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The work at height legislation of 2005 changed the way many businesses accomplish their daily tasks throughout the UK. With a few exceptions, the rules apply to any company or other organization whose employees or members perform tasks at height, where a fall could cause serious injury. Ultimately business owners and job supervisors are responsible to make sure regulations are followed, though individual workers have their own responsibility to protect themselves against a fall. It's important to note that the regulations go well beyond simply using safe scaffolding. They govern the types of height safety systems and equipment that should be used, how individuals are given access to areas of height, how individuals below are protected, and the proper securing of tools and equipment. For the purposes of this guide we will focus solely on falls resulting from working at height. High Risk Potential The need for the regulations is evidenced by the number of falls from height that result in serious injury or death. Even with the regulations in place, HSE statistics show that there were more than 4,000 falls resulting in injury in 2008/2009. The goal of the regulations is to mandate employers be as safe as is reasonably possible in order to protect their employees from falling. While the regulations can't possibly prevent every single accident, compliance does significantly reduce the risk. Those who would ignore the regulations or dismiss them as unnecessary should consider the fact that a fall can be dangerous even from a height of just two meters. The regulations specify that working at height is whenever there is a risk of a fall that could result in injury. At this point safety measures need to be implemented, therefore work at height is any height. Responsibilities of the Company Owner As the owner of a business you are responsible for making sure anyone who does work at height on your behalf is properly protected according to the regulations. This includes the self-employed individuals with no employees, as well as individuals who contract with others to do a portion of work for them - as long as they exercise reasonable control over such individuals. For example, if you are self-employed painting contractor and you subcontract with two individuals to help you on an especially large project, you will be responsible for their safety because you are still the principal painting contractor on the job. Implementing the working at height regulations is a process with several steps. Therefore it's imperative that you understand what those steps are so they are properly implemented. First and foremost, you need a thorough understanding of the regulations and what is expected of you. The regulations are provided free of charge on dozens of websites all across the UK. Furthermore, there are organizations providing training to bring company owners, managers and anyone who controls, plans and conduct working at height up to speed and to help them comply with competency in accordance with the working at height regulations 2005. Preparing a Job Site The first step in ensuring compliance with current legislation is to assess the potential s risks of that site. That means you'll have someone in your company (competent person) that performs a safety and risk assessment of all the possible hazards and risks. Remember that the key word in the regulations is "reasonable". You're not expected to think of every possible scenario that might result in a fall or injury. But you are expected to take into consideration what is normal and reasonable and deal with those things. A site inspection will take into consideration the type of work being done, the height at which that work will be performed, the inherent dangers of that work, what tools will be used, which employees will do the work, any risks posed to those standing on the ground, and the general layout of the job site - whether indoors or out. By taking into consideration all of these factors inspectors are able to assess the risks involved to workers performing on that job site. Establishing Safe Access When it comes to falls from height the biggest issue seems to be the safety of access. In other words, workers need to have the same types of access at height that they would have if working on the ground. This is necessary to avoid having them work in a risky manner such as stretching themselves just beyond their normal reach. It is risky behaviours like this, resulting from inadequate access, that cause a majority of workplace falls. Safe access is a matter of choosing the proper method and implementing it according to regulations. Many times a safe access means scaffolding which is protected by guardrails all the way around. Other times access may require a cherry picker, a harness or platform, crawl boards, and even ladders in some cases. It is the responsibility of the employer to make sure the safest method of access is used as dictated by the nature and location of the work. Employee Competency As a business owner you have the responsibility to ensure that only competent employees conduct working at height. Employees who are improperly trained (not trained) or consistently careless have no place at height. Employee competency begins with training; training that should be absolutely mandatory for any worker you plan to use in an working at height scenario. That training generally comes in the form of both practical and theory instruction with an exam on completion. Furthermore, competency extends to being able to properly perform tasks while at height. It's not simply a matter of knowing how to utilize scaffolding and safety harnesses, workers also need to know the safest and most efficient way to perform even the most routine tasks. They must be trained to move slowly and take great care with everything they do. A cautious and thorough employee is one that's less likely to fall or drop things. Responsibilities of the Employees If you work at height rather than a company owner you still have some responsibility for being safe. You cannot simply lay all responsibility at the feet of your employer and use that as license to be careless. Ultimately the regulations are only as safe as the compliance of the employees actually doing the work. Therefore, you have the responsibility of making sure you fully understand the training that you've been through. If you don't understand something it is your responsibility to ask questions of the trainer until you are both fully satisfied that you understand. Once on the job site it is your responsibility to make sure you use tools and equipment safely. You have control over your safety harness; make sure it fits correctly and that you are secured to an appropriate anchor point at all times. You have the ability to make sure your work area remains free of tripping hazards; do so. You have the ability, and the ultimate responsibility, to make sure that all of the safety plans put in place by your employer are fully adhered to. Cutting corners and trying to get around regulations only serves to increase your risk of injury or death. In the end, safety is a team effort among business owners, job managers/supervisors, and workers. When each team member fulfils their responsibilities, everyone is safer. Falls from height are one of the leading causes of death and serious injury in the work place, with a high personal cost to families and the subsequent financial cost to businesses.
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