Working at Height

Working at height and falling from height is one of the biggest causes of death in the workplace and one of the main causes of major injury. Such injuries do not necessarily involve falls from very high scaffolding. They can be caused by any fall above or even below ground level such as an access ladder to an inspection chamber or sewer.

Working at Height Hazards

There are many hazards associated with working at height. The most common hazards include:

Using stepladders or unsuitable alternatives such as chairs or climbing on racking.
Working on scaffolding and other access equipment with inadequate fall arrest controls.
Falling through fragile roofs or skylights.
Objects such as tools falling from height and injuring those below.

Preventing Working at Height Accidents

Preventing working at height accidents is important on many levels. It can avoid costly legal costs but more importantly it can prevent human suffering and in the worst case scenario – human fatality. Preventing accidents is everyone’s duty, from employer to employee. Accidents most often occur:

People taking shortcuts and not using the correct equipment.
Equipment is not available or in poor repair.
Complacency, perhaps over-familiarity with the job.
Lack of awareness of the risks of working at height.
Inadequate training and supervision.

Managing and Selecting Equipment for Working at Height

There are a few simple – but important steps:

Carry out a risk assessment of tasks that are at height. Include in the risk assessment any fragile surfaces that might break if someone worked on it or fell onto it, e.g. fibre and asbestos cement roof sheets and skylights.
If at all possible, avoid working at height and consider if the task can be done in another way, for example using a sponge on an extendable pole to clean windows instead of climbing a ladder.
If working at height cannot be avoided, use equipment or other measures to prevent falls, e.g. guard rails, work platforms, podium steps, tower scaffolds, cherry pickers or scissor lifts.
When the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated, use equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall, e.g. harnesses, netting and airbags.
Avoid working on, near, or passing across, fragile surfaces, e.g. repair skylights form underneath or provide fixed walkways with guard rails.

Additional measures to reduce the risk of a fall when using equipment for working at height include making sure:

The people have been trained to use it safely.
It is well maintained and regularly inspected.
There is adequate supervision to ensure people are working safely.

Working at Height – Ladders

Ladders are working at height equipment. Ladders may be suitable for light tasks of short duration, but suitable alternatives should be first considered. If ladders have been selected there are a few basic points to remember:

Always check ladders for damage before use.
Set them at the correct angle. The angle should be about 75° or the 1 in 4 rule, i.e., 1 unit out for every 4 units up. If they are at too steep an angle, the ladder could topple backwards and if too shallow an angle, it might slide down the wall.
The ladders must be secure. The ladders should be on firm, level, non-slippery ground. Ladders should not be leaned against plastic guttering. Ladders should always lean against a firm and resistant resting point.
Always grip the ladder and face the rungs when climbing. Try to avoid holding items when climbing but if you do need to carry something, have one free to grip the ladder.
Do not overreach. Keep your belt buckle within the stiles.
Keep both feet on the same rung throughout the task and don’t use the top 3 rungs of the ladder as this prevents a handhold.

Available Resources

The Health and Safety Authority of Ireland (HSA) has published a number of useful resources in relation to Working at Height. Some of these are:

Online Health and Safety Training

Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.

Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.

This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

Workplace Accidents and Their Prevention

Workplace accidents and their prevention are key priorities of anyone at work – employers and employees alike. Prevention of workplace accidents helps organisations prevent injuries and ill-health at work, damage to property, lost of productivity. In addition, workplace accident may cause significant legal issues. whilst accidents are usually regarded as unplanned and uncontrolled events, this is often not the case,. The truth is that many accidents can be avoided. An accident is an incident that may cause:

Major or serious personal injuries or damage to the workplace.
Minor damage or injuries.
A near miss.
Death.

Main Factors That Cause Accidents in the Workplace

Each workplace has certain hazards associated with its operation. Being aware of these hazards and the control of associated risks is essential for accident prevention. You can find out about workplace hazards in our Workplace Hazards blog entry form 24 February 2023.

There are three factors that can cause problems in the workplace:

Occupational – injury or illness directly connected to work related tasks such as lifting and carrying or using tools and equipment.
Environmental – conditions in the workplace such s heating, ventilation, lighting and space that can affect the safety of workers.
Human – lack of training, inexperience, complacency, disregard for safety rules, haste, distraction and tiredness are examples of human factors that can contribute to accidents, Unfortunately many human hazards are very difficult to control. This is why relevant training and prevention is extremely important. For training courses to that might help with Human Hazard prevention, please check our online training school eLearn Safety.

Investigation of Workplace Accidents and Their Prevention process

It is vital that all managing staff creates a positive attitude to health and safety matters and to make sure all members of the team take health and safety seriously. Everyone in the workplace must follow safe working procedures and must report safety issues and defects.

Employers need to be made aware of occurrences so they can be prevented from happening again. All accidents, including near misses and all incidents and ill-health must be reported. This is so these events could be investigated and corrective action taken. This is however not to ‘punish’ anyone involved, but to prevent the accident happening again and to learn from it. Employees have a legal duty to report occurrences to their employer.

Accidents and incidents can be reported in the form of of an Accident Book, which should contain, for example, the following information:

Date and Time of Injury.
Name of the Injured Person.
A description of the accident and Nature of the Injury.
What Action was Taken and by Whom.
Final Outcome (e.g., employee sent home, hospitalised, etc.).
Person reporting an Injury (if it is not the injured person).

Accident and Dangerous Occurrence Reporting

Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2016 all employers and self-employed persons are legally obliged to report the injury of an employee as a result of an accident while at work. Injuries must be reported if an employee is unable to carry out their normal work for more than three consecutive days, excluding the day of the accident.

How to Report an Injury

The injury at the workplace can be reported:

HSA Online Reporting Platform
By filling Schedule 7 Notifiable Incident Form and sending it by An Post.

Workplace Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities (2020–2021)

The number of fatal incidents for 2020 was reported as 54. There were 38 work-related fatal incidents in 2021.

In 2021, 8,279 non-fatal injuries were reported to the Authority, an increase of 8% from the 7,652 reported in 2020. This may be due in part to revived economic activity in 2021 following the partial relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions. Of the 8,279 non-fatal injuries reported in 2021, 97% related to workers. The highest number was reported in the NACE economic sector of Human Health and Social Work Activities, which accounted for over 22% of all incidents. For non-worker incidents, the highest number was reported in Wholesale and Retail Trade (118) representing 46% of all non-worker injuries.

Workplace Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities (2020–2021) – Full Report.

Online Health and Safety Training

Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal Protective Equipment, or short PPE, is according to the Hierarchy of Risk Controls the last control method used to control risk. According to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA):

“Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) means any device or appliance designed to be worn or held by an individual for protection against one or more health and safety hazards. Respiratory Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is a particular type of Personal Protective Equipment, used to protect the individual wearer against inhalation of hazardous substances in the workplace air.”

In other words, PPE includes any equipment or clothing intended to be held or worn by people at work to offer protection against identified problems.

Where more than one item of PPE is required to be used simultaneously, e.g. hearing defenders and safety helmet, the items must be compatible and must not interfere with the level of protection offered by the individual items. Many manufacturers offer integrated systems which might be used provided they abide to certain rules.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE ) must be provided free of charge by employers – employers cannot pass on to employees any financial costs associated with duties relating to safety, health and welfare at work.

Personal Protective (PPE) Rules

Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 , Part 2 Chapter 3 covers Use of Personal Protective Equipment at work. Broadly speaking all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must:

Be suitable to protect against the risk and fir properly.
Give adequate protection.
Be compatible with other equipment worn.
Carry a CE mark.
Be cleaned and maintained regularly and be replaced if worn or broken. This includes changing filters, eye shields, etc. as necessary.
Be thoroughly cleaned or washed, before removal if contaminated to avoid accidental contact by user.
Be correctly stored in a well ventilated and clean area.
Be worn (employers may take disciplinary action against employees who do not wear required PPE).

Personal protective Equipment (PPE) must meet certain EU requirements and standards which confirm it meets specified safety and various test criteria. Generally PPE that carries CE mark will meet these criteria.

European Union (Personal Protective Equipment) Regulations 2018 provide that PPE may not be placed on the market or brought into service unless it complies with basic health and safety requirements. It is deemed to be in conformity with the Regulations if it bears the CE mark”.

It should always be remembered that PPE does not change the hazard in any way. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) offers protection for the wearer only.

Types of Personal protective Equipment (PPE)

When a Risk Assessment indicates that PPE should be used, it is important to choose the right type to protect different parts of the body.

Some of the types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are:

Helmets – protects head. Usually used in construction, mining and other groundwork or work where there are risks of falling objects.
Visors and face shields – protects face. Usually used by welding and foundry workers (molten metal splashes).
Goggles and glasses – protects eyes. Usually used for welding work with lasers, woodwork, or all these activities where there is a risk of flying fragments or chemical splashes.
Plugs, muffs and helmets – protects ears. Usually used for work in noisy environments, e.g. heavy duty drilling and/or hammering and noisy machine rooms.
Gloves (rubber, chain mail) – protects hands. Used for work involving the handling of hazardous substances, chainsaws, knives saws, hot/cold items, rough wood, etc.
Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) – used to protect respiratory system. Work in unhealthy atmospheres and/or involving exposure to hazardous substances and work producing substantial quantities of dust. Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) not worn or selected appropriately is totally ineffective. In addition, it may give the user a false sense of protection. For further guidance or RPE see Health and Safety Authority – Respiratory Protective Equipment.
Clothing (high visibility/thermal, cut resistant, safety harness, etc.) – protects the body. Usually used for work involving risks of splashing or other contamination. It is also used for work with chainsaws (arms and legs) or ionising radiation, etc. It is also used for work where there is a risk of falling.
Safety boots and gaiters (toe protectors, insulating footwear) – usually used for work where there is a risk of splashing or of falling objects. In addition, it is used for work with live electricity.

Personal protective Equipment (PPE) should only be used if the hazard cannot be controlled any other way.

Training in Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

All employees required to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be provided with suitable information, instruction and training (including training in the use, care or maintenance of PPE) to enable them to make proper and effective use of any PPE provided for their protection.

Further Guidance on the Requirements of the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations

For additional guidance on the requirements of the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations, please refer to the relevant Personal Protective Equipment Guidance to