Work at Height Regulations

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Health and Safety Executive
Work at Height Regulations
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FALLS PROGRAMME

• Reduce death and major injuries from falls from
  height.
• HSC/ HSE targets 10 reduction in death and major
  injuries by 2010.
• Working with sectors were falls are an issue
• Caretakers
• Facilities Management Companies
• Maintenance fitters

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Summary

• The Work at Height Regulations
• Background
• Scope
• Managing risks from work at height
• Selecting the right equipment
• Other Requirements

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Background Statistics

• Biggest Killer 67 Fatal Accidents 2003/04
• 3884 Major Accidents 2003/04
• Until this year always 2nd biggest cause of major
  accidents
• 2/3 of all major injuries caused by low falls
  (below 2mtrs)

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Background Objectives

• Temporary Work at Height Directive (2001/45/EC)
• Bring existing legislation together into risk
  based regulation
• Maintain and improve standards

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Current position

• Came into force on 6 April 2005
• No transitional period proposed Regulations
  consolidate good practice
• Challenge to communicate the WAH message
  effectively

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WaH Regulations Overview

• Scope
• Risk assessment/organisation/planning
• Avoid Prevent Minimise
• Select the right Work Equipment
• Other Precautions
• Key messages

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Scope What is work at height?

• Work in any place from which a person could fall
  a distance liable to cause personal injury
• Includes
• access and egress
• work at or below ground level
• but not stairways or slips or trips on the level

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Scope What Sectors are covered?

• Covers all industries e.g. construction,
  agriculture, manufacturing, retail,
  maintenance,warehouse etc but not those paid to
  lead or train climbing and caving
• Duty holders are
• employers
• self-employed and
• those in control of people at work, to the extent
  of their control

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Organisation, Planning, Competence

• Work at height should be
• Properly planned
• Appropriately supervised
• Not carried out if weather conditions jeopardise
  health and safety
• Those working at height should be
• competent or if being trained supervised by a
  competent person

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Risk Assessment

• Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and
  Safety at work Regulations
• Do a risk assessment

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Avoid - Prevent - Minimise

• Avoid work at height
• if you dont have to go up there DONT!
• Prevent falls
• use an existing place or means of access
• Use the most suitable way of working
• Select the most suitable equipment

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Avoid Prevent - Minimise

• Minimise the distance and consequences
• Minimise the consequences
• Take other measures to prevent injury eg
  instruction, information and training

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Select the right work equipment
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Select the right work equipment

• Collective protection before personal protection
• Select guardrails/working platforms before
  personal fall prevention (eg work restraint)
• Select nets/airbags before personal fall arrest

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Select the right work equipment

• Working conditions
• Access and Egress
• Distance and consequences of a fall
• Duration and frequency of use/task
• Ease of rescue/evacuation
• Risk of use, installation and removal of
  equipment

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Types of Work Equipment

• Guardrails
• Working platforms (scaffolds/MEWPS etc)
• Nets/Airbags
• Personal Fall Protection systems
• Ladders

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LADDERS USE

• Risk assessment must justify use
• Low risk,
• Short duration,
• Or Site conditions dictate
• Follow good practice

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Examples of Work Equipment

• .

Avoiding work at height
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Collective Prevention

• .

Scaffolding
Edge protection
M.E.W.P
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Collective Fall arrest

Nets
Air bags
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Personal Fall Arrest
Fall Arrest
Work Positioning
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Other Requirements

• Avoid risks from Fragile Surfaces
• Prevent Falling Objects
• Warn about Danger Areas
• Inspect work equipment
• Persons at work should
• Follow instructions and training
• Advise employer of hazards/risks to health and
  safety

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Communication

• What HSE have done
• What HSE would like you to do
• How will HSE know if they are getting it right?

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KEY MESSAGES

• If you follow good practice you should be doing
  enough to comply
• Do a risk assessment, plan and organise your work
  properly
• Follow the hierarchy avoid prevent minimise
• Choose the right equipment - select collective
  protection before personal
• Guide supported by Industry Specific Guidance.