working_at_height_regulations_presentation.ppt

how you are going to do something: She helped them to plan their route. If we plan carefully, we should be able to stay within our budget

1. Working at Height
Regulations 2005

2. •Statistics 2003 / 2004 (HSE)
•67 Fatalities
•3,884 major injuries (2/3 of which were falls from
below 2 metres

3. Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Key Messages
•Those following good practice for work at height now,
should already be doing enough to comply with WAHR
•Those who plan and organise work at height and follow
risk assessments will generally already be compliant with
WAHR
•Those choosing the right equipment for the job will
already comply with WAHR

4. 2005 Working at Height Regulations
•All work at height is covered regardless of what
height it is performed at
•Precautions need to be taken where there is a
risk of injury
•Use risk assessment to decide whether
precautions are needed and in what form
•Precautions are ‘expected’ with work above ‘2
metres’, but also assess risks from falls below
this height and take sensible precautions which
reflect the risk

5. Key Requirements
–Organise and plan work at height
–Ensure staff are competent
–Avoid risk from work at height
–Select suitable work equipment to perform work at
height
–Avoid work on fragile surfaces
–Ensure work equipment is inspected
–Prevent any person falling a distance liable to cause
personal injury

8. Common Myths

9. HSE have banned the use of ladders on
building sites
No, this isn’t the case. Ladders and
stepladders can be a sensible and practical
option. They can be used for work at height
when the use of other work equipment is
not justified because of the low risk and
short duration (short duration means
working on a ladder for no more than 30
minutes at a time); or when there are
existing workplace or site features which
cannot be altered.

10. You need to be formally ‘qualified’
before using a ladder at work
No, you do not.
  You need to be
competent. This means having the
necessary skills, knowledge and
experience to use a ladder properly for
the
 work you will carry out, or, if you are
being trained, you work under the
supervision of somebody who can perform
the task competently. Training often takes
place on the job and does
 not always have
to take place in a classroom. What matters
is that an individual can apply what they
have learned in the workplace.

11. I am working at height if I’m walking up
and down a staircase at work
No, you are not. Work at height does not
include walking up and down a permanent
staircase in a building.

12. You need to have two feet and one hand
on a stepladder at all times when
carrying out a task
No, this isn’t true. When you need to have
both hands free for a brief period to do a
job using a stepladder (eg putting a box on
a shelf, hanging wallpaper, installing a
smoke detector on a ceiling) you need to
maintain three points of contact at the
working position.
  This is not just two feet
and one hand, it can be two feet and your
body (use your knees or chest to help with
stability) supported by the stepladder.
Ensure a handhold is available to steady
yourself before and after.

13. HSE has banned the use of ladders to
access scaffolds and you will be fined if
you ignore this ban
No, this isn’t true. Ladders can be used for
access as long as they are of the right type
(ie a suitable grade of industrial ladder), in
good condition and effectively secured
(tied) to prevent movement. You should
ensure they extend at least one metre
above the landing point to allow for a
secure handhold when stepping off

14. Risk Assessment Exercise
•Retrieving balls from a flat roof
•Gutter cleaning
•Maintenance work indoors using a step ladder
•Changing light fittings in an office / corridor
•Mounting work on a wall display

15. Ladders
Toolbox Talks

16. Ladders
Questions and Answers
Q: The surface beneath a ladder should be:
A: Firm, level, clear, dry, not slippery.

Q: How many points of contact should there be with the ladder?
A: Three.
If you are not sure that it is safe to use a ladder speak to your
supervisor or the safety representative.
Disclaimer
Toolbox Talks are provided by Barbour for general guidance on matters of interest.
  In making these documents available to a general and diverse audience it is not possible to anticipate the
requirements or the hazards of any particular subscriber's business.
  Users are therefore advised to carefully evaluate the contents and adapt the Toolbox Talks to suit the requirements of each
situation or activity. Barbour does not accept any liability whatsoever for injury, damage or other losses which may arise from reliance on this information and the use of these documents.
Copyright of these documents remains with Barbour and whilst subscribers are permitted to make use of them for their own purposes, permission is not granted for resale of the intellectual
property to third parties.
Revised: 2010

17. Legislation and resources
•Work at Height Regulations 2005
•The Work at Height (Amendment) Regulations 2007
•INDG401: The Work at Height Regulations
•INDG402: Safe Use of Ladders and Stepladders
•INDG405: Top Tips for Ladder and Stepladder Safety.
Ladders

18. Ladders
In use:

• only work on a ladder for a maximum of 15 - 30 minutes at a time
• only carry light materials and tools (up to 10 kg)
• always grip the ladder when climbing
• do not overreach - make sure your belt buckle (navel) stays within the stiles

• keep both feet on the same rung or step throughout the task

• do not work off the top three rungs - this provides a handhold
• try to keep three points of contact with the ladder.

19. Ladders
A leaning ladder in a good position:
• is at an angle of 75° -
one unit out for every four units up
• stands on a surface that is:
firm
level
clear
dry
not slippery
• will not move at the bottom or top
• rests on a strong upper resting point (not plastic guttering or
a window)
• has horizontal rungs (use a spirit level).
Always
consider:
position
condition
competency
75 °

20. Ladders
A leaning ladder in good condition has:
• both feet firmly attached and with a good tread
• clean rungs
• undamaged stiles (the side pieces that the rungs are
attached to)
• secure fastenings when it is extended.

21. Ladders
INTRODUCTION
Before using a ladder, consider the following:
• are you fit to work at height?
• the condition of the ladder
• the position of the ladder.

22. Reference
Working at height guidance available from
RMBC Intranet and RGFL.