In the UK, a lot of companies have specific work-at-height requirements – that usually means all work at height is done by two people. Companies that carry out any work at height ideally want their workers to be accompanied by someone else in case something goes wrong.
There are so many risks associated with working at height, but a lot of those risks can be mitigated by having a second person present. In this blog, we look at how many people, as a minimum, are required to work at height.
1 – 1.5 Metres
When working at a platform height of 1 – 1.5 metres, you or an employee should be able to operate without assistance from a second person. This is why our Desksurfer is so popular – it fits the needs of many users working at height without requiring two people to operate it. It comes with a 900mm out-reach platform and provides 1200mm of hands-on access with a reach height of 3.5m.
2 Metres And Above
Ideally, two people should be present when working on a platform that’s more than 2 metres high. Most work sites will have some form of 2-metre rule in place, such as platforms having some form of edge protection. This could be in the form of a guardrail to help protect workers from falling off the edge. However, in most cases, 2 people working together with a 2-metre platform will be sufficient, as this greatly mitigates any risks.
Benefits Of Having 2 People
When it comes to working at height, having a second person around is always a good idea. They can help the other person in the event of an accident as they’ll be able to notify the emergency services right away. The second person will also be there to provide the injured person with first aid or CPR if needed, ensuring they are in stable condition. When there are 2 people working together the need to climb is reduced, as one person at ground level can pass items up to the person on the platform. Two workers are also more likely to notice any issues such as live electrical wires, unstable ground conditions etc., alerting each other to any potential problems that may arise.
For more information on how we can help you work at height, contact us today.
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