G Morton Jan 2010
Newcastle University – Estate Support Service
Arrangements for Work at Height
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Main requirements of the Work at Height Regulations
Ladders & Stepladders
Scaffold – Tube and Fitting and Modular
MEWPS - Mobile Elevating Work Platforms
Harnesses, lanyards and man safe systems
Rope access
Employee Fitness for Task
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1.0 The main requirements of the Work at Height Regulations
Overriding principle
You must do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling.
1.1 Duty holders’ responsibilities
The Regulations require duty holders to ensure:
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all work at height is properly planned and organised;
all work at height takes account of weather conditions that could endanger
health and safety;
those involved in work at height are trained and competent;
the place where work at height is done is safe;
equipment for work at height is appropriately inspected;
the risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled; and
the risks from falling objects are properly controlled.
1.2 Planning
You must:
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ensure that no work is done at height if it is safe and reasonably practicable to
do it other than at height;
ensure that the work is properly planned, appropriately supervised, and
carried out in as safe a way as is reasonably practicable;
plan for emergencies and rescue;
take account of the risk assessment
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where they cannot eliminate the risk of a fall, use work equipment or other
measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall should one
occur.
use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where they
cannot avoid working at height; and
avoid work at height where they can;
1.3 Weather
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You must ensure that the work is postponed while weather conditions
endanger health or safety (but this does not apply to emergency services
acting in an emergency).
1.4 Staff training
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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.
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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.
1.5 The place where work is done
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You must ensure that the place where work is done at height (including the
means of access) is safe and has features to prevent a fall, unless this would
mean that it is not reasonably practicable for the worker to carry out the work
safely (taking into account the demands of the task, equipment and working
environment).
1.6 Equipment, temporary structures, and safety features
 If you rely on the exception above, you must provide equipment for preventing
(as far as is reasonably practicable) a fall occurring.
If the precautions do not entirely eliminate the risk of a fall occurring, you must
do all that is reasonably practicable to minimise the distance and effect of a
fall.
1.7 When selecting equipment for work at height you must:
 use the most suitable equipment for the purpose;
 give collective protection measures (eg guard rails) priority over personal
protection measures (eg safety harnesses);
 take account of the working conditions; and risks to the safety of all those at
the place where the work equipment is to be used.
 ensure equipment is in good condition
1.8 Monitoring Health and Safety
 Monitoring work at height is incredibly important and should be foremost in
everyone’s mind when managing this type of work
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2.0 Ladders and Stepladders
2.1 Training/Refresher Training
All employees that have cause to use ladders/stepladders will be provided with
formal training prior to them being allowed to use the equipment for the first time.
Following this refresher training will be provided at four yearly intervals.
2.2 Equipment
All equipment purchased and provided for use will be manufactured according to the
following standards.
Aluminium Ladders – BSEN 131 – Industrial Class 1
Aluminium Stepladders – BS2037 – Industrial Class 1
Glass Fibre Stepladders - BSEN 131 – Industrial Class 1
2.3 Inspection
Pre use inspection
All ladders/stepladders must be inspected by the user every day prior to use, any
defects must be reported to the user’s line manager immediately and the ladder
taken out of use and quarantined.
2.4 Weekly Inspection
All ladders and stepladders will be given unique identification numbers.
All ladders and stepladders will be inspected weekly and their condition will be
recorded on PPM.
In the event that any equipment is found to be defective it will be removed from use
immediately and quarantined to prevent its use until such time as it has been
destroyed and disposed of or repaired.
Ladder/Stepladder inspection will include an examination of the following:
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missing, damaged or worn anti-slip feet on metal and fibreglass ladders
(these are essential for good grip)
items stuck in the feet such as swarf, stones grease or dirt, preventing the feet
from making direct contact with the ground
mud, grease or oil either on the rungs or the stiles (the sides)
cracks in the rungs or stiles of the ladder
missing, broken or weakened rungs;
missing or damaged tie rods;
check metal ladders for cracked or damaged welds and missing or loose
screws or rivets.
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2.6 Limitations on the Duration of Work from Ladders/Stepladders
In accordance with guidance provided by the HSE, ESS employees will wherever
possible limit the duration of time spent working from ladders/stepladders on
individual tasks to 30 minutes.
Scaffold – Tube and Fitting, System and Tower
3.0
3.1 Competence
ESS will only employ competent scaffolding contractors to carry out work on our
behalf, that is:
All scaffold contractors employed directly by ESS must be deemed compliant by
CHAS (or have successfully passed the ESS Contractors Health and Safety
Management Assessment – Stage 1).
All scaffold contractors employed directly by ESS must pass ESS Contractors Health
and Safety Competency Assessment – Stage 2.
All scaffold company’s employed directly by ESS must be interviewed by a health
and safety panel made up of members from ESS.
All scaffold contractors working on University premises must carry evidence of their
training, that is, valid CITB Cards.
