EHS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM <G01_xxXXxxxx>

GUIDELINES Version <1.0>

Confidentiality: <CF / IP / PB /
SC>
WORKING AT HEIGHT Status:
<draft/released/expired>

Work at Height

Table of Contents:

1. Objective........................................................................................................................................................
2. Scope of Application........................................................................................................................................
2.1. Scope....................................................................................................................................................................
2.2. Responsibilities......................................................................................................................................................
3. Reference Documents.....................................................................................................................................
4. Terminology, Definitions, Abbreviations...........................................................................................................
5. Procedure......................................................................................................................................................
5.1. Elimination and Minimization Program for working at Heights................................................................................
5.2. Actions Prior to Starting the Work at Height...........................................................................................................
5.3. General Precautions..............................................................................................................................................
5.4. Ladders, Scaffolds and Work Platforms..................................................................................................................
5.5. Working on Roofs..................................................................................................................................................
5.6. Hoists, Personnel Baskets& Cradles, Mobile Elevating Work Platforms...................................................................
5.7. Abseiling, Boatswain Chairs...................................................................................................................................
5.8. Training.................................................................................................................................................................
6. Attachments...................................................................................................................................................

Legal Owner Identification number Rev. Date Lang. Sheet

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC XXX-EHS-GL-002 0 06.01.2016 en 1 of 6
© JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC 2016. All rights reserved.
 EHS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM <G01_xxXXxxxx>
GUIDELINES Version <1.0>

OBJECTIVE

To provide guidance on the minimum requirements for employees working at height in order that they work
safely.

SCOPE OF APPLICATION

Scope

JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC Business Projects.

This guideline describes the minimum standard to be applied on all projects, however where any part of this
guideline conflicts with or is of a lower standard than local regulations, then the corresponding section of the
local regulation will apply

Responsibilities

The JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC Project EHS Advisor shall ensure that this guideline is communicated to the
JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC Site EHS Advisor/Representative.

The JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC Site EHS Advisor/Representative shall ensure that:

 This document is brought to the attention of the appropriate JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC Site/Project
Management, JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC Partners and Subcontractors
 Where local requirements are not met by this guideline, the guideline is amended to suit or other suitable
provisions are made

The Management of JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC and its Partners will ensure that the workers, over whom they
have direct control, comply with this guideline and that subcontractors are managed accordingly.

All Site/Project Supervisory Personnel shall monitor compliance and report any breach of any guideline to the
appropriate manager.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

 EHS Fall Prevention

 XXX-EHS-GL-013 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
 XXX-EHS-GL-023 Scaffold Management

TERMINOLOGY, DEFINITIONS, ABBREVIATIONS

Competent People/Person Person(s) trained, experienced and duly authorised to carry out a particular
function

Lanyard A strap or rope usually of synthetic fibre specially designed to attach a safety
harness to an anchor point or lifeline.

Reasonably Practicable Considering the risk in relation to the measures necessary to eliminate the risk

Work at Heights Includes all work where there is a possibility of falling, which is likely to cause
injury.

Legal Owner Identification number Rev. Date Lang. Sheet

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC XXX-EHS-GL-002 0 06.01.2016 en 2 of 6
© JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC 2016. All rights reserved.
 EHS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM <G01_xxXXxxxx>
GUIDELINES Version <1.0>

PROCEDURE

Elimination and Minimisation Program for working at Heights

The project/site shall implement a program for minimisation of work at height. This can be done by either:

Elimination of the need to perform work at height; where reasonably practical as much work as possible should
be done at ground level to minimise working at height.

Eliminating the risk of fall by using collective prevention and protection measures; for all work where there is
risk of injury due to falling, collective measures to prevent falls (such as guardrails and working platforms) shall
be selected before other measures which may only mitigate the distance and consequences of a fall (such as
nets or airbags) or may only provide personal protection from a fall.

Actions Prior to Starting the Work at Height

Prior to any person working at height a risk assessment must be carried out to identify the risks and the safety
measures necessary to eliminate or reduce the risk.

