WORK AT HEIGHT UNIT 4

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(2)

The Working At Height Regulations 2005 define

working at height as:-

Any work above or below ground level where a

fall would result in personal injury.

These regulations apply to anybody who works

at height, manages or plans work at height and

those who control equipment for work at

height.

(3)

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WORK AT HEIGHT REGULATIONS 2005

 The Regulations consolidate good practice of work at height

 The Regulations require:

 proper planning and organization of work at height

 appropriate supervision of work at height

 appropriate work equipment selection and use

 proper inspection and maintenance of equipment

 emergency procedures and rescue provision

 competency of all involved in work at height (trained, experienced, qualified)

The most Reasonably & practicable safest

method of working at height should be

selected

A balance between the risk, delivery and time line of work should be maintained

(4)

“

EVERY EMPLOYER SHALL ENSURE THAT NO

PERSON ENGAGES IN ANY ACTIVITY”

“INCLUDING ORGANISATION, PLANNING AND

SUPERVISION, IN RELATION TO WORKING AT

HEIGHT OR WORK EQUIPMENT FOR USE IN SUCH

WORK,”

“UNLESS HE IS COMPETENT TO DO SO, OR IF BEING

TRAINED IS BEING SUPERVISED BY A COMPETENT

PERSON.”

(5)

COMPETENCY

Competent to do what?



Planning / Management



Inspection of Equipment



Use, Installation or Erection of Equipment



Rescue

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

Essential for the competence of your work force.



Ensure the correct mandatory training is delivered for the

correct trade



Ensure records are kept, mandatory refresher training

undertaken at required intervals

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Fall statistics

HSE reports Falls are the biggest killer in the workplace

2006 = 247 deaths, 52 of which were due to falls from height = 21%

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Fatal falls in industry figures for 2011

 Falls through Fragile surfaces/Roofs accounted for 17 deaths

 Falls from Scaffold accounted for 12 deaths

 Falls from Man- riding accounted for 9 deaths

 Falls from Ladders/Stairs accounted for 8 deaths

 Falls into Open pits/holes accounted for 6 deaths

 Falls from Rope access accounted for 1 death

 Construction - 29 = 54.7%

 Services - 14 = 26.4%

 Agriculture - 7 = 13.2%

 Manufacturing - 2 = 3.8%

 Offshore Oil & Gas - 1 = 1.9%

Across the UK there were almost 20000 absences over 3 days resulting from a fall from height. 25% of these were regarded as major injuries.

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Fatal fall from a height

On the 7th _{of March 2008 a colleague observed the erection of a tower crane.}

Noticing the lack of common sense on site, he approached the supervisor. The response was as follows “NO PROBLEM” - they are experts and have been doing

the same for many years in the UAE.

Coincidentally he took some pictures and at the end of the day there was a fatality.

Sometimes all of us need a wake up call to remind us, that over confidence due to the repetitive nature of the job and ‘experience’ overseeing safety

procedures and precautions can lead to FATAL results.

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THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AT

WORK ACT 1974

 Everyone involved in work of any kind must adhere to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

 Any breach of the requirements is an offence

 The Act secures the health, safety and welfare of people at work

 The Act protects third parties against risks to their health and safety caused by work activity

 The Act states employers’ duties

 The Act states employees’ duties

(23)



Ensure that all work is carried out in a manner that is

reasonably and practically safe.



Ensure that any person involved in each aspect of

WAH is competent.



Ensure that equipment used is fit for purpose,

controlled and traceable.



Ensure a plan for emergencies is in place.

So What Are Employers Duties?

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MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK REGULATIONS 1999

 Regulations apply to all workplaces and to all employees including self-employed and employees of a third party

 Adequate steps must be taken by employer to protect employees

 Employees must be informed about any health and safety risk

 Risk assessment must be done by a group of competent people and risk assessment must be recorded

 Employee’s duty is to follow health and safety instructions and arrangements

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5 steps of Risk Assessment

 Look for the hazard

 Decide who might be harmed and how

 Evaluate the risks and decide whether the existing

precautions are adequate or whether more should be done

 Record your findings where necessary

 Review your assessment

The Working At Height Regulations and the Management of

Health & Safety at Work Regulations require any planning of

WAH should be done based on a risk assessment.

Selection of methods of work at height should be carried out

with respect to the potential risk due to falls.

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PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AT WORK REGULATIONS 1992

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REGULATIONS 2002

 PPE shall be marked with a CE stamp

 Suitable PPE should be provided by employer

 PPE shall fit the wearer correctly

 PPE shall be effective to prevent or control the risks

 PPE should be provided with proper information, instruction and training

 PPE should be kept in efficient state, maintained and stored properly

 PPE should be regarded as the last resort of protection against the risks to health and safety

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How do we plan working at height?

