1.5 Working at height

Question 1

Under the Regulations, duty holders (employers, the self-employed, and any person
that controls the work of others, such as facilities managers or building owners who
may contract others to work at height) must ensure that:

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Answer 1

 all work at height is properly planned and organised
 those involved in work at height are competent
 the risks from work at height are assessed and appropriate work equipment is
selected and used
 the risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled
 equipment for work at height is properly inspected and maintained.

Question 2

Duty holders must also adhere to the following hierarchy for managing and selecting
equipment for work at height:

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Answer 2

 avoid work at height where possible
 use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls (where working at height
cannot be avoided)
 use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and
consequences of a fall should one occur (where the risk of a fall cannot be
eliminated).

Question 3

The first step in the risk management hierarchy in the Work at Height Regulations
(Regulation 6) is to consider whether or not the need to work at height could be
avoided.

Examples of solutions, across a range of industrial sectors, include:

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Answer 3

 Building structures at ground level and lifting them into position on completion, or
in the case of road bridges tunnelling beneath them.
 Tilt and turn windows which can be cleaned from a safe position inside the
building.
 Use of water-fed poles that allow windows to be cleaned from ground level.
 Use of long-handled tools that can be utilised from ground level, for example:
long handled vacuum cleaners to clean dusty surfaces from ground level.
 Vacuum filling raised hoppers from ground level.
 Shrink-wrapping pallets at ground level can remove the need to sheet vehicles,
which requires working at height.

Question 4

When used as roof edge protection, guard rails should include or be equivalent to:

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Answer 4

 a main guard rail at least 950 mm above the edge
 a toe board and brick guard where there is risk of objects being kicked off the
edge of the platform
 a suitable number of intermediate guard rails or suitable alternatives positioned so
that there is no gap more than 470 mm.

Question 5

Emergency rescue

All rescue planning and operations should address the following issues:

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Answer 5

 the safety of the persons carrying out or assisting with the rescue
 the anchor points to be used for the rescue equipment
 the suitability of equipment (anchors, harnesses, attachments and connectors)
that has already arrested the fall of the casualty for use during the rescue
 the method that will be used to attach the casualty to the rescue system
 the direction that the casualty needs to be moved to get them to the point of
safety (raising, lowering or lateral)
 the first aid needs the casualty may have with respect to injury or suspension
trauma
 the possible needs of the casualty following the rescue.

Question 6

Work platforms above 2m and used in construction should be inspected at least

Answer 6

every seven days.