Falls from height are responsible for over 30% of all workplace deaths. If working at height cannot be eliminated or outsourced then managers must control risk by assessing the height, duration, frequency, and condition of surfaces being worked on. If working at height is unavoidable, there must be systems in place to prevent falls using either an existing place of work that is already safe or the right type of equipment. Where the risk cannot be eliminated, minimise the distance and consequences of a fall by using the right type of access equipment.
Somerset Council’s Working Safely at Height Guidance gives more detail about inspecting work equipment, principles for selecting work equipment, top tips for ladder safety and explains how to avoid risk.
Ladders
Although ladders and stepladders can be a sensible and practical option for low-risk, short-duration tasks, they should not automatically be your first choice.
Common causes of falls from a height include overstretching, unprotected edges, weather conditions, fragile surfaces, falling materials and using incorrect equipment or using equipment incorrectly.
Strenuous tasks can also cause colleagues to lose focus on their own safety; these tasks might include using a hammer drill or pulling cables through. Strenuous tasks should be redesigned to ground level or use of correct access equipment where it’s unlikely that ladders are suitable. If any of your team work from a height then you need to consider controlling the risk by assessing the height, duration, frequency, and condition of surfaces being worked on.
If your risk assessment has identified that a ladder or step ladder is the best option for the task, to help you make sure you use the right type of ladder, and that you know how to use it safely, this HSE website includes:
- More detail on competency, and what that means for ladder users and those managing ladder use on site
- Safety advice for using telescopic ladders
- Practical tips for using combination and multi-purpose ladders
- Good practice for securing ladders
Learn more:
