Whether you are working in construction or only completing jobs at height occasionally, you don’t always need to erect scaffolding or rent mobile towers to get every little job done. That being said, we do have a general cut-off for what we would consider a “safe working height” depending on the task at hand.
What Is “Work At Height”?
So, to start off, what do we consider “height”? Work at height refers to any job carried out that poses a risk of falling from one level to another, and with every meter of height added, the risk of injury or fatality increases. Accidents relating to work at height are the lowest they have ever been, but they still occur.
Stepladders
A height of around 1.5 meters is our recommendation as a safe upper limit to be working with a stepladder. Once you start struggling to reach the job from the maximum height of the stepladder, it’s time to switch equipment. You’ll know you’re struggling to reach height before you literally cannot reach – having to stretch up so that your hands are out of your eye level, or standing on your toes to get the job done means that you are not working at the appropriate height. Your job should always be easily accessible and as close to eye level as possible.
Platforms
If a stepladder is not sufficient to carry out the job, your next best bet is a height-adjustable mobile platform. This type of equipment extends vertically in convenient increments, ensuring that you can always adjust to a comfortable working height, which is important because workers who are working at an awkward or uncomfortable height may find themselves distracted or rush to complete the task.
Platforms are a great option for most indoor works as ceilings are rarely hard to reach with this type of equipment. However, platforms may also be too heavy for some types of flooring, or you may find yourself having to manoeuvre around stairs or other infrastructure.
Scaffold Towers
You could also use a scaffold tower, which can be erected as high as 12m, useful in sports halls. Scaffold towers are lightweight and easy to assemble and dismantle, which means that stairs and doorframes blocking your path will be less of an issue.
Get In Touch
To browse our range of equipment for work at height, click here. You can also fill out our enquiry form to get in touch and speak to a member of our team about your work and the equipment you need to carry out the job safely.
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