Before the commencement of high work a trained and competent person must verify that the contents of this
guideline have been implemented. This person then must give approval for the start of work. JULIUS BERGER
NIGERIA PLC shall maintain a documented inventory for all persons or companies performing work at heights.

After the completion of all high work it must be formally verified that the work place has been left in a
satisfactory condition and that all persons have safely returned from the workplace. A trained and competent
person must do this.

General Precautions

Fall Prevention

Where it is absolutely necessary for persons to work at height, the first consideration must be to provide, so far
as is reasonably practicable a safe working platform. The sides of all stairways, floors/platforms, walkways,
buildings, etc. from where a person can fall and suffer serious injury or from where articles could fall and
seriously injure someone must be protected with double guard rails and toe boards of at least 150mm in
height.

With regard to permanent structures such as stairways and platforms, as much of the permanent handrails as is
reasonably practicable should be installed while the structure is at ground level. Where this is not possible then
handrails/guard rails must keep pace with construction.

Floor Openings

All openings, through which a person can fall and suffer serious injury, must be covered using material that is
sufficiently strong to support any forces that it may be subjected to. It also must be prevented from being
inadvertently displaced. The word “Hole” or “Opening” must be printed on the topside. If a cover is not used
the opening must be protected by rigid guardrails of adequate strength and toe boards.

Safety Nets

In certain circumstances (like during the installation/removal of floor grating and floor panels) the use of safety
nets may be an effective alternative to the use of safety harnesses etc. The erection of safety nets must be
carefully planned and supervised and only undertaken by competent person(s). Nets should be fitted as close
to the working surface as possible, but in any case must not be lower than 6 meter below the work. Nets must
be inspected after any fall and at regular intervals.

Legal Owner Identification number Rev. Date Lang. Sheet

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC XXX-EHS-GL-002 0 06.01.2016 en 3 of 6
© JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC 2016. All rights reserved.
 EHS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM <G01_xxXXxxxx>
GUIDELINES Version <1.0>

Hand Tools

Hand tools used in elevated work areas shall have a strap/rope of approximately 1m in length used to attach a
hand tool to a person’s wrist, or in the case of heavy tools to some fixed point such as a guard rail.

Lifelines and Harnesses

In those cases where it is not reasonably practicable to provide a safe working platform and a person has to
rely on the use of a safety harness, a suitable rescue plan must be considered along with the safety measures.

Lifelines used for the attachment of safety harnesses must be:

Made of steel rope 12mm diameter (min);
Installed at waist height or above;
Tensioned by use of a turnbuckle or similar, and;
Be securely anchored at both ends at points able to withstand the dynamic load generated by a fall.

All lanyards should be made of flame resistant materials. Inertia reels may be used to enable more safe
movement around certain areas. A double lanyard system must be adopted when the person is moving from
one area to another and there is a point where otherwise he could not be attached.

Safe access and egress must be provided to all places of work including access to lifelines.

NOTE: Safety belts are not to be used unless specific written agreement is provided by JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA
PLC Site Management.

Adverse Weather Conditions

Persons must not be allowed to work on wet or icy steel or work in exposed positions in the rain, snow or
strong winds and plant and equipment such as cranes, mobile elevating work platforms, cradles etc. must not
be used in such conditions.

Ladders, Scaffolds and Work Platforms

Ladders

A ladder must not be used as an access to, or egress from, a workplace unless it is reasonable to do so taking
into consideration the work being carried out, its duration, and the risks to the safety of any person arising
from the use of the ladder.

Ladders can be used in a low risk situation when a risk assessment has shown that the use of alternative
equipment is not justified. This is when:
The ladder is to be used for very short time, or the work is of a light nature
The ladder must be secured to prevent it from slipping outwards and sideways
There are aspects of the site that cannot be changed

A ladder must be of the correct class for the intended use, of sufficient strength, suitable for the job that is to
be done, and be so erected that it does not become displaced.
A ladder must not be placed in such a position that any adjacent scaffold tubes interfere with the footing of the
person on the ladder.
Only one person should be climbing a ladder at any one time.
When climbing and descending a ladder, both hands must be kept free for holding onto the ladder and free of
any other items
When using a ladder, secure handholds and secure support must always be available
Ladders must extend at least 1 meter (apprx.5 rungs) above the landing place, unless an alternative, secure
handhold is available.
All ladders should be securely fixed or lashed to prevent slipping, either near the top or, if this is not possible,
at the bottom.

