Working at Height. Do’s and Don'ts
Working at Height?
Working at height means working at a place where a person could fall from a distance which can lead to personal injuries, if specific precautions are not taken into consideration. It remains one of the supreme causes of fatalities and major accidents at the workplace.
Major working at height hazards:
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Falling debris
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Platform collapse
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Fall from roof
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Fall through openings
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Slips and trips
Various Work at height hazards
Source: Scielo brazil
Steps to be taken before working at height:
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Identification of working at height hazards on a job-site.
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Always check that all the equipment is working properly.
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Educating employees regarding the risks associated.
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Use of right equipment to prevent falls.
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Avoid work at height where it is not a necessity.
Always take into consideration collective protection, which means protecting everyone who is at risk rather than just focusing on personal protection of the individual.
Collective protection equipment are tower scaffolds, permanent guardrails and scissor lifts. Personal protection equipment includes personal protective equipment that is putting a safety harness correctly and connecting it to lanyard with appropriate anchor point.
source : pbctoday
Do’s and Don'ts of Working at Height.
Do’s
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Train the employees to work at height
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Ensure as much work on the ground as possible
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Be extra careful when working near fragile surface
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Employees must be protected from falling objects
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Always use personal protection equipment while working at height
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Make sure the equipment is strong, secure and suitable for the job
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Regular inspections of tools and equipment
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Ensure that the employees can easily move to and from the area of working at height
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Prepare for emergency evacuation and rescues
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Report any safety hazard to the employer
Working at a height of 2 meters and above requires the worker to wear fall protection equipment at all times. Workers should wear fall arrest equipment if they are working at a height of 10 meters and above. Job specific training can be a good option to go with as it covers all the necessary topics related to working at height.
Don'ts
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Use ladders and stepladders for overreaching
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Incline ladders on delicate facets
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Overburden the ladders the employee is working on
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Let the unskilled workers who are not knowledgeable and trained to work at height
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Allow use of ladders for heavy tasks, only use it for simple and light work
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Pressurize the workers to do the task quickly which can lead to unnecessary risks
Working at height training emphasizes that the employees gain knowledge, skills and techniques to use work at height equipment properly. It also teaches the employees to work at height with flexibility and convenience without causing any trouble, which keeps them safe from injuries.
