Element 10 - Working At Height Flashcards
Outline typical “Fall from height” hazards?
- 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.
Define “Work at height”?
Work where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury.
Identify the groups of people who could be exposed to working at height?
- Steel Workers.
- Scaffolders.
- Roofers.
- Demolition Workers.
- Welders.
- Pipe Fitters.
- Painters.
Identify the main risks associated with working at height?
- The worker falling from height.
- An object falling onto people below.
What could be the results from a fall from height?
- Death.
- Neck or spinal injury leading to permanent paralysis.
- Brain damage.
- Multiple broken bones.
Outline the simple hierarchy when managing working at height?
- Avoid working at height.
- Prevent falls.
- Minimise the distance and consequences of falls.
Identify the basic hazards of Work at Height?
- Roofs.
- Deterioration of materials.
- Unprotected edges.
- Unstable or poor maintained access equipment.
- Weather.
- Falling materials.
Identify the factors to consider when implementing control measures for work at height?
- 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.
Identify methods of stopping falls of materials?
- Physical safeguards (toe boards or brick boards).
- Debris netting or fans (wooden shielding angled to catch debris).
- Covered walkways.
Give the key characteristics of any guard rail?
- 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.
Outline the key safety characteristics of work platforms on a scaffold?
- 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.
When minimising distance and consequences of a fall, outline the 2 forms of fall arrest?
- Collective protection systems: safety nets or air bags.
- Personal protective systems: harnesses.
Give examples of access equipment?
- Ladders.
- Step ladders.
- Trestles and staging platforms.
- Independent tied scaffolds.
- Mobile tower scaffolds.
- Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPS).
Identify the hazards associated with the use of ladders?
- Falls from height.
- Objects falling from height.
- Contact with live overhead cables.
Outline the safety precautions for use of ladders?
- 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.
Outline the safety precautions for the use of step ladders?
- 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.
With regard to trestles and staging platforms, what do the HSE in the UK recommend?
- 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.
Identify the basic components of scaffolding?
- Standards.
- Ledgers.
- Transoms.
- Bracing.
- Base plates.
- Sole boards.
- Work platform.
- Guard rails.
- Toe boards.
How might a scaffold be tied to a building in order to prevent movement?
- Anchor bolts.
- Through ties.
- Reveal ties.
- Rakers
- Bracing.
Outline the factors that might cause the collapse of an independent tied scaffold?
- 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.
Identify the key hazards associated with the use of scaffolds?
- Falls from the work platform.
- Objects falling from the platform.
- Collapse of the structure.
Identify the main hazards associated with mobile tower scaffolds?
- Falls from work platform.
- Objects falling from work platform.
- Collapse of structure.
- Overturn (toppling) of structure.
- Unintended movement of wheels.
- Contact with live overheads.
Outline some safety precautions for the use of mobile tower scaffolds?
- 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.
What does MEWPs stand for?
Mobile Elevating Work Platforms.
Identify 3 types of MEWP?
- Telescopic.
- Scissor lift.
- Articulated.
Outline some safety precautions for use of MEWPS?
- 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.
Outline when scaffolds should be inspected?
- When they are first erected.
- After substantial alteration.
- After any event that may affect their stability (struck by vehicle or high winds).
- Periodically (weekly).
When inspecting a scaffold, what are you typically looking for?
- Condition of tubes (especially standards).
- Tying and bracing.
- Condition of the work platform.
- Edge protection.
- Ground conditions.
- Safe access.
- Safe working load.
