
Work at height regulation was established to help prevent death and injury caused by a fall from height. Working at height poses a serious risk to workers involve in it if safety measures are not adopted. This work at height regulation applies to all employers and employees involved in working at height
Working at height does not only apply to working at an elevated level above ground level, it also applies to working above a point lower than the ground level like a ravine, excavation, etc.
Generally, any work location which poses a risk of some falling off, this work at height regulation applies.
What Is Work At Height
Work at height means work in any place where, if precautions were not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. You are working at height if you:
- work above ground/floor level
- could fall from an edge, through an opening or fragile surface or
- could fall from ground level into an opening in a floor or a hole in the ground
Work at height does not include a slip or a trip on the level, as a fall from height has to involve a fall from one level to a lower level, nor does it include walking up and down a permanent staircase in a building.
Work At Height Regulation
It is the duty of all employers and those in control of any task involving working at height to make sure the work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people. This includes good job planning, using a correct and safe equipment, workers training to ensure competence and adequate supervision.
The aspect of job planning must involve risk assessment and setting up of risk control measures control. The risk control measures must be implemented to the latter as far as reasonably practicable.
See a link below to download a copy of the work at height regulation.
Since working at height is a high risk activity, safety measures to prevent falling from height should not be played down to the background.
How Do I comply With The Work At Height Regulation
The Regulations apply to all work at height, where there is risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. They place duties on employers, and those who control any work at height activity (such as facilities managers or building owners who may contract others to work at height).
As part of the Regulations, you must ensure:
- all work at height is properly planned and organised
- those involved in work at height are competent
- the risks from work at height are assessed, and appropriate work equipment is selected and used
- the risks of working on or near fragile surfaces are properly managed
- the equipment used for work at height is properly inspected and maintained
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Working at height safety procedures
Do not forget: Falling from height is one of the height cause of death in our construction sites.
You should make sure that people with sufficient skills, knowledge and experience are employed to perform the task, or, if they are being trained, that they work under the supervision of somebody competent to do it.
In the case of low-risk, short duration tasks involving ladders, competence requirements may be no more than making sure employees receive instruction on how to use the equipment safely (eg how to tie a ladder properly) and appropriate training. Training often takes place on the job, it does not always take place in a classroom.
When a more technical level of competence is required, for example drawing up a plan for assembling a complex scaffold, existing training and certification schemes drawn up by trade associations and industry is one way to help demonstrate competence.
Work safe, and adopt the work at height regulation today.