Scribd
Upload
74 views3 pages

Safety Steps: Essential Messages For Work at Height!: User Comments

Uploaded by

TFattah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
74 views3 pages

Safety Steps: Essential Messages For Work at Height!: User Comments

Uploaded by

TFattah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

SAFETY STEPS: ESSENTIAL MESSAGES FOR WORK AT HEIGHT!

Safety Steps’ is designed to help all those who produce outputs that are aimed at maintaining and improving safety
during work at height (WAH), for the following audiences:

• designers
• clients
• managers (those managing WAH)
• supervisors*, and
• operatives*

Safety Steps is an enabling document. It provides essential messages that can be used - in whole or part - by those who
aim to produce any type of output for these five target audiences. As such (with the possible exception of information for
designers) is not designed to be deployed directly to these target audiences (*though the Safety Steps for Supervisors
and Operatives are written in the first person, so that the content can be more easily adapted for other use in further
outputs and communication channels).

As such, outputs derived from/informed by Safety Steps may include (and are not restricted to):

• Flow charts/infographics
• Training materials
• Toolbox talks/checklists
• Poster/sticker campaigns
• Rules and guidelines

Safety Steps covers general information on WAH rather than task-specific aspects. So, for example, the messages don’t
provide information about specific situations such as the use of scaffolding or mobile work platforms or working on roofs.
However, the general information provided underpins any, more specific, WAH messages and information.

User comments

Safety Steps will be reviewed by CONIAC from time to time, to ensure that the general messages and other information
continues to be suitable for the purpose above. If you have any comments on Safety Steps (including suggestions for
changes, noting the intended purpose above) please contact: https://accessindustryforum.org.uk/safety-steps/feedback/

Conditions of use
Safety Steps has been produced by a Work at Height sub-group of the CONIAC ‘Managing Risk Well’ group. It is free to
reproduce and use, subject to the following conditions of use.

Safety Steps is free to use for any purpose that is designed to maintain or improve safety when working at height. The
material is ©CONIAC and any significant use should acknowledge CONIAC as the source. Any material changes in
content to (as opposed to extracts from) Safety Steps are not authorized by CONIAC and such changes must not be
attributed to CONIAC. Any queries about the possible use of Safety Steps should be referred to
https://accessindustryforum.org.uk/safety-steps/feedback/

Any commercial use should also refer readers to an e-location where Safety Steps is freely available.

November 2019 https://accessindustryforum.org.uk/safety-steps/ Version 01


Work at height (WAH): Safety Steps for...

5. OPERATIVES

Ensuring a Safe system of work (SSoW) at height Examples may include...

You should be sufficiently trained to understand what the


1. Whether it is simple or more detailed, there should al-
SSoW is for any type of work at height, even if it is low
ways be a safe system of work (SSoW) that aims to ensure
risk and short duration.
your safety when working at height (WAH).
Higher risk or more complex work at height activity
The SSoW must reflect the risk and complexity of the work
requires a more detailed, written SSoW, based on a
at height activity.
suitable and sufficient risk assessment.
It may be very simple if the work at height is low risk, and
Your supervisor should tell you about any detailed SSoW
of short duration, and in these situations it may not need to
which (in some situations) might need to include rescue
be written down.
provision.

2. Before you begin working at height, be aware of the


SSoW for this activity (including any WAH ‘permit to work’
system, if needed).

If you need to, ask your supervisor any safety-related


Any changes to the work that you believe the supervisor
questions or seek further clarification before starting – you
needs to know about.
don’t have to be a trainee to raise a sensible safety
question, to help ensure safe working.

If you think any part of the planned work at height isn’t


safe, raise this immediately with your supervisor.
Examples of risk control measures may include:
• Collective protection to prevent a fall
• Scaffolding
• Temporary edge protection
• Platform decking
• Mobile towers
• MEWPs
Personal protection to prevent a fall
3. Don’t start work where you or others need to rely on
• Restraints, including fixed lanyards and harnesses
equipment that you are not properly trained to use.
• Horizontal line systems
Collective measures to minimize distance or
Follow the correct SSoW – use all the risk control
consequences of a fall
measures for the activity correctly, to ensure safe work.
• Safety netting
• Airbags or soft-landing systems
Personal measures to minimize distance or
consequences of a fall
• Industrial rope access
• Personal fall arrest system with secure, reliable
anchor points.
Rescue equipment.

November 2019 https://accessindustryforum.org.uk/safety-steps/ Version 01


4. Ensure that you only use ladders and steps as access
Follow good practice when using all short duration
(and without carrying heavy or awkward loads), or for low
access equipment.
risk, short duration work at height.

5. If you think the work itself, or any other factors or


pressures (e.g. not using control measures near the end of
a job), are undermining safety, or you see or experience an
Any significant concerns or risks to safety during the
unsafe situation, tell your supervisor.
activity.
You should stop work if you have reason to believe there is
serious and imminent danger to you or anyone else.

To work safely at height you will need:

Sufficient skills, knowledge and experience to do the work involved

To understand any SSoW that is being used – if you do not, raise this with your supervisor before starting

To understand rescue equipment and procedures, where this is relevant

Equipment for working at height:

• always use the protective equipment provided


• always follow good practice when using WAH equipment

Don’t make any unauthorized changes. If you see any:

• damaged equipment (e.g. due to physical wear, weather, or chemicals);


• equipment that has unauthorized alterations;
• safety equipment that has actually been deployed to prevent the consequences of a fall;

...you should not use it - withdraw the equipment from use and raise the matter immediately with your supervisor (only
replace it with authorized equipment if you are authorized to do so);

If you are making a statutory or other formal inspection of protective or other equipment, ensure your inspection is
properly recorded.

Ensure that:

• working surfaces are not overloaded with materials/equipment, and that they are kept clear (good housekeeping)
• you can get safely to and from where you will work at height
• all surfaces or structures where you aim to place/attach access equipment are stable and strong enough for use
(i.e. you can rely on them) - conduct a visual inspection before use.
• all work platforms and work areas on structures are free from slip/trip hazards.
• you are fit - on the day - to work at height.
• you are able to concentrate on ensuring your own and others safety during WAH (by avoiding distractions such
as using a mobile device).

Operatives
November 2019 https://accessindustryforum.org.uk/safety-steps/ Version 01

You might also like