What is working at height?

Working at height refers to any work where someone could fall from a distance which could result in a personal injury. For example, this could be falling from ladders, fragile surfaces, or roofs etc. It could also be falling from ground level into holes or openings in the ground (i.e. unprotected trenches or evacuation sites), or it can even  include simple everyday tasks such as changing a lightbulb in the work place, or reaching high and hard to reach storage units in an office, for example.

 

What are the working at height safety regulations?

The Work at Height Regulations main purpose is to prevent death and injury caused by a fall whilst working from height. It is the responsibility of employers, individuals who control work at height such as managers or building owners who might be responsible for contracting others to work at height; to ensure that these regulations are met.

Before anyone starts working at height work it is important to follow the following steps:

• Check whether it is possible and practical to avoid working at height entirely.
• Where working at height cannot be avoided, falls should be prevented by using an alternative place of work which is already safe or the right type of equipment.
• Use the right type of equipment to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall where the risk cannot be eliminated.

In order to ensure you are compliant you should:

• Do as much work as possible from the ground, this might involve using extendable tools, ground level assembly of edge protection or installing something at ground level and raising it to its working height.
• Ensure workers can get safely to and from where they work at height – this could be achieved through the use of edge protection
• Ensure appropriate equipment is used and that it is well maintained, checked regularly and is strong and stable enough for the job.
• Ensure staff don’t overload or overreach when working at height
• Take precautions when working on or near fragile surfaces such as utilising appropriate equipment.
• Provide protection from falling objects by using equipment such as the catchfan, or a fall arrest system with a high anchor point.
• Ensure your staff are aware of evacuation and rescue procedures

Ultimately, all work should be planned properly, supervised, and carried out by competent staff.

Each workplace must have policies in place that every employee is made aware of in the event of an incident.

The employee must take responsibility for their own actions, and they must communicate with their employer in relation to their own health and safety and any concerns, to ensure everyone is being compliant.

When do height safety regulations apply?

If you are an employer or manager of a site/factory which involves areas where working at height would be necessary and there is a risk of a fall, liable to cause personal injury then these regulations apply to you. There is no minimum height requirement for this to apply.

Different height safety systems

There are many varieties of safety systems, depending on the height you are working at, the structure you are working on, and the type of work that is being carried out.

• Edge Protection (e.g. guardrails)

This creates an instant barrier between you and the potential risk. Guardrails are used for a variety of things, and don’t always have to be when working at heights. You may find them on boats to prevent you falling, on edges of cliffs, or on busy roads to separate vehicles and pedestrians.

• Fall Restraint System

A fixed-length lanyard  is connected  to an anchor which prevents you from reaching the danger zone where the risk of a fall is high. This type of height safety system should always be considered first before the fall arrest system (below) as there is less risk. A rescue plan isn’t required by law for this system as there is far less chance of an employee being in danger.

• Fall Arresting System

This protects you after a fall and prevents you from hitting the ground (similar to a bungee jump string). This may be good to use on fragile surfaces if there is a risk of breakage , or if you are unable to restrict the employee reaching the danger zone (i.e. because maybe that’s where the work needs to be done). By law you are required to have a rescue plan in place in the event of an accident.

• Fall Protection Covers

There are various covers available, depending on the risk that needs to be covered, however they provide instant safety to ground holes. Signs can be helpful, but the best form of protection against falls are physical barriers. From small plastic covers for small ground openings, to expandable trellis covers to protect against trench falls on construction sites etc.