Health

Healthand
andSafety
Safety
Executive
Executive

Somerset Health and Safety Group

Work at Height

John Caboche - HSE

The Work at Height Regs. 2005

• Came into force on 6th April

2005.
• These regulations
consolidate good practice
and current legislation
• The good old days….
 What is “Work at Height”?

• A place where a person can be injured falling

from – even if at or below ground level.
• Work includes moving around at a place of work
• Does not include travel to and from a place of
work
The Regulations apply:-

• To all work at height where there is a risk of a fall

liable to cause personal injury
• Duty applies to employers, self employed and
any person who controls the work of others to
the extent they control the work
General Duties

• Work must be properly planned and organised

• Consider weather conditions
• Ensure workers are trained and competent
• Place of work is safe
• Equipment is inspected
• Risks from fragile surfaces are controlled
• Risks from falling objects are controlled
Duties on Employer: -

• Do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent

anyone falling
• Avoid work at height if possible
• If not take all steps to prevent falls
• Take all steps to reduce distance of fall (and
consequences)
 Planning

• Ensure that no work is done at height if it does

not have to be
• Ensure work planned, supervised and
undertaken in as safe a way as is reasonably
practicable
• Consider risk assessments carried out
Planning

• Postpone work if weather endangers health or

safety
• Ensure all workers are competent
• If Trainees must be supervised by a competent
person
• Train those working at height now to avoid falling
or minimise injury to themselves should they fall
Planning

• Place of work (including access) must be safe

• Must have features to prevent a fall

UNLESS
The worker would then be unable to do the work safely
due to demands of work, equipment used and working
environment
BUT
The Employer must provide equipment to prevent a fall
Duties on Employee: -

• Report any safety hazard to employer

• Use the equipment supplied correctly
• Follow any training
• Follow instructions – unless you think that would
be unsafe
 Equipment: -

• Most suitable
• Collective protection more that personal
• Consider working conditions
• Consider risks to safety of all those at the
workplace
What Do The Schedules To The Regulations
Cover?

• Schedule 1
• Existing places of work and means of access for work at height
• Schedule 2
• Collective fall prevention (e.g. guard rails and toe boards)
• Schedule 3
• Working platforms (includes scaffolding)
• Schedule 4
• Collective fall arrest (e.g. nets, airbags etc.)
• Schedule 5
• Personal fall protection
• Schedule 6
• Ladders and step ladders
• Schedule 7
• Inspection reports
• Schedule 8
• Revocations (cancellations, dissolution)
Competency

Those working at height should be

competent, with the appropriate:
• Skill
• Knowledge,
• Ability,
• Training
• Experience,
• Have authority to carry out the work
task.
• A truly competent person knows
their LIMITATIONS
Risk Assessment

• The Work at Height Regulations are risk

based, i.e. if a risk is present the
regulations apply.
• Regulation 3 of the Management of
Health and Safety at Work Regulations
still applies.
• Do a Risk Assessment.
Avoid – Prevent – Minimise

When planning work at height follow the

Hierarchy of Control Methods.

• AVOID work at height,

• PREVENT falls,

• MINIMISE the distance and

consequences of falls.
Types Of Work Equipment

Remote operated equipment AVOID

Long handled tools

Permanent engineered platforms PREVENT

Scaffolding (tube & fitting)
M.E.W.P.’s
Scaffold towers
Temporary edge protection

Personal Fall Restraint systems

Collective Fall Arrest systems MINIMISE
Personal Fall Arrest systems
Ladders
 Select the right work equipment

Always consider:
• Working conditions,
• Access & egress,
• Distance & consequence a of fall,
• Duration & frequency of work task,
• Ease of rescue & evacuation,
• Risks during installing, using & removing the
proposed equipment.
 Select the right work equipment

COLLECTIVE PROTECTION
before
PERSONAL PROTECTION

• Safe working platforms before personal work

restraint equipment.

• Nets & airbags before personal fall arrest

equipment.
Select The Right Work Equipment

Prevent Collective
Safe Working
Platforms
Minimise Personal
Nets Work
Airbags Restraint

Rope Access
Fall Arrest
Ladders
Stilts
Hop-ups
What else to consider?

• Avoid fragile surfaces,

• Assess strength of platforms,
• Prevent falling objects,
• Inspect equipment,
• Inspect place of work,
• Danger areas.
AVOID

If you don’t have to

go up there, DON’T
GO!
• Is the work task
necessary?

• Can the problem be

engineered away?

• Is the use of special

tools possible?
PREVENT

Prevent falls by using or creating

safe working areas.
• Use an existing place of
work or means of access
• Use the most suitable way of
working
• Select the most suitable
equipment
• Proactively prevents falls
from happening by using
guardrails, warning lines,
hole covers
 MEWPS - example

• The MEWP is designed

to provide a temporary
working platform which
can be easily moved
from one location to
another.

• It’s particularly suitable

for short duration work
where the use of a
ladder would be unsafe
and erection of
scaffolding would be
time consuming and
impracticable
MINIMISE

Minimise the distance and consequences

of falls.

• Use the most suitable way of

working,

• Select the most suitable equipment,

• Take other measures to prevent

injury,
e.g. instruction, information, training & supervision.
 Air Bags / Bean Bags
• Designed to reduce number of injuries and
deaths in falls from height.
• Cushioned re-usable air bags - 0.55m high
- weigh less than 7kg each.
• Can be filled with foam enabling them to
retain original shape.
• They provide a yielding surface on which
to fall.
• Position bags correctly before work
commences.
• Clip bags together to prevent separation
when falling on the junction.
 Air Bags / Bean Bags

• They should be checked when re-

positioned or after a fall to ensure
there’s no damage.
• Other control measures must be in
place to prevent falls.
• Bags are a last resort.
• N.B. a fall, even on a ‘safe’ place could
be very stressful and traumatic.
Personal Fall Protection

Remember that you

need to create a
system, comprising
of:

• Body Holding Device

• Means of Connection
• Suitable/Reliable
Anchorage Point
Body Holding Devices

• Restraint Belt

• Work Positioning Belt

• Fall Arrest Harness

• Combination Harness
Restraint Belt

• Adjustable to fit
• Fall prevention ONLY
• Can accept static
load ONLY
• Limited use
Restraint Lanyard

• Fixed length or
Adjustable length
• Short enough to
prevent worker from
falling
• Can accept static
load ONLY
Restraint Lanyard

Key:
1 – Working distance
2 – Harness attachment point
3 – Anchor Point
4 – Restraint lanyard
5 – Danger area
Work Positioning Belt

• Adjustable to fit
• Not for Fall Arrest
• Can accept static
load ONLY
• Limited use
• A fall could still occur
Work Positioning Lanyard

• Fixed length or
Adjustable length
• Used to secure
worker in a position
of work
• Can accept static
load ONLY
Work Positioning Lanyard

Key:
• Safety back-up personal
fall protection system
attached to structure
• Work positioning lanyard
looped round the
structure
• Work positioning lanyard
attached to side waist
attachment point on work
positioning belt
Fall Arrest Harness

• Adjustable to fit
• Capable of taking a
dynamic load
• Rear attachment
point is standard
• Front attachment
point is optional
Fall Arrest Lanyard

• EN 354 lanyard with

EN 355 Energy
Absorber attached
• Limits impact force
• Fixed or adjustable
lengths
• Single or twin legs
 Fall Arrest

• Limits free fall to within 2

vertical metres of the
initiation point which reduces
force by decreasing fall
distance

• Consists of a(n)
– Lanyard
– Anchorage Point
– Full Body Harness
– Attachment Strap
Fall Protection

Lanyards should:

• Be inspected prior to use

• Be protected against being cut or abraded

• Have a minimum breaking strength of

2270kg

• Be the appropriate length

• Be attached to an anchorage not to itself

Fall Arrest Lanyard

How far can you fall?

Calculate:
• Original lanyard length (max 2 metres)
• Amount of Energy Absorber deployment
• Body size from D-ring to feet
• Safety zone from feet to floor
 Minimum Free Space

2 metre lanyard clipped low gives

4 metre free fall

anchorage
lanyard
energy 1
absorber(extended)
Lanyard length + energy absorber extension = 3.75m
Harness stretch + distance between harness attachment 2
point and feet = 1.50m
Safety clearance = 1.00m
Minimum Free Space (1 + 2 + 3 ) =6.25m 3
 Connectors

There are many types of connectors – ensure that

the correct one is used.
Connecting Methods
Fall Protection

Anchorage Point
A secure point of
attachment for
lifelines, lanyards or
deceleration devices
Fall Protection

Anchorage points used for

attachment of personal fall
arrest equipment should be:

• Located at or above the

employee’s waist

• Capable of supporting more

than 2270kg per employee

• Designed and built to hold the

maximum force of the fall
arrest
Transportable Devices
Retractable Type Fall Arrester

• Limited fall ONLY

• Standard Block –
internal energy
absorber
• Mini Block – external
energy absorber
Retractable Type Fall Arrester

1. Anchor Point
2. Connector
3. Retractable Device
4. Harness D-ring
5. Fall Arrest Harness
6. Connecting point (Swivel?)
7. Housing
8. Fall Indicator
9. Cable/Lanyard (Life Line)
10. Connector (Swivel?)
Retractable Type Fall Arrester

• Dangers surround the use of these with a low

anchor point
• Follow manufacturer’s guidelines
• Dangers surround the use of these with a
flexible anchorage line
• Oscillation may stop device locking off
• Be careful of sharp edges
Combination Harnesses

• Combine Fall Arrest

and Work Positioning
body holding devices
• EN 361 & 358
• Adjustable to fit
• Capable of taking a
dynamic load
Guided Type Fall Arrester

• Rigid life line –

usually installed
• Flexible life line –
installed or
temporary
Guided Type Fall Arrester

Key
1 Upper anchor
2 Temporarily installed flexible vertical
line
3 Guided type fall arrester
4 Tensioning weight
5 Unused portion of anchor line
In this situation there is a
danger of swinging past the
vertical should a fall occur.
Correct positioning of the
upper anchor connector
would eliminate this.
Use of Fall Protection P.P.E.

• If you issue Fall Arrest Equipment then

you MUST consider rescue
Rescue From Height

Always consider:
• Type of fall (straight drop or swing),
• Distance of free fall & impact force,
• Time to effect rescue,
• Lift back up or lower down?
• Medical treatment/Hospitalisation,
• Training for rescue personnel & regular practice
sessions,
• Relying on County Fire Service is unacceptable
What I see a lot of….
What I see a lot of….
What I see a lot of….
What I see a lot of….
Work at Height Accidents don’t
always kill… Ladder Fall