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Work at Height
The Work at Height Regs. 2005
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Came into force on 6th April
2005.
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These regulations
consolidate good practice
and current legislation
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The good old days….
What is “Work at Height”?
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A place where a person can be injured falling
from – even if at or below ground level.
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Work includes moving around at a place of work
Does not include travel to and from a place of
work
The Regulations apply:-
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To all work at height where there is a risk of a fall
liable to cause personal injury
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Duty applies to employers, self employed and
any person who controls the work of others to
the extent they control the work
General Duties
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Work must be properly planned and organised
Consider weather conditions
Ensure workers are trained and competent
Place of work is safe
Equipment is inspected
Risks from fragile surfaces are controlled
Risks from falling objects are controlled
Duties on Employer: -
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Do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent
anyone falling
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Avoid work at height if possible
If not take all steps to prevent falls
Take all steps to reduce distance of fall (and
consequences)
Planning
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Ensure that no work is done at height if it does
not have to be
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Ensure work planned, supervised and
undertaken in as safe a way as is reasonably
practicable
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Consider risk assessments carried out
Planning
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Postpone work if weather endangers health or
safety
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Ensure all workers are competent
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Train those working at height now to avoid falling
or minimise injury to themselves should they fall
If Trainees must be supervised by a competent
person
Planning
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Place of work (including access) must be safe
Must have features to prevent a fall
UNLESS
The worker would then be unable to do the work safely
due to demands of work, equipment used and working
environment
BUT
The Employer must provide equipment to prevent a fall
Duties on Employee: -
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Report any safety hazard to employer
Use the equipment supplied correctly
Follow any training
Follow instructions – unless you think that would
be unsafe
Equipment: -
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Most suitable
Collective protection more that personal
Consider working conditions
Consider risks to safety of all those at the
workplace
What Do The Schedules To The Regulations
Cover?
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Schedule 1
Existing places of work and means of access for work at height
Schedule 2
Collective fall prevention (e.g. guard rails and toe boards)
Schedule 3
Working platforms (includes scaffolding)
Schedule 4
Collective fall arrest (e.g. nets, airbags etc.)
Schedule 5
Personal fall protection
Schedule 6
Ladders and step ladders
Schedule 7
Inspection reports
Schedule 8
Revocations (cancellations, dissolution)
Competency
Those working at height should be
competent, with the appropriate:
• Skill
• Knowledge,
• Ability,
• Training
• Experience,
• Have authority to carry out the work
task.
• A truly competent person knows
their LIMITATIONS
Risk Assessment
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The Work at Height Regulations are risk
based, i.e. if a risk is present the
regulations apply.
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Regulation 3 of the Management of
Health and Safety at Work Regulations
still applies.
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Do a Risk Assessment.
Avoid – Prevent – Minimise
When planning work at height follow the
Hierarchy of Control Methods.
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AVOID work at height,
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PREVENT falls,
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MINIMISE the distance and
consequences of falls.
Types Of Work Equipment
Remote operated equipment
Long handled tools
AVOID
Permanent engineered platforms
Scaffolding (tube & fitting)
M.E.W.P.’s
Scaffold towers
Temporary edge protection
PREVENT
Personal Fall Restraint systems
Collective Fall Arrest systems
Personal Fall Arrest systems
Ladders
MINIMISE
Select the right work equipment
Always consider:
• Working conditions,
• Access & egress,
• Distance & consequence a of fall,
• Duration & frequency of work task,
• Ease of rescue & evacuation,
• Risks during installing, using & removing the
proposed equipment.
Select the right work equipment
COLLECTIVE PROTECTION
before
PERSONAL PROTECTION
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Safe working platforms before personal work
restraint equipment.
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Nets & airbags before personal fall arrest
equipment.
Select The Right Work Equipment
Prevent
Collective
Safe Working
Platforms
Minimise
Personal
Nets
Airbags
Work
Restraint
Rope Access
Fall Arrest
Ladders
Stilts
Hop-ups
What else to consider?
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Avoid fragile surfaces,
Assess strength of platforms,
Prevent falling objects,
Inspect equipment,
Inspect place of work,
Danger areas.
AVOID
If you don’t have to
go up there, DON’T
GO!
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Is the work task
necessary?
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Can the problem be
engineered away?
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Is the use of special
tools possible?
PREVENT
Prevent falls by using or creating
safe working areas.
• Use an existing place of
work or means of access
• Use the most suitable way of
working
• Select the most suitable
equipment
• Proactively prevents falls
from happening by using
guardrails, warning lines,
hole covers
MEWPS - example
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The MEWP is designed
to provide a temporary
working platform which
can be easily moved
from one location to
another.
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It’s particularly suitable
for short duration work
where the use of a
ladder would be unsafe
and erection of
scaffolding would be
time consuming and
impracticable
MINIMISE
Minimise the distance and consequences
of falls.
• Use the most suitable way of
working,
• Select the most suitable equipment,
• Take other measures to prevent
injury,
e.g. instruction, information, training & supervision.
Air Bags / Bean Bags
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Designed to reduce number of injuries and
deaths in falls from height.
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Cushioned re-usable air bags - 0.55m high
- weigh less than 7kg each.
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Can be filled with foam enabling them to
retain original shape.
