Falling at work is the biggest cause of death and injury in the workplace. This is why it is so important to understand the safety regulations when working at height. The correct regulations are in place to guide people and help ensure that employees remain as safe as possible when working at height.
We bring you this article today to inform you about the working at height regulations and rules which all workplaces should follow to ensure all employees remain as safe as possible when working from a height.
Falling At Work
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics, in the years 2019/20, falling from a height accounted for 8% of all injuries in the workplace and sadly 26% of all fatal injuries. It was reported that 29 deaths happened as a result of a fall from height.
An employer needs to carry out the necessary safety risk assessments, inspecting the workplace to identify health and safety hazards. Identifying any potential hazards early on can help prevent accidents from happening in the future.
Working at Height Safety Rules
If you follow the following set of rules and practices it will help you and others around you stay safe when you are required to work from a height.
Avoid Heights
One of the first things you can do to avoid injury from working at a height is to avoid working from a height completely. Instead of physically being at a high location, could you potentially use a long-handed tool or lower the work down to the ground? If it is possible to eliminate the risk you should do so.
Safe Equipment
Always ensure you have the correct equipment and safety equipment to do the job at hand. This applies whenever you are working, not just when working at height - although it is even more important than when you are working on ground level.
In Case of an Emergency
Make sure you have the emergency procedures in place in case you need to deal with a situation where an accident occurs.
Follow Instructions
Always follow the instructions for work equipment and machinery. This also applies when working on the ground or at height.
Construction Towers and Scaffolding
You must use the HSE industry-approved methods for assembling and dismantling construction towers. Always construct scaffolding on level and solid foundations, complete with locked castors and base plate support. Never erect scaffolding in strong winds or if any parts are broken or missing. Click here to read more about the health and safety risks in construction.
Check Equipment
Make sure you do daily checks of equipment and machinery to make sure it is safe at all times or to decide whether it needs some maintenance work.
Ladders
Use ladders only when necessary and when other work equipment is not feasible. Always keep three points of contact on the ladder when in use. Do not overreach when on a ladder and you should only use a ladder in the same position for 30 minutes and with no more than 10kg worth of extra load.
Regulations When Working at Height
The legislation for The Work at Height Regulations 2005, employers must follow the following regulations:
- Complete a risk assessment, to identify any potential and possible risks in the workplace so employers can plan to control the risks
- Apply suitable control measures such as Personal Protective Equipment and provide training on required machinery
- Ensure workers do not work from height unless they are competent to do so
- Make sure no objects are thrown or tipped from a height which could cause injury to any person
- Ensure materials and objects are stored away correctly without the risk of falling
- Adhere to all work equipment instructions and training
- Use the safety and work equipment provided by the employer
- Take care to ensure that any activities whilst at work do not put others at risk
Beaconrisk
Contact us at Beaconrisk for more information about the Work at Height Regulations, or for any other safety information and advice regarding the workplace. We are experts in health and safety and can ensure that we can help your workplace be compliant with all the health and safety regulations.
We understand at Beaconrisk meeting all the regulations can be tough for a business. This is why we take care of everything for you. Beaconrisk saves you time, money and hassle so you can be reassured that you are always compliant with the right regulations for your business and industry.