3.2 Risk assessment
Prior to scaffold being erected on site the scaffolding contractor must provide the
ESS employee responsible for the work with a dynamic risk assessment for the
erection of the scaffold that takes into account the specific location. Work may only
commence when the ESS employee responsible for the job is satisfied that all risks
have been adequately addressed.
3.3 Scaffold Inspection, (tube and fitting, system and towers)
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Scaffold must be inspected at the following frequencies:
Prior to use for the first time
Every seven days
After any event likely to affect the stability of the structure e.g. high winds
After any significant alteration
ESS will normally request that the scaffolding contractor carries out these
inspections on our behalf. However, we in ESS will always ensure that we have a
proportion of our employees formally trained in scaffold appreciation and inspection
who will be able to be called upon as and when the need arises.
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3.3.1 Written report (scaffold register)
A written report must be prepared by the competent person. The report will normally
be written out at the time of the inspection but must be provided within twenty-four
hours.
A copy of the report must be kept on site in an appropriate place e.g. project
managers office or with another named person.
A further copy must be retained for a period of three months from the completion of
the work.
3.4 Protecting others
Scaffolding is an allurement and as such reasonable measures must be taken to
prevent members of the public/students etc gaining access to the scaffold to climb it.
Wherever possible the base of the scaffold must be segregated using 2metre high
close mesh fencing (Heras) in addition to this it is also good practice to remove the
ladder that extends to ground level.
In the event that materials, tools etc could fall from the scaffold then brick guards,
debris netting and protective fans must be installed as necessary.
Should it be necessary to install scaffolding on footpaths or in areas where it is not
possible to segregate pedestrians from the working area, then standards must be
covered with protective foam and highlighted to minimise the risk should people
collide with them.
Where it is necessary to erect scaffolding on roads it will be protected using
necessary cones and signs in accordance with the Road and Street Works Act
Chapter 8.
If the likelihood of the scaffolding being struck by a moving vehicle is high then
consideration should be given to further protecting the scaffold using concrete
barriers.
3.5 Tower Scaffolding Erection by ESS Employees
All of the control measures identified above that are used to
eliminate/minimise/control risks to health and safety must be applied.
3.5.1 Training
All ESS employees required to erect Tower Scaffold will be authorised to do so and
must be trained to PASMA standards.
All ESS employees will receive refresher training every three years.
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A copy of the manufacturers instruction for the safe use of particular towers scaffolds
must be available to employees while the scaffold is being built.
4.0 Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWP’s)
A mobile elevated work platform (MEWP) describes a piece of powered access
equipment that can be moved along the ground e.g. cherry picker, scissor lift etc
4.1 Competence
All ESS employees required to operate MEWP’s will be trained and certified by
Institute of Powered Access Federation (IPAF) approved trainers.
IPAF Refresher training will be provided at three yearly intervals to all ESS
employees.
4.2 Inspection and Thorough examination
All MEWP’s will be inspected every day prior to use.
All MEWP’s will undergo thorough examinations at frequencies specified by a
nominated competent person in accordance with The Lifting Operations Lifting
Equipment Regulations.
4.3
Maintenance
All MEWP’s will be maintained in accordance with manufacturers instructions, a record of all
maintenance will be recorded.
4.4
Protecting others
Risk assessment will determine the methods to be used to segregate the working area
5.0 Harnesses, lanyards and man safe systems
5.1 Training
All ESS employees required to use harnesses, lanyards and fall arrest systems must
be authorised and must have received formal training in the safe use and inspection
of this equipment.
5.2 Inspection
All harnesses and lanyards must be marked with unique reference numbers and
inspected prior to use
Thorough annual inspections will be carried out by a trained and competent person,
the equipments condition must then be entered onto the maintenance PPM system.
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In the event that any equipment is found to be damaged or contaminated it must be
reported to the appropriate line manager immediately, removed from use and the
securely stored until such time as it can be repaired, destroyed and/or disposed of.
5.2.1 Inspection (Man Safe and fall arrest systems)
All man safe and similar fall arrest systems installed on University buildings will
undergo thorough examinations at frequencies specified by a nominated competent
person in accordance with The Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations.
5.3 Maintenance
All harnesses, lanyards and fall arrest systems must be maintained and stored in
accordance with manufacturers instructions.
6.0 Rope access
All contractors employed to carry out rope access work on behalf of ESS must be
members of the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) and must carry
evidence of competence with them at all times while working on University premises.
7.0 Employee Fitness for Task
Employees that suffer from the following conditions must not use ladders/stepladders
and must inform their line manager immediately. Arrangements will then be made for
the individual to be assessed by Newcastle University, Occupational Health Unit.
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Recurring dizziness
Epilepsy
Fear of heights
Heart condition
Severe lung conditions
Alcohol and drug abuse
Significant impaired joint function
Medication that recommends you do not operate machinery
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