working at heights

Working at height is dangerous

working at height training in the UK

Working at height is dangerous and 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, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury (for example a fall through a fragile roof).

 



According to HSE inspectors, more enforcement action is taken to tackle dangerous work at height than any other risk. One in every 12 recordable injuries in Britain’s workplaces are as a result of a fall. Low and high falls kill and seriously injure hundreds of people and account for around 700,000 working days being lost each year. Time and again inspectors see people working on roofs or scaffolding without appropriate safeguards, such as edge protection, fall prevention equipment or harnesses. Falls from height have long been the most common cause of workplace fatalities.

 

A worker must make sure work is properly planned for safety, supervised and carried out by competent people with the skills, knowledge and experience to do the job. You must use the right type of equipment for working at height.

Take a sensible approach when considering precautions. Low-risk, relatively straightforward tasks will require less effort when it comes to planning and there may be some low-risk situations where common sense tells you no particular precautions are necessary.

 

How to apply Control measures. First assess the risks. Factors to weigh up include the height of the task, the duration and frequency, and the condition of the surface being worked on.



Before working at height work through these simple steps:

  • avoid work at height where it’s reasonably practicable to do so
  • where work at height cannot be easily avoided, prevent falls using either an existing place of work that is already safe or the right type of equipment
  • minimise the distance and consequences of a fall, by using the right type of equipment where the risk cannot be eliminated

Always consider measures that protect everyone at risk before measures that only protect the individual.

 

Dos and don’ts of working at height

Do….

  • provide protection from falling objects
  • ensure workers can get safely to and from where they work at height
  • take precautions when working on or near fragile surfaces.
  • as much work as possible from the ground
  • ensure equipment is suitable, stable and strong enough for the job, maintained and checked regularly
  • consider emergency evacuation and rescue procedures

 

 

Don’t…

  • rest a ladder against weak upper surfaces, eg glazing or plastic gutters
  • overreach on ladders or stepladders
  • let anyone who is not competent (who doesn’t have the skills, knowledge and experience to do the job) work at height.
  • overload ladders – consider the equipment or materials workers are carrying before working at height. Check the pictogram or label on the ladder for information
  • use ladders or stepladders for strenuous or heavy tasks, only use them for light work of short duration (a maximum of 30 minutes at a time)

If every employer and employee work hand in hand to be trained for the safety of the individual worker then risk can be avoided or minimised.

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Working at height equipments

working at heights training in the UKKinds of  equipment to be use

 

Make sure you give collective protection measures priority over personal protection measures. Collective measures have several advantages. They are easier to use, protect everyone at risk in the work area and need less effort in terms of maintenance and user training. Personal measures have disadvantages – they require a high level of training and maintenance and they only protect the user.



 

Collective protection is equipment which can protect more than one person and, once properly installed or erected, does not require any action by them to make sure it will work. Examples which prevent a fall include, scaffolds, tower scaffolds and cherry pickers which have guard rails and equipment which minimises the consequences of a fall, include nets and airbags.

 

Personal protection is equipment which protects only the user/wearer and requires action by the individual, such as properly wearing and adjusting it, for it to work. Examples include work restraint equipment which prevents a fall and fall arrest equipment which minimises the consequences of a fall.

 

When selecting work equipment look at all the risks, not just those associated with the ‘use’ phase. It may take two or more people to assemble a tower scaffold to get onto a roof and install temporary edge

protection, whereas the repair may need only one person on the roof, putting several people at risk so

one person can work safely. A better solution would be to use a cherry picker, so one person can perform the task safely from the working platform. This avoids others being put at risk during set up and dismantling.

 

There are even more risks associated with work on a fragile fibre/asbestos cement roof. Where possible, use a cherry picker or tower scaffold to access and repair a leaking skylight. This will remove risks associated with setting up and dismantling work equipment on the roof.



 

Make sure the people who select, assemble, use and supervise the use of the equipment have all the relevant information, eg manufacturer’s instructions, have been trained and are competent. Make sure the equipment is regularly inspected and maintained, including ladders and stepladder.

 

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Why is working at height training in the UK very important?

Working at height training in the UKWorking at height is dangerous, and in many cases because of lack of safety measures it fails.  As a trained individual and equipped to understand how to work at height safely is very important and it isn’t just the construction industry where working at height should be a consideration, either. A common misconception of work at height is that of a worker hundreds of feet in the air, held on by a safety harness, but Government working at height regulation, emphasized that anybody who works at a level off the ground is working at height. Whether that be on a ladder, mobile platform or gangway, we can provide the training necessary to reduce risks and provide greater peace of mind.



The General Application Regulations 2007 is to reduce deaths and injuries at work caused by falls from height as these account for a significant percentage of workplace fatalities and serious injuries each year. This sets out the basic principles for safe work at height for all sectors of employment and provides a fundamental framework for safe working at height, based on risk assessment, applicable to the wide range of work activities carried out at height. This sets out the key requirements for safe working at height and provides guidance on the main types of work equipment available for work at height. This is for anyone directly or indirectly involved in work at height: employers, employees, supervisors, the self-employed, those in control of work premises and those involved in inspecting work equipment or sites. Those who hire out work equipment also need to be aware of the Regulations.

