OHS Safe in the Knowledge Contact OHS on: 0800 834293 The Compliance Consultancy Health Safety and Environmental Management Delivering the vision An incident

OHS Safe in the KnowledgeContact OHS on: 0800 834293

The Compliance ConsultancyHealth Safety and Environmental Management

‘Delivering the vision’

An incident and injury free environment for all OHS clients

www.ohs.co.uk

Some key issues of the Work at Height Regulations

and what we need to consider.





www.ohs.co.uk

Construction – Fatal Accidents

Machinery 2.1%

Struck By 13.3%

Trip 0.3%

Transport 11.1%

Handling 0.5%Collapse 10.3%

Substance 0.3%

Electricity 5.8%

Walk Into 0.3%

Other 4.2%

High Fall 47.5%

Other Fall 4.2%





www.ohs.co.uk

A Look Back

Total Deaths in % Change in a Decade UK Construction

1953 2481963 247 0% Factories Act & Construction Regs1973 231 6%1983 118 49% HASW Act 19741993 91 22%2003 70 22% CDM 19942013 ?? ?? Work@Height Regs





www.ohs.co.uk

The Working at Height Regulations 2005





www.ohs.co.uk

What is Work at Height?

Any workplace at height; at, above or below ground level where persons could be injured if they were to fall

Could also be access (entry) and egress (exit) to that place





www.ohs.co.uk

What is Work at Height?

Erecting false/formwork

Working from ladders

Working on formwork within an excavation

Working adjacent to open excavations

Working from bandstands





www.ohs.co.uk

What is NOT Work at Height?

Walking up/down stairs

Working in upper floors of offices or cabins

Machine operators, in their seats

Sitting in a chair





www.ohs.co.uk

Who Needs to Comply?

• Employers

• Self Employed

• Employees

• Controllers of the way Work at Height is undertaken (Principal Contractors,

Clients, Contractors)





www.ohs.co.uk

Key Points

Work at Height – Hierarchy

Avoid

Prevent

Reduce





www.ohs.co.uk

Key Points

Select correct work equipment

Select collective fall prevention measures (Work platforms, guardrails)

Collective distance mitigation (Airbags, nets)

Personal distance mitigation (Fall restraint, arrest)





www.ohs.co.uk

What do the Regs Require?

Plan and organise all work at height

Personnel working at height to be “competent”

Assess risks from working at height

Select and use appropriate work equipment

Control risks from fragile surfaces

Inspect and maintain equipment used in work at height





www.ohs.co.uk

Planned?





www.ohs.co.uk

Planned?





www.ohs.co.uk

PLANNED/RIGHT EQUIPMENT/COMPETENT ?





www.ohs.co.uk

PLANNED/RIGHT EQUIPMENT/COMPETENT ?





www.ohs.co.uk

What Causes Accidents?

Over 60% of fatal accidents are attributable, to some extent, to decisions taken before starting

35% design

28% planning





www.ohs.co.uk

What is “COMPETENCE”?

‘The experience, knowledge and appropriate qualifications to enable workers to identify risks arising from a situation and the measures needed to be taken’





www.ohs.co.uk

Therefore: -

Train workers in work at height: - MEWP operators

Net riggers

Consider formal training on safe work procedures when working at height, not just on-the-job training





www.ohs.co.uk

Risk Assessment Approach

Identify work at height hazards

Who will be at risk; and how?

Evaluate risks: Are you doing enough? Do you need to do more?

Record and review





www.ohs.co.uk

Risk Assessment Approach

Consider the: - Activity and equipment to be used

Duration and location; consider hazards

Environment (weather, lighting)

Existing work surfaces (condition, stability)

Physical capabilities of workforce (vertigo sufferers)





www.ohs.co.uk

What You Need to Work at Height?

Plan in advance, consider selection and use of work equipment

Supervision

Weather conditions

Emergency/rescue procedures





www.ohs.co.uk

Work Platforms?

A work platform is now defined as: -

‘Virtually any surface from which work is carried out, such as a roof, scaffold platform, MEWP, orthe treads of a stepladder’





www.ohs.co.uk





www.ohs.co.uk





www.ohs.co.uk

Air mats in domestic housing sector





www.ohs.co.uk

Hierarchy of Control

Duty holders must: -

Avoid work at height where possible

Use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls during work at height

Where the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall





www.ohs.co.uk

Can Work at Height be Avoided?

Consider the activity

Can you modify? E.g. Erect guardrails on false work at ground level,Work from underneath,Assemble at ground level then lift into place





www.ohs.co.uk





www.ohs.co.uk

Working at Height Control Measures

Collective Measures: - Protect more than one person at any one time

Passive ( no further action needed by users)

Takes priority over personal measures





www.ohs.co.uk

Personal Measures: -

Relies upon PPE

Only protects the user

Active (user must take further action for them to be effective)

Working at Height Control Measures





www.ohs.co.uk





www.ohs.co.uk





www.ohs.co.uk





www.ohs.co.uk

No visible damage to ladders;Unpainted - so damage is not masked;

Right way up - reinforcement underneath the rungs;

Standing on base of the stiles, not supported on rungs.

Extending 1.1.m above and with a rung level with the platform;

Secured to scaffold;





www.ohs.co.uk





www.ohs.co.uk

Inspection & Maintenance of Equipment

• Ladders to be constructed to BS 2037 (Aluminium), BS 1129 (Wood):

Class 1 Industrial Standard or BS EN 131

• Ladder inspections recorded on weekly time sheets

• Ladder tag system in place

• All MEWPs in use to have up to date LOLER Certificate

• Safety Harness Inspection procedure





www.ohs.co.uk

THINK!!

5 SECONDS OF SAFETY

1. Is what I am doing safe?

2. What could go wrong

3. Who could be Injured

4. What Improvements could be made to make the job safer

5. Consider the overall consequences if you carry on and ignore any problems identified

IF IN DOUBT, STOP!

Seek Assistance/Advice





www.ohs.co.uk

"EVERY

WEEK

ONE

OF US

DIES"





www.ohs.co.uk

Summary

1. Plan the Work at Height.

2. Ensure all staff are competent to carry out the tasks assigned to them.

3. Consider using the Risk Assessment approach.

4. Select the appropriate work equipment.

5. Control the risks.

6. Ensure all Work at Height equipment is inspected and maintained & relevant documentation is up to date.





www.ohs.co.uk

END





www.ohs.co.uk





www.ohs.co.uk

Documents

OHS Safe in the Knowledge Contact OHS on: 0800 834293 The Compliance Consultancy Health Safety and Environmental Management Delivering the vision An incident