Working at height is always a high risk activity. Work at height safety standards are essential for roof access/work and the nature of the precautions required and must be assessed for each individual job. Workers in maintenance, construction and other variety of jobs could be at risk of falling from height. Examples include: decorators, painters, window cleaners, roof workers and those who undertake jobs with a risk of fall from a height.
Summary of The Work At Height Regulations (2005)
The purpose of The Work at Height Regulation 2005 is to prevent death and injury caused by falling from height.
These regulations impose a number of restrictions on working at height, where height can mean anywhere even at or above ground level where a fall could cause injury. In these Regulations (WAHR) have no minimum height requirement for work at height.
Employers must do the following:
- Make sure that all work at height is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent persons.
- Employers must follow the hierarchy of controls.
- Their employees must receive relevant information, instruction and training on the safe use of equipment and how to spot and report defects.
- Must do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling.
Employees must do the following:
- Report any safety hazards, defective equipment to their employers.
- Use any equipment supplied properly, follow any training and instructions (unless you think the instructions would be unsafe to follow in that case seek further instructions before continuing)
According to WAHR 2005 state, work equipment or other measures to prevent falls must be taken when working on a roof and this includes the installation of edge protection. Edge protection helps prevent people, tools, and materials from falling ;
- Around the perimeters of a work area;
- Around openings;
- Where brittle material cannot safely support the weight of a person.
- Areas of periodic maintenance, rooflights, solar, plant, gutters etc
Premsafe fall protection. have established ourselves as one of the UK’s leading Height Safety Support Service provider with a reputation for delivering first class training, operational and Technical services.
Contact Premsafe fall protection with details of your project and requirements today. Call us on 02393 277989 or request a call back and one of our expert will contact you shortly.
Employers need to understand their obligations before it’s too late, to pro-actively protect employees is cheaper than the alternative and morally correct.
Simon Hobden, Sales Director at Premsafe
