Working at

height
 Principles of working at height
• All personnel involved in the management chain should
recognize that they have an obligation to carry out the
work as safely as possible.
• A risk assessment should be carried out to identify the
hazards associated with the work before the work
commences.
• Appropriate tools and safety equipment should be
selected to ensure that the job can be carried out as
safely as possible.
 Cont.
• Personnel should be adequately trained in the
operation of tools, safety equipment and safety
systems that they are working with.
• Tools and equipment must be properly maintained to
ensure that they offer continued levels of protection.
• Work tasks should be properly supervised and
managed to ensure tools, safety equipment and safety
systems are being operated correctly.
 Cont.
• Where mistakes have been made or equipment has
failed it’s essential that these incidents are reported so
that similar mistakes can be prevented in the future.
Derrick Man Safety harness
 Inspection & Maintenance check list
• Check ID number is present
• Check that metal components are free from:
1. Buckling
2. Wear
3. Corrosion
4. Cracks
 Inspection & Maintenance check list
• Nylon components free from:
1. Cuts and abrasion to webbing
2. Cuts and abrasion to stitching
3. Chemical contamination
 Inspection & Maintenance check list
• Clean prior to inspection, harnesses can be washed in
cool water with mild detergent
• Store hung-up dry and clean, away from contaminants
and direct sunlight
 Equipment: Summary
• Suitable equipment should be selected
• Equipment should be uniquely marked and traceable
through an examination scheme
• All users must be competent to perform pre-use checks
on their equipment
• All equipment is subject to a through examination by a
competent person on a six monthly basis
 Equipment: Summary
• Equipment must be properly maintained and stored
• Written records of examinations should be kept for the
lifetime of the equipment
 Operation: Summary
• Anchor points should be thoroughly assessed for
strength and suitability
• Careful consideration should be given to all possible
hazards in the work area
• All persons must be adequately trained and supervised
for the task
• Back-up systems should be in place to offer security in
the event of failure within the system
 Operation: Summary
• Planning should include a rescue plan to ensure the
rapid retrieval of an injured person
 Risk Assessment
• Falling
• Sharp edges
• Hot pipes
• Communication difficulties
• Working with inexperienced personnel
• Working with unfamiliar equipment
• Parties working above
 Risk Assessment
• Parties working below
• Working above public areas
• Public access to ropes and rigging
• Poor / awkward anchor points
 Legislation - Summary
• Recognize obligations to carry out the work as safely
as possible
• Risk assessment to identify the hazards associated with
the work
• Selection of the appropriate tools and safety
equipment
 Legislation - Summary
• Adequate training in the operation of tools, safety
equipment and safety systems
• Tools and equipment must be properly maintained
• Work tasks should be properly supervised and
managed
• Reporting of the mistakes or equipment failure so that
we can learn from them and avoid them in the future
 Always have your
hard hat chin strap in
place –riding Man-
riding
Pre-ManRiding
Checklist