Element 10 - Working At Height

Question 1

Outline typical “Fall from height” hazards?

Answer 1

• Working next to an unprotected edge.
• Working on a fragile material above a drop.
• Using access equipment (MEWPS or Cherry Picker).
• Using ladders.
• Standing on objects to reach high levels.

Question 2

Define “Work at height”?

Answer 2

Work where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury.

Question 3

Identify the groups of people who could be exposed to working at height?

Answer 3

• Steel Workers.
• Scaffolders.
• Roofers.
• Demolition Workers.
• Welders.
• Pipe Fitters.
• Painters.

Question 4

Identify the main risks associated with working at height?

Answer 4

• The worker falling from height.

- An object falling onto people below.

Question 5

What could be the results from a fall from height?

Answer 5

• Death.
• Neck or spinal injury leading to permanent paralysis.
• Brain damage.
• Multiple broken bones.

Question 6

Outline the simple hierarchy when managing working at height?

Answer 6

• Avoid working at height.
• Prevent falls.
• Minimise the distance and consequences of falls.

Question 7

Identify the basic hazards of Work at Height?

Answer 7

• Roofs.
• Deterioration of materials.
• Unprotected edges.
• Unstable or poor maintained access equipment.
• Weather.
• Falling materials.

Question 8

Identify the factors to consider when implementing control measures for work at height?

Answer 8

• Nature and duration of task.
• Level of competence.
• Training that needs to be provided.
• Planning and level of supervision required.
• Means of access/egress.
• Suitability and maintenance of equipment.
• Use of working platforms, guard rails and toe boards.
• PPE (harness, helmet).
• Is a fall arrest system/netting required.
• Weather conditions.
• Health of individual.
• Compliance with regulations.

Question 9

Identify methods of stopping falls of materials?

Answer 9

• Physical safeguards (toe boards or brick boards).
• Debris netting or fans (wooden shielding angled to catch debris).
• Covered walkways.

Question 10

Give the key characteristics of any guard rail?

Answer 10

• Should fully enclose all of the exposed unprotected edge.
• Robust enough: will not bend or distort when fallen against.
• Securely fixed: will withstand any foreseeable impact.
• High enough to prevent a person toppling over it.
• No excessively large gaps where a person could fall through.

Question 11

Outline the key safety characteristics of work platforms on a scaffold?

Answer 11

• Sufficiently large enough to allow safe use.
• Capable of bearing the loads imposed upon them.
• Fully boarded to prevent gaps that could present tripping hazards or allow materials or people to fall through.

Question 12

When minimising distance and consequences of a fall, outline the 2 forms of fall arrest?

Answer 12

• Collective protection systems: safety nets or air bags.

- Personal protective systems: harnesses.

Question 13

Give examples of access equipment?

Answer 13

• Ladders.
• Step ladders.
• Trestles and staging platforms.
• Independent tied scaffolds.
• Mobile tower scaffolds.
• Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPS).

Question 14

Identify the hazards associated with the use of ladders?

Answer 14

• Falls from height.
• Objects falling from height.
• Contact with live overhead cables.

Question 15

Outline the safety precautions for use of ladders?

Answer 15

• Not siting or handling near live overheads.
• Site on solid ground.
• Angle should be ideally 75 degrees (1:4)…..1 out, 4 up.
• Top of ladder rusting against a solid support.
• Ideally, top of ladder secured.
• Guy ropes attached and secured to firm supports.
• Buddy buddy system (person at bottom, holding ladder).
• Top of ladder extending above top surface (5 rungs).
• Only one person climbing at a time.
• No carrying when climbing.
• Wooden ladders must not be painted.

Question 16

Outline the safety precautions for the use of step ladders?

Answer 16

• Carry out a daily check.
• Ensure ladder is fully open.
• Ensure locking devices are in place.
• Only use on firm, level ground.
• Do not work from the top two steps, unless there is a safe handhold on the steps.
• Avoid over reaching.
• Avoid side-on working.

Question 17

With regard to trestles and staging platforms, what do the HSE in the UK recommend?

Answer 17

• They should be big enough to allow safe passage and safe use of equipment and materials.
• Free from trip hazards or gaps through which persons or materials could fall.
• Fitted with toe boards and handrails.
• Kept clean and tidy.
• Not loaded in a way to risk collapse or deformation that could affect it’s safe use.
• Erected on firm, level ground.

Question 18

Identify the basic components of scaffolding?

Answer 18

• Standards.
• Ledgers.
• Transoms.
• Bracing.
• Base plates.
• Sole boards.
• Work platform.
• Guard rails.
• Toe boards.

Question 19

How might a scaffold be tied to a building in order to prevent movement?

Answer 19

• Anchor bolts.
• Through ties.
• Reveal ties.
• Rakers
• Bracing.

Question 20

Outline the factors that might cause the collapse of an independent tied scaffold?

Answer 20

• Overloaded work platform.
• Scaffold built on soft ground without the use of adequate sole boards.
• Scaffold not tied adequately to building.
• Insufficient bracing incorporated into the scaffold.
• Standards not upright.
• Standards bent, buckled or heavily corroded.
• High winds.
• Incorrect couplers used to join tubes together.
• Scaffold struck by mobile plant.
• Scaffold erected by incompetent workers.
• Scaffold not inspected prior to use.

Question 21

Identify the key hazards associated with the use of scaffolds?

Answer 21

• Falls from the work platform.
• Objects falling from the platform.
• Collapse of the structure.

Question 22

Identify the main hazards associated with mobile tower scaffolds?

Answer 22

• Falls from work platform.
• Objects falling from work platform.
• Collapse of structure.
• Overturn (toppling) of structure.
• Unintended movement of wheels.
• Contact with live overheads.

Question 23

Outline some safety precautions for the use of mobile tower scaffolds?

Answer 23

• Guard rail fitted to the work platform.
• Tower must not be overloaded.
• Wheels should be locked when tower is in use.
• Tower sited on firm, level ground.
• People and materials should not remain on tower when it is moved.
• Care taken to avoid overheads.
• Outriggers used where necessary to ensure stability.
• People should climb on outside of tower.
• Tower must be built by trained workers.

Question 24

What does MEWPs stand for?

Answer 24

Mobile Elevating Work Platforms.

Question 25

Identify 3 types of MEWP?

Answer 25

• Telescopic.
• Scissor lift.
• Articulated.

Question 26

Outline some safety precautions for use of MEWPS?

Answer 26

• Sited on firm, stable ground.
• Sufficient clearance from obstructions and overheads when operating.
• Barriers around the MEWP to prevent being struck by vehicles or mobile plant.
• Barriers act to keep people out from underneath cradle.
• Guard rails incorporated into the cradle and safety harness worn as a back up.
• Controls of MEWP located inside the cradle.
• Not to be driven when cradle is raised.
• Must not be overloaded.
• Inspected as an item of lifting equipment designed to carry people.
• Use restricted to trained, authorised staff.

Question 27

Outline when scaffolds should be inspected?

Answer 27

• When they are first erected.
• After substantial alteration.
• After any event that may affect their stability (struck by vehicle or high winds).
• Periodically (weekly).

Question 28

When inspecting a scaffold, what are you typically looking for?

Answer 28

• Condition of tubes (especially standards).
• Tying and bracing.
• Condition of the work platform.
• Edge protection.
• Ground conditions.
• Safe access.
• Safe working load.