Employers  must do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling a distance liable to cause personal injury.

 

The Regulations set out a simple hierarchy for managing work at a height:

 

  • avoid work at height where this is reasonably practicable;
  • use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where you cannot avoid working at height; and
  • where you cannot eliminate the risk of a fall, use work equipment or other measures to

minimise the distance and consequences of a fall.

 



The Regulations also require employers and the self employed to ensure that:

 

  • All work at height is properly planned, organised, supervised and carried out;
  • The place where work at height is done is safe;
  • All work at height takes account of weather conditions;
  • Those involved in work at height are instructed and trained;
  • Equipment for work at height is appropriately inspected;
  • The risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled; and
  • Injury from falling objects is prevented.

 

 

 

 

 

Employees need to know about work at height.

 

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 places duties on employees to:

 

  • Comply with statutory provision such at the work at height Regulations;
  • Protect their own safety and health, as well as the safety and health of anyone who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work;
  • Ensure that they are not under the influence of any intoxicant to the extent that they could be a danger to themselves or others while at work;
  • Co-operate with their employer with regard to safety, health and welfare at work;
  • Not engage in any improper conduct that could endanger their safety or health or that of

anyone else;

  • Participate in safety and health training offered by their employer;
  • Make proper use of all machinery, tools, substances etc. and of all personal protective equipment provided for use at work; and
  • Report any defects in the place of work, equipment etc. which might endanger safety and health

If workers have not been trained to the correct level and if this training is not regularly refreshed, then there is a bigger risk of accidents that could be life threatening.  Assessing workers’ individual requirements and providing a level of training.  The effect is a much safer working area where risks are minimized and there is much greater peace of mind for the building owner or operator.”

 

 

Working at height training services of aegis 4 training in the UK

Working at heights training in the UKEvery employer must ensure that employees are appropriately trained to be safe so that they can carry out their work safely.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require employers to ensure that a sufficient risk assessment is carried out so that all potential work at height risks are effectively identified, controlled and managed.



This Working at Height training course helps you to comply with the Work at Height Regulations 2005 by providing employers and employees with the necessary information needed to be able to successfully deal with working at height risks and control measures. This includes an understanding of how to undertake a working at height risk assessment, how to use access equipment safely and how to ensure that employees can reduce their risk of falls from height.

Aegis4training Working at height training services is for anybody who are involved at height in any place, including a place at or below ground level, is required to undergo a training to prove that they are competent and safe in their work.

It is the employer’s duty to ensure that this training is provided: Work at Height Regulations 2005 states that employers must ensure all employees engaged in any work at height activity must be competent to do so. This includes, but is not limited to, professions such as:

  • Excavations.
  • Gutter cleaning.
  • Shelf stacking.
  • Minor roof work.
  • Unloading a vehicle.
  • Putting up displays.
  • Window cleaning.
  • Solar panel installation.
  • Machine maintenance.

On successful completion of the course you will be sent a quality assured certificate through the post the next working day. This can be used to provide evidence for compliance and audit.



All of our courses are accredited by RoSPA, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, as providing quality and content-approved training.

This course is also accredited by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to universally accepted Continuous Professional Development (CPD) guidelines.

 

 

 

Working at heights training courses help to reduce the risk of major injuries

working at heights training in UKWorking at height still 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, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance

liable to cause personal injury (for example a fall through a fragile roof).

This section shows how employers can take simple, practical measures to reduce the risk of

any of their workers falling while working at height.

Make a well planned work

You should ensure work is appropriately planned, regulated and carried out by competent people

with the skills, knowledge and experience to do the job. You should utilize the right sort of

equipment for working at height.

Take a sensible approach when considering precautions. Low-risk, relatively straightforward

tasks will require less effort when it comes to planning and there may be some low-risk

situations where common sense tells you no particular precautions are necessary.

Safety measures

First assess the risks. Factors to weigh up include the height of the task, the duration and

frequency, and the condition of the surface being worked on.

Before working at height work through these simple steps:

ï‚· avoid work at height where it’s reasonably practicable to do so

ï‚· minimise the distance and consequences of a fall, by using the right type of equipment

where the risk cannot be eliminated

ï‚· prevent falls using either an existing place of work that is already safe or the right type

of equipment

For each step, always consider measures that protect everyone at risk (collective protection)

before measures that only protect the individual (personal protection).

Collective protection is equipment that does not require the person working at height to act for it

to be effective. Examples are permanent or temporary guardrails, scissor lifts and tower

scaffolds.

Personal protection is equipment that requires the individual to act for it to be effective. An

example is putting on a safety harness correctly and connecting it, with an energy-absorbing

lanyard, to a suitable anchor point.

Working at heights training courses help to reduce the risk of major injuries

Dos and don’ts of working at height

Do….

ï‚· as much work as possible from the ground

ï‚· provide protection from falling objects

ï‚· take precautions when working on or near fragile surfaces

ï‚· ensure workers can get safely to and from where they work at height

ï‚· ensure equipment is suitable, stable and strong enough for the job, maintained and

checked regularly

ï‚· consider emergency evacuation and rescue procedures

Don’t…

ï‚· overreach on ladders or stepladders

 overload ladders – consider the equipment or materials workers are carrying before

working at height. Check the pictogram or label on the ladder for information

ï‚· rest a ladder against weak upper surfaces, eg glazing or plastic gutters

 let anyone who is not competent (who doesn’t have the skills, knowledge and experience

to do the job) work at height.

ï‚· use ladders or stepladders for strenuous or heavy tasks, only use them for light work of

short duration (a maximum of 30 minutes at a time)

BUY WORKING AT HEIGHTS TRAINING COURSE

WORKING AT HEIGHTS TRAINING IN UK

 

Training Course Working At Height for UK

Working at heightsWorking at Height courses for operatives; supervisors; and managers are offered at

Aegis4training. The Work at Height Regulations apply to all work at height where

there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. The regulations place duties

on employers, the self-employed, and any person that controls the work of others.

In as much as the employer tries his or her best to create the best environment at

work, it is upon you as an employee to stick to the rules you were given at the

safety harness training and keep yourself and others safe. It is for this reason that

you are required to pass certain tests given after your training to be employed.

Falls from height remain the single biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of

the main causes of major injury. In the year 2007/8 58 workers died and 3623 were

injured as a result of a fall from height. Ladders remain the most common agent

involved and account for more than a quarter of all reported falls from height

What is working at height? A place is ‘at height’ if (unless the Regulations are

followed) a person could be injured or die falling from it, even if it is at or below

ground level. ‘Work’ includes moving around at a place of work (except by a

staircase in a permanent workplace) but not travel to or from a place of work. For

instance, a sales assistant on a stepladder would be working at height, but the HSE

would not be inclined to apply the Regulations to a mounted police officer on

Employers are being warned to take correct precautions when their staff work at

height. The HSE regularly applying the law and penalties to individuals and

organisations for breaches of the regulations, particularly when these breaches

result in death or serious injury to employees.

Under Regulations 5 and 6(5)(b), you must ensure that everyone involved in the

work is competent (or, if being trained, is supervised by a competent person). This

includes involvement in organisation, planning, supervision, and the supply and

maintenance of equipment. Where other precautions do not entirely eliminate the

risk of a fall occurring, you must (as far as it is reasonably practicable to do so)

train those who will be working at height how to avoid falling, and how to avoid or

minimise injury to themselves should they fall.

BUY WORKING AT HEIGHTS E LEARNING TRAINING

First aid training in UK

Simple steps of working at height

working at heightsConsidering the dangers connected with work at height and putting set up sensible and

proportionate measures to oversee them is a vital piece of working safely. Take after this simple

step-by-step guide to offer you some assistance to manage risk when working at height.

Avoid working at height or else prevent

Do as much work as possible from the ground. Some practical examples include:

ï‚· installing cables at ground level

ï‚· lowering a lighting mast to ground level

ï‚· using extendable tools from ground level to remove the need to climb a ladder

ï‚· ground level assembly of edge protection

Prevent fall or minimise the risk of falling

ï‚· using an existing place of work that is already safe, eg a non-fragile roof with a

permanent perimeter guardrail or, if not

ï‚· using work equipment to prevent people from falling

Some practical examples of collective protection when using an existing place of work:

ï‚· a concrete flat roof with existing edge protection, or guarded mezzanine floor, or plant or

machinery with fixed guard rails around it

Some practical examples of collective protection using work equipment to prevent a fall:

ï‚· mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) such as scissor lifts

ï‚· tower scaffolds

An example of personal protection using work equipment to prevent a fall:

ï‚· using a work restraint (travel restriction) system that prevents a worker getting into a fall

Minimise the distance of a fall?

If the risk of a person falling remains, you must take sufficient measures to minimise the distance

Practical examples of collective protection using work equipment to minimise the distance and

consequences of a fall:

ï‚· safety nets and soft landing systems, eg air bags, installed close to the level of the work

Simple steps of working at height

An example of personal protection used to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall:

 industrial rope access, eg working on a building façade

ï‚· fall arrest system using a high anchor point

Use ladders and stepladders

For tasks of low risk and short duration, ladders and stepladders can be a sensible and practical

If your risk assessment determines it is correct to use a ladder, you should further minimise the

risk by making sure workers:

ï‚· use the right type of ladder for the job

ï‚· use the equipment provided safely and follow a safe system of work

ï‚· are fully aware of the risks and measures to help control them

ï‚· are competent (you can provide adequate training and/or supervision to help)

 

BUY WORKING AT HEIGHT  ONLINE TRAINING COURSE

First aid training in UK