Working at height guide

Working at height remains one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries. Common cases include falls from ladders and through fragile surfaces. Work at height means work in any place where a person could fall a distance likely to cause personal injury if there aren’t any precautions in place.?

At Sunbelt Rentals, we’ve got the solutions you need for working at height safely. From Ladders, Podiums and Alloy Towers to Scissor Lifts, Boom Lifts and Low Level Access. You need it? Leave The How To Us

What is the legislation for working at height ? The Work at Height Regulations 2005

The purpose of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) is to prevent death and injury caused by a fall from height. The Regulations apply to you if you are an employer or you control work at height. This could include facilities managers or building owners who may contract others to work at height.

The first step is for employers and those in control to assess the risks first. Factors to weigh up include the height of the task, the duration and frequency. As well as the condition of the surface being worked on. There will also be low risk situations where Risk Assessment tells you no extra precautions are needed.

The law says you must make sure:

1. all work at height is planned and organised
2. those involved in work at height are competent
3. the risks from work at height are assessed, and appropriate work equipment is used
4. the risks of working on or near fragile surfaces are managed properly
5. the equipment used for work at height is inspected and maintained

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has guidance online to help you comply with the Work at Height Regulations 2005.?

Best practice to follow while working at height

How do you decide if someone is ‘competent’ to work at height??Those working at height should have the relevant skills, knowledge and experience. If they’re being trained, they should always work under the supervision of someone competent. If low risk, short duration (less than 30 minutes) tasks are being carried out using ladders, it may simply be a case of making sure that employees receive instruction on how to use the equipment safely and appropriate training. Training often takes place on the job, it doesn’t always take place in the classroom.

What can you do to protect your people? Always consider measures that protect everyone at risk (collective protection) before measures that only protect the individual (personal protection). Collective protection is equipment that doesn’t require the person working at height to act to be effective, such as a guard rail. Personal protection is equipment that requires the individual to act to be effective. For example, putting on a safety harness correctly and connecting it to an anchor point with a lanyard.

What do you need to consider when planning work at height? By law you must:

• consider if bad weather conditions could compromise safety
• check that the place where work at height is being undertaken is safe - every single time before work is carried out
• stop materials or objects from falling. If it isn’t practical to prevent objects falling, make sure that suitable measures are taken to avoid any injuries, such as exclusion zones
• store materials and objects safely so they won’t cause injury if they are disturbed or collapse
• plan for emergencies and rescue

The hirer should always ensure that emergency recovery is adequately planned and recovery drills are regularly practiced.

How do you make sure equipment is in good condition? Any equipment used for working at height must be assembled or installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and in keeping with industry guidelines. At Sunbelt Rentals, we inspect and maintain our equipment after every single hire. Making it as safe as it possibly can be.

Sunbelt Rentals low level access solutions

From Self-Propelled Powered Access to Push-Around Vertical (PAV) we have solutions that do not require a power source, our range of Low Level Access equipment offers accessible, safe and efficient solutions to minimise the risks associated with working at height.