Working at height? Help is on hand
Apr 27, 2010
Work at height continues to be one of the most hazardous activities most organisations carry out and remains a key issue for Health & Safety inspectors. On average 50 people die every year due to falls from height and a further 8, 700 are seriously injured. The HSE has promoted better ladder safety, with ladder exchange promotions over the last few years aimed to remove defective ladders from the workplace. Many construction sites have banned ladders and there is now a move to restrict the use of some types of tower scaffolds and put a preference on individual scissor lift access platforms or “pop- ups”.
This varying approach to access equipment can appear confusing. The HSE promotes safe ladders (and the use of safe ladders) where appropriate, but construction sites are banning them. To assist employers in complying with the law and choosing the correct type of equipment for a work at height task, the HSE has provided a user friendly toolkit of advice, guidance and many other useful resources to help people who occasionally work at height understand how to do so safely and be aware of some types of access equipment that are available. The Work at height, Access equipment Information Toolkit (WAIT) has been developed to help businesses understand the key issues when working at height and the factors to consider when selecting the most appropriate and safest type of access equipment.
By logging on to http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls/wait/wait-tool.htm and answering six questions, the on-line tools can help you to select the most appropriate items of access equipment. Each question is supported by guidance and each suggestion for a piece of equipment such as a tower scaffold, mobile elevated work platform or stepladder is accompanied by further information.
This simple tool will prove very useful when planning work at height tasks and will assist in recording risk assessments for these activities. For further information, contact Wilby Risk Management on 01422 358 525 or request a callback from one of our risk management consultants.
