WORKING AT HEIGHT AND PREVENTION OF FALLING OBJECTS

The statutory requirements for working at height and prevention of falling object
are laid down in the OSHS/OSHA and the National Building Code of the
Philippines.

WORKING AT HEIGHT
1. Any open edges from which a person is liable to fall a vertical distance of more
than 2 m shall be protected by suitable fencing barriers of a height of between
900 mm and 1150 mm.
2. Work scaffolds shall be erected in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions
and shall comply with the prevailing statutory safety requirements.
3. Platforms, gangways or runs from any of which a person is liable to fall a
vertical distance of more than 2 m shall be either be closely boarded, planked or
plated.
4. Every board or plank forming part of a Working Platform shall be of sound
construction, adequate strength and free from patent defect. Each board or
plank shall not be less than 200 mm in width and not less than 25 mm in
thickness.
5. Every board or plank shall rest securely and evenly on its supports. No board or
plank shall project beyond its end support to a distance exceeding 150mm unless
it is sufficiently secured to prevent tripping.
6. Any Working Platform from which a person is liable to fall a distance of more
than 2m shall be at least 400mm wide.
7. Any gangway or run from any part of which a person is liable to fall a distance
of more than 2m shall be at least 400mm wide if it is used for the passage of
persons only. Its width shall be extended to at least 650mm wide if it is used for
passage of materials. 8. Scaffolds shall be inspected by a competent person
(Safety Inspector) within the immediately preceding month and also after any
such exposure to weather conditions, such as typhoon, likely to have affected
their strength or stability.
9. Workers working at height where erection of fencing barriers are impracticable
shall be provided with suitable safety belts or harnesses and suitable and
sufficient safe anchorage points or lifeline system for securing the safety of the
workers. Safety netting shall also be used as appropriate. Refer to National
Building Code for details.
10.Stairways must be protected by temporary hand-railings.
Catch Nets
• Securely fixed to anchor points
• Free of debris or materials
• Manufactured to an internationally recognized standard
PREVENTION OF FALLING OBJECTS
SAFETY NETS:
1. The use of safety nets is intended not only to prevent personnel from
sustaining injury but also to protect persons from objects falling from a height in
the cause of construction, demolition and maintenance works.
2. The safety nets/screens shall be provided from the uppermost part of the
construction to ground level, whenever the outermost face of the building under
construction and the outer edge of the sidewalk is less than one half (1/2) the
height of building. Safety net to be installed should be G.I. wire gauge 16.38 mm
mesh nylon net
3. Consideration should also be given to the use of safety nets where conditions
are such that the safety of persons below and the protection of property below
cannot be adequately ensured without their use.
4. Safety nets should be securely fixed to the scaffolds by wire to prevent it from
being blown off by strong wind; attention should be exercised to the regular
maintenance of the safety nets

PROTECTIVE CATCH FANS

1. The protective canopy shall be provided whenever the horizontal distance
between the outermost face of the building and the inner edge of the sidewalk is
equal to or less than ½ half the height of the building under construction.
2. The sidewalk part of the protective canopy shall be kept open for a height of
not less than 2.40 meters high and its underside must be provided with adequate
lighting at night with not less than 100 watts bulb for every 6 meters of its length
and at each change of grade or elevation of the sidewalk surface.
3. The fan boards or catch platforms shall be provided whenever the wall of the
building under construction is directly in front of the street side.
4. Fan boards and catch platforms shall be installed as close as possible to the
working platform, to a maximum of 10 meters. 5. Steel metal catch fans are
erected at the lower portion of building designating for catching high objects and
debris, such as concrete blocks and plywood. 6. The protection catch fans should
be regularly maintained during which accumulation of debris should be cleared to
ensure the protection fans are not overloaded.

Falling Object Protection