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HIERARCHY OF SAFETY MEASURES



AVOID

If you do not have to access don’t



PREVENT

If you can not avoid work at height use measures in place to prevent potential fall so far as it is reasonably practicable. This might include doing the work safely from an existing work place or choosing the right work equipment to prevent falls



MITIGATE

If it is not reasonably practicable to avoid work at height or prevent the fall then mitigate the effects of a fall - minimize the distance of fall and impact on the technician body

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AVOID

Is it completely necessary to carry out the work while

at height?

Where possible you should design out the need to

work at height for example:

-

Loads can be pre-slung using long sling to avoid

climbing on the load to sling it.

-

Redesign process and sampling equipment to

ground level, or build access platforms at

construction.

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

Can the work be conducted from an existing

place of work which has sufficient

protection, i.e. Is there edge protection?



If yes, Is this protection adequate?



For example will he need to reach over a

barrier, or stand on a guard rail to reach his

task?

(32)

PREVENT USING COLLECTIVE MEASURES



Collective measures are those that offer protection

to multiple workers.



They often require minimal input from the user they

are there to protect.



Consideration must be made to ensure that those

required to erect and dismantle collective measures

are not placed at risk.

(33)

Mobile Elevated Work Platforms e.g. Scissor lifts, Mast Climbers,

Cradles

BS8460 – Safe Use of MEWPS. Code of Practice

International Powered Access Federation

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FORCE GENERATED IN A FALL USING A 2m WORK RESTRAINT LANYARD

4 m long fall with Fall Factor 2 Static rope or restraint lanyard No energy absorption

generates:-

22kn or 2200kg force based on a large adult of 100kg

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IS THIS SAFE USE OF A MEWP?

What is this operative

doing wrong?

What could be changed

in his method of work to

prevent things like this

reoccurring?

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PREVENT USING COLLECTIVE MEASURES

EN13374:2004 –

Temporary Edge

Protection

Systems…..

Edge protection, e.g.

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 Temporary Working Platforms e.g. scaffolds and portable access towers

 EN12811:2003 – Temporary works Equipment. Scaffolds

 National Access and Scaffold Confederation (NASC)

 Portable Access Scaffold Manufacturers Association (PASMA)

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IS THIS SAFE METHOD OF WORKING?

What are the operatives

doing wrong?

What could be changed

in their method of work

to prevent things like

this reoccurring?

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Soft landing systems such as safety nets and air bags.

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METHODS OF W.A.H. USING PPE?

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WORK RESTRAINT

PPE restrict user movements

and prevent them to approach

the fall hazard

Effective technique provides the

highest level of safety

There is no risk of fall, no

suspension, no rescue but

evacuation system necessary

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What is the operative

doing wrong?

What could be

changed in their

method of work to

prevent things like this

reoccurring?

Who is responsible?

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METHODS OF W.A.H. USING PPE?

WORK POSITION

PPE suspends the user in the work

position

Requires careful equipment selection and proper training Requires back-up system

Requires rescue plan and rescue provisions

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Rope access

There are 3 levels in the IRATA system.

1. No pre requisites but must be fit and have aptitude for

heights

2. 1000 Hours carrying out rope access, + 1 year working as level 1

3. Further 1000 hours carrying out rope access + 1 year working as level 2.

The training is assessed by

Independent IRATA assessor

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What are the operatives doing wrong?

What could be changed in their method of work to

prevent things like this reoccurring?

Who is responsible ?

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METHODS OF W.A.H. USING PPE?

 PPE does not prevent against a fall

 PPE arrests the fall in a controlled manner and minimizes the impact force to less than 6kn or 600kg based on a large adult of 100kg

 There must be adequate clearance distance below the user

 PPE must be suitable for use

 Requires rescue plan and rescue provisions FALL ARREST

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METHODS OF W.A.H. USING PPE?

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INERTIA REELS MOBILE FALL ARREST FALL ARREST LANYARDS

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LADDERS

 Ladders are not banned but HSE encourage the appropriate use of ladders

 Industrial ladders or stepladders for use at work

 Ladder can be used when there is no other reasonably

practicable method of work, they are often the easy way rather then the right way to do a job

 Short duration of work (maximum of 15-30 minutes work at a single position)

 3 points of contact (one hand free to grip the ladder, avoid holding items)

 Light weight nature of work (up to 10 kg is acceptable, up to 25 kg must be justified, above 25 kg not acceptable)