Working at height is defined as:
• ‘work in any place, including a place at or below ground level, or obtaining access to or egress from such a place, while at work, except by a staircase where, if suitable measures were not taken, a person could fall a distance likely to cause personal injury’. The facts • Falling from a height of just one or two steps can cause serious injury. Work at any height can cause injury. • In 2018/19 falls from height accounted for 8% of employer-reported non-fatal injuries whilst in the construction industry this figure was 19%. • Ladders are probably the most used and misused pieces of access equipment. • Most ladder accidents occur because the ladder is not secured at the top. • For 5 years work at height has been the single biggest cause of workplace deaths - with 40 people killed in 2018/19 • Unsuitable access equipment (such as chairs and tables) can cause serious accidents even in low risk premises such as offices and schools. • It is important to ensure that contractors working on an organisation’s premises (for example for roof maintenance or window cleaning) are properly controlled and do not work in a dangerous way. Hierarchy of risk control • Keep away from working at height wherever possible by changing the task or the way it can be carried out. • Use other control measures to prevent falls. • Always consider fall prevention measures, e.g. edge protection and personal protection such as harnesses. • Reduce the likelihood of injury by minimising the distance to fall or its consequences Always consider safety netting, over active measures, such as having to clip a safety harness on to a structure. • Take account of how storage areas and high shelving or wall displays are accessed in lower risk areas. Guidelines to employers • Plan, organise and supervise all work at height • ensure employees are appropriately trained in safe working methods and the equipment to be used • make sure all those involved are competent and trained • assess the risks and ensure that appropriate work equipment is selected and used correctly • manage the risks from fragile surfaces, such as thin roofing materials or skylights • inspect and maintain all equipment and workplaces intended to control the risks of working at height • take account of weather conditions • ensure planning includes arrangements for emergencies and rescue • manage risks from falling objects.
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Jon MartinChartered Health and Safety Advisor Archives
May 2024
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