its comprehensive Roof Access Management system.
Once your roof has passed inspection by a qualified contractor, we’ll hold a copy of your compliance certificate, which you will be able to access electronically. If your safety system doesn’t meet the right standards, we’ll close the roof until remedial action has been taken. We also run a Roof Access Helpdesk, where there is constant access to information about the condition of roof safety systems across your business.
www.4seerisk.com
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