Legal Owner Identification number Rev. Date Lang. Sheet

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC XXX-EHS-GL-002 0 06.01.2016 en 4 of 6
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 EHS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM <G01_xxXXxxxx>
GUIDELINES Version <1.0>

The person on the ladder must be wearing a safety harness, which is securely hooked to help prevent falling.
Self-made ladders shall not be allowed on site.

Scaffolds and Work Platforms

Refer to Guideline XXX-EHS-GL-023 Scaffolding Management.

Working on Roofs

Persons working on sloping roofs must use proper roof ladders designed to gain anchorage from the opposing
slope or must be connected to a lifeline positioned so that the person(s) cannot fall off the roof.

Persons working on fragile roofs must use crawling boards of sufficient length to span roof trusses. Buildings
with fragile roofs must have a notice conspicuously displayed at all access points with the wording or similar
“Danger Fragile Roof”

Hoists, Personnel Baskets& Cradles, Mobile Elevating Work Platforms

a) Hoists

No passenger should be carried by a hoist unless it is a designated passenger lift and it is provided with:
Gates that shut to prevent persons falling out or being trapped between the cage and any other part
An efficient interlocking device which ensures that gates can only be operated when the cage is at the landing
place, and the cage cannot be moved until the gate is closed.
An efficient automatic overrun device to ensure the cage will come to rest at its lowest point of travel

The construction of the cage must be such as to protect the passengers from falling objects. No person should
be allowed to travel in a hoist that is designated a “goods only hoist”.

b) Man Baskets and Cradles

A man basket may only be used when there is no practical alternative. Whenever a man basket used to lift
personnel by crane, is required, it will be suitably tested and have a current test certificate and clearly marked
“Man riding only”, together with the SWL and Maximum number of passengers.

The basket should be of sound construction, in good and safe condition and should be fully enclosed to prevent
passengers from falling, being crushed or struck.

The man basket should be driven down; free-fall lowering by crane is not permitted.

All employees in the man basket should be secured at all time by a full body safety harness. The safety harness
should be secured to the lifeline attached to the hook of the crane.

c) Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs)

Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) are particularly suitable for short duration tasks requiring a work
platform and easy to move from place to place.

On Mobile Elevating Work Platforms, Persons must wear a safety harness and the harness is to be attached to
an anchor point in the platform.
Mobile Work Platforms must be fitted with double guardrails and toe boards/kick plates.

Testing and Training

All above equipment (a;b; and c) needs to be tested and thoroughly examined by a competent person before
first use, inspected daily by the operator/user and tested and thoroughly examined by a competent person at
least once every 6 months. A register of the results must be kept on Site.

In some countries operators are required to have certificates of competency.

Legal Owner Identification number Rev. Date Lang. Sheet
Julius Berger Nigeria PLC XXX-EHS-GL-002 0 06.01.2016 en 5 of 6
© JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC 2016. All rights reserved.
 EHS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM <G01_xxXXxxxx>
GUIDELINES Version <1.0>

Abseiling, Boatswain Chairs

Abseiling and work undertaken from boatswain chairs must be by conducted by a specialised Company.

Training

Training must include:

How to rescue someone suspended from a safety harness or having fallen into a safety net.
Details of the procedure for working at elevated work places
Safe use of powered access equipment (as appropriate)
Safe use of ladders.
Safe operation of equipment’s
Daily equipment checks including safety harness inspections.

ATTACHMENTS

None.

Review History

Review Date Items Description of Items Reviewed Responsible

00 - Initial Issue

Legal Owner Identification number Rev. Date Lang. Sheet

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC XXX-EHS-GL-002 0 06.01.2016 en 6 of 6
© JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC 2016. All rights reserved.