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They provide a yielding surface on which
to fall.
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Position bags correctly before work
commences.
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Clip bags together to prevent separation
when falling on the junction.
Air Bags / Bean Bags
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They should be checked when repositioned or after a fall to ensure
there’s no damage.
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Other control measures must be in
place to prevent falls.
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Bags are a last resort.
N.B. a fall, even on a ‘safe’ place could
be very stressful and traumatic.
Personal Fall Protection
Remember that you
need to create a
system, comprising
of:
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Body Holding Device
Means of Connection
Suitable/Reliable
Anchorage Point
Body Holding Devices
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Restraint Belt
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Work Positioning Belt
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Fall Arrest Harness
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Combination Harness
Restraint Belt
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Adjustable to fit
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Limited use
Fall prevention ONLY
Can accept static
load ONLY
Restraint Lanyard
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Fixed length or
Adjustable length
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Short enough to
prevent worker from
falling
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Can accept static
load ONLY
Restraint Lanyard
Key:
1 – Working distance
2 – Harness attachment point
3 – Anchor Point
4 – Restraint lanyard
5 – Danger area
Work Positioning Belt
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Adjustable to fit
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Limited use
Not for Fall Arrest
Can accept static
load ONLY
A fall could still occur
Work Positioning Lanyard
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Fixed length or
Adjustable length
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Used to secure
worker in a position
of work
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Can accept static
load ONLY
Work Positioning Lanyard
Key:
• Safety back-up personal
fall protection system
attached to structure
• Work positioning lanyard
looped round the
structure
• Work positioning lanyard
attached to side waist
attachment point on work
positioning belt
Fall Arrest Harness
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Adjustable to fit
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Rear attachment
point is standard
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Front attachment
point is optional
Capable of taking a
dynamic load
Fall Arrest Lanyard
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EN 354 lanyard with
EN 355 Energy
Absorber attached
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Limits impact force
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Single or twin legs
Fixed or adjustable
lengths
Fall Arrest
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Limits free fall to within 2
vertical metres
of
the
initiation point which reduces
force by decreasing fall
distance
Consists of a(n)
– Lanyard
– Anchorage Point
– Full Body Harness
– Attachment Strap
Fall Protection
Lanyards should:
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Be inspected prior to use
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Be protected against being cut or abraded
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Have a minimum breaking strength of
2270kg
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Be the appropriate length
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Be attached to an anchorage not to itself
Fall Arrest Lanyard
How far can you fall?
Calculate:
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Original lanyard length (max 2 metres)
Amount of Energy Absorber deployment
Body size from D-ring to feet
Safety zone from feet to floor
Minimum Free Space
2 metre lanyard clipped low gives
4 metre free fall
anchorage
lanyard
energy
absorber(extended)
1
Lanyard length + energy absorber extension = 3.75m
Harness stretch + distance between harness attachment
point and feet
= 1.50m
Safety clearance
Minimum Free Space (1 + 2 + 3 )
2
= 1.00m
=6.25m
3
Connectors
There are many types of connectors – ensure that
the correct one is used.
Connecting Methods
Fall Protection
Anchorage Point
A secure point of
attachment for
lifelines, lanyards or
deceleration devices
Fall Protection
Anchorage points used for
attachment of personal fall
arrest equipment should be:
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Located at or above
employee’s waist
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Capable of supporting more
than 2270kg per employee
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Designed and built to hold the
maximum force of the fall
arrest
the
Transportable Devices
Retractable Type Fall Arrester
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Limited fall ONLY
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Mini Block – external
energy absorber
Standard Block –
internal energy
absorber
Retractable Type Fall Arrester
1. Anchor Point
2. Connector
3. Retractable Device
4. Harness D-ring
5. Fall Arrest Harness
6. Connecting point (Swivel?)
7. Housing
8. Fall Indicator
9. Cable/Lanyard (Life Line)
10. Connector (Swivel?)
Retractable Type Fall Arrester
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Dangers surround the use of these with a low
anchor point
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Follow manufacturer’s guidelines
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Oscillation may stop device locking off
Dangers surround the use of these with a
flexible anchorage line
Be careful of sharp edges
Combination Harnesses
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Combine Fall Arrest
and Work Positioning
body holding devices
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EN 361 & 358
Adjustable to fit
Capable of taking a
dynamic load
Guided Type Fall Arrester
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Rigid life line –
usually installed
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Flexible life line –
installed or
temporary
Guided Type Fall Arrester
Key
1
Upper anchor
2
Temporarily installed flexible vertical
line
3
Guided type fall arrester
4
Tensioning weight
5
Unused portion of anchor line
In this situation there is a
danger of swinging past the
vertical should a fall occur.
Correct positioning of the
upper anchor connector
would eliminate this.
Use of Fall Protection P.P.E.
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If you issue Fall Arrest Equipment then
you MUST consider rescue
Rescue From Height
Always consider:
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Type of fall (straight drop or swing),
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Relying on County Fire Service is unacceptable
Distance of free fall & impact force,
Time to effect rescue,
Lift back up or lower down?
Medical treatment/Hospitalisation,
Training for rescue personnel & regular practice
sessions,
What I see a lot of….
What I see a lot of….
What I see a lot of….
What I see a lot of….
 Thank You