WORKING AT HEIGHT - 12.09.2023

Reducing the risk of serious falls

Serious injury and deaths from falling from height are still too prevalent in the workplace. You’ve heard a lot about reducing risk, but what steps should you take to ensure you have the best controls in place to prevent accidents?

Statistics

In 2022/23 there were 40 deaths resulting from working at height accidents, making it the primary cause of workplace fatalities. Worryingly there were also 45,200 non-fatal injuries resulting from falls. Statistics like these point to the fact that the risk of working at height is not properly controlled.

What needs to be done?

The Work at Height Regulations 2005(WHR) require you to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the task, suitable planning, which may include a lifting plan, and training and supervision of your staff.

Injuries range from minor sprains, through to fractures, life changing events and death. The seriousness will depend upon the distance of the fall, the way in which a person falls and the ground conditions. Other risk factors to consider include unprotected edges, unstable or poorly maintained equipment, weather conditions, etc.

Following the hierarchy

Once you have established your initial assessment of the task you will need to follow a hierarchy of controls as stated in the WHR. This means you must avoid working from height, prevent falls if work at height cannot be avoided and minimise the distance and consequence of a possible fall.

Avoid working from height

There are many ways you can accomplish this, and modern technology is making it easier to practice. For example, non-destructive testing can be undertaken using remote cameras, roof surveys use of drones, etc. Even relatively simple jobs like window or gutter cleaning can be done from the ground using poles.

Prevent falls

If you have to sanction people working from height you will need to review which measures should be put in place to allow them safe access to the work position and to prevent them falling. Here there is a hierarchy within a hierarchy which states that you should look at collective measures over individual solutions. This means that priority should be given to engineering controls which keep everyone safe, such as scaffolding, mobile elevated work platforms, edge protection around flat roofs, etc. Individual solutions include items such as mansafe lines which prevent a person from being able to reach the edge of a roof. However, this only protects one person at a time.

Minimise the distance or consequence

Finally, when other controls are exhausted, you should consider how to break a fall. On a construction site it may be feasible to erect netting or soft-landing systems. A cost effective way of reducing the consequence would be to establish an exclusion zone around the work so that others will not be affected by a person or object falling. Tip. Don’t forget that for any working from height you must prepare a work at height rescue plan (see The next step ).

For our work at height rescue plan, visit https://www.tips-and-advice.co.uk , Download Zone, year 22 issue 1.

Working from height should be avoided if possible, but if not, you must implement strict controls to protect those working and those that could be affected. Consider collective measures first and finally focus on safeguarding the individual. Always have an emergency plan in place.

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