Pink highlighter ticking off Ability International's working from height checklist

It’s not every day that someone falls from height in the workplace, but when it does happen, it can send shockwaves through an organisation. Work at height accidents are not as common as they once were, but there is still much room for improvement.

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Have you seen our latest articles, Scary Facts About Work-Related Injuries and The Main Reasons Construction Workers Fall From Height? We cover some of the latest figures that should get you running for your hard hat, and three main offenders in falls from height, which should come in very helpful in minimising the risks of falling from height in your business.

In the meantime though, have a quick read of this work at height checklist to see where you’re keeping up, and where you need to improve…

Working At Height Checklist

  • Ensure that the height is safely accessible, and no one feels the need to cut corners. It should be straightforward to access the required height – if you feel in any way concerned, stop and re-evaluate.
  • Check that all required equipment is available, such as scaffolding, ladders, platforms etc. All of the equipment that will be used should also be in suitable working condition and should have been checked in a timely manner to be sure that there are no defects presenting risks.
  • Assess the risks of the job. Be sure you know how long the job will take, when work will begin and end, exactly who will be carrying out the work, that everyone involved has undergone relevant training, and that the surface is not slippery from rain, ice, or work materials.
  • Be sure that the job is not urgent. Any job being carried out to a looming deadline is more likely to be dangerous by nature of the growing pressure. Anyone working at height should not be feeling the squeeze to get the job done – they are more likely to miss the little details in safety protocol, or become careless because they are rushing. Allow plenty of time for a job to be completed.
  • Check that all workers are up to the job on the day. Any employees who are under the weather or low on sleep may have slower reflexes and may be more open to injury while working at height. Swap out team members if you need to – we can only do our very best when we’re fully alert and present.
  • Differentiate between the measures that will protect the individual (personal protection) and the measures that will protect everyone (collective protection) and be sure that none are missing.

Conclusion

Working at height is extremely dangerous and although companies take more and more steps each year to carry out the work safely, accidents are still quite common. If you’d like to minimise the risk of a fatal injury happening on your construction site, contact the experts at Ability International today.

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