Workers in the construction, manufacturing, and mining industry are more susceptible to the risk of falling or getting injured as most of their work relates to working at height. Injury cases in these industries have incredibly increased as the workers are not sufficiently trained and due to the lack of proper design as well. Although most companies provide working at heights training to their workers to reduce accidents, the risk still can never be 100% eliminated and needs to be addressed properly along with training.
It’s also crucial to be aware of the meaning of “working at height” in order to take accurate measures accordingly.
What is Working at Height?
Working at height means when an individual works above the ground level and if they fall, it can lead to a possible personal injury. Even if a worker is on the ground level and falls through the hole or opening in the ground, it will also be considered as “working at height”.
The Health and Safety at Work Act requires employers to take considerable care and caution when sending their workers to work at height as they are the ones to be held responsible for a personal injury. Therefore, employers should take all reasonable precautions to minimize the risk of falling from height.
How to Minimize the Risk of Working at Height?
The risk of working at height and possible injuries associated with it can be considerably minimized by taking the following actions:
Risk Assessment
The supervisor or the employer at the site should always try to assess if there’s another way to execute a task without sending their workers above ground. In this case, performing a risk assessment is always ideal.
The employer should try to avoid, prevent or minimize the risk by analyzing the different scenarios. For instance, if it is possible to complete a job by extending the handle of a tool, it’s better to avoid working at height. Whereas, falls can be prevented by providing the right kind of equipment and facilities to the workers.
No matter what control measures are used, it’s also necessary for a supervisor to keep evaluating risk and developing a new risk strategy accordingly. For example, if a project is supposed to be held at a different place, older strategies will be almost of no use as the risk needs to be analyzed according to the conditions and environment of the workplace.
Appropriate Planning
Along with ongoing risk assessment, it’s vital to appropriately plan before going above the floor level otherwise the workers may be greatly exposed to the risk of falling and injuring themselves.
While planning, everything ranging from the right tools to weather conditions should be taken into consideration. If the weather is going to be rainy, it’s better to postpone the work or else take necessary precautions. Whereas, if a certain task requires specific kinds of equipment to be carried out smoothly and safely, it shouldn’t be performed without it as it will pose danger to the workers.
Prevent Objects from Falling
It’s also essential to prevent any kind of mishaps in the workplace and one of the most common issues is workers can get injured from the items falling from the height. This can be overcome by taking precautions accordingly such as using scaffolding without toe boards and sheeting must be avoided.
Additionally, chutes must be used to transport items from a height to the ground level to keep accidents at bay. When the workers are storing objects at a height, proper storage racks should be used and an operator must be responsible to ensure they are in top-notch condition.
In case any damage is noticed by the employees, they must immediately inform the authorities and the maximum capacity of storing items in racks or shelves must be adhered to.
Reach the Workplace in a Safe Way
Working at height incidents are not only limited to the workplace, but it’s also common for incidents to occur when reaching the workspace. You should always be patient and wise to reach the area and never use improvised methods like a forklift as this will put you directly in danger of falling off.
Additionally, if you are using a ladder, it should be properly leveled and kept on the ground or you can always ask your co-worker to hold the ladder for you for added security.
Ensure Constant Training
Although workers are trained before recruitment to work at heights, most of the time this practice is not continued once they are hired. It is crucial to constantly train the employees working at heights to keep their knowledge updated and to further hone their skills.
In case they are required to use a new tool or equipment in a job, they must be given proper training to minimize the risk of fatal injuries. At the same time, this will also allow the employers to comply with the legal requirements of Health and Safety at Work which is important for a company.
Use the Right Equipment
Employees should wear the right kind of clothing such as lanyards, proper footwear, sturdy helmet, and harness to make sure they don’t encounter any safety hazards. The clothing should be inspected before wearing it and if there’s any wear and tear, you should replace it and inform the authorities. It’s also the duty of the company to use adequate lighting in the workplace.
The railing should also be used when working at height as this will prevent the workers from accidentally tripping and falling.
As there’s always a risk of toppling over above the ground level, it’s ideal to take preventative control measures ahead of time.
Safety nets: Safety nets should be put up by competent people by taking into account the height and area to cover if a person falls from a considerable distance.
Airbags: When safety nets can’t accommodate sufficient height, airbags work best. The material quality and the air pressure should be considered when installing them in the workspace. Again, they should be properly set up by specialized personnel.