What are the simple rules to follow when working at height? Find out more about the work at height regulations in the UK.
Working at Height Rules and Regulations
When operating at heights, there are certain rules that must be followed at all times; these suggestions include avoiding the need for work at heights wherever possible and utilising work instruments that are both appropriate for the task at hand and safe to use.
Consider if the new equipment will create any additional hazards, and install airbags as close to the working area as possible - allow ample room for safety nets and harnesses, choose for group protection that shields a large number of people before enforcing personal safety measures, and always have emergency or rescue procedures available to cope with any disaster situation.
THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS WHEN WORKING AT HEIGHT
Use one of the two methods for building and dismantling towers that have been approved by the HSE and the industry, either "the advance guard rail system" or "through-the-trap".
To conduct any of them, construct tower scaffolds on stable, level ground with locking castors and a supporting base plate - never use a tower scaffold in strong winds or if any parts are broken or missing; instead, do daily inspections to make sure all machinery and equipment are secure and to evaluate whether maintenance is necessary.
A ladder should only be used for a maximum of 30 minutes in one position and with a weight of no more than 10 kg. Additionally, you should always maintain three points of contact when using a ladder. The major piece of legislation governing working at heights is the Work at Height Regulations of 2005.
One of them is working at ground level near an excavation, hole in the earth, or aperture. Others include working on the rear or top of a vehicle, using a ladder or stepladder, working on a flat surface, a scaffold, or a mobile elevated platform (MEWP), and working in places where someone may fall through an aperture, from an edge, or from a sensitive surface.
What is Working at Height?
According to the rules, working at heights involves a person who may fall a distance likely to inflict bodily damage if safeguards were not followed. This implies that you are working at height if you are above ground or floor level, and you run the risk of falling from an edge, through an aperture, or a delicate surface (like a roof), or you run the risk of falling into a hole or opening at the ground or floor level; it also avoids the necessity of ascending and descending a stationary stairway.
Who is Covered by the Work at Height Regulations?
The Work at Height Regulations states three things: you must avoid working at heights whenever possible, and if you can't, make sure safety precautions have been taken to prevent falls, such as providing the proper equipment and making sure safety precautions (such as barriers and safety rails) are in place.
When working at heights, make sure the appropriate equipment is utilised to minimise the effects of a fall if the danger cannot be removed.
3 Steps to Eliminate Risk from Working at Height:
Avoid Working at Heights
When working at a height is unavoidable, utilise suitable safety equipment to prevent falls, since they are still one of the main causes of fatalities and severe injuries. Falling from height and dropping equipment from height are the two most common safety dangers linked with working at heights; the risks of falling from a large height range from minor injuries to fatalities - the consequences of a fall from a considerable height are often severe, yet construction work frequently involves working at tremendous heights.
Scaling ladders, lowering and lifting yourself using a harness and pulley system, and even scaling scaffolds are all dangerous activities. Numerous organisations are investing heavily in staff training for working at heights. Working at height accounts for nearly one-third of all fatal construction site occurrences. Slips and falls are usually caused by standing on unstable surfaces, using ladders incorrectly, and overstretching.
Therefore, it's important to avoid working at heights wherever possible in order to secure your safety and the safety of others.
Prevent Falls
The first step in preventing falls from great heights is to plan ahead of time, when budgeting for work, remember to include the cost of any safety equipment that will be required - this may help you evaluate if a particular profession is right for you based on the cost of the safety equipment; the following stage would be to identify which tasks would be involved.
Make sure you have the necessary personnel and equipment to execute these tasks, once you've decided if the work is right for you, prepare ahead and have all the necessary safety equipment on hand.
The second stage in preventing falls from great heights is to offer appropriate equipment and working circumstances. When a piece of equipment malfunctions, make sure to remove it from service.
You should offer the appropriate equipment for each work you do; when operating from a height, do not apply a one-size-fits-all approach to safety - additionally, modifiable equipment can aid in the prevention of injuries.
Workers, however, can drop equipment from a height; although you would believe that fallen objects have less of an effect, they can nevertheless be lethal - dropping objects from relatively modest heights can result in a variety of injuries, from fractures to paralysis and death.
Hard hats, which guard against fallen objects, are among the personal protection equipment (PPE) that workers below must wear.
Minimise the Distance and Consequences of a Fall
Making ensuring your workforce has gotten the necessary training is the first step, so make sure to verify that they are capable, skilled, and competent enough to do any work at height. It's crucial to have the right individuals working on the right tasks since different job activities call for varied knowledge and skills; after that, avoid working at heights whenever you can - the design team should be able to find ways to minimise the effort required at any height.
Ensure that employees are utilising the appropriate tools for the job at hand - staff should have a secure means to transport their tools to and from work since backpacks may accommodate a variety of items that could otherwise fall from pockets; another solution to prevent goods from being dropped is lanyards.
Finally, be familiar with the location you are working in, your methods should have taken into account weak surfaces and probable collapse if work is being done on an old, deteriorating roof or surface. Make sure your staff members feel confident and at ease, and that there are no unpleasant shocks; going too far might have fatal results.
If you are working on a construction project in Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent or London, you will be considring the safety requirements of your workers. Follow the links below for construction site safety nets, crash bags hire and edge protection hire.
Construction Fall Safety Nets Kent Fall Arrest Crash Bags Kent Edge Protection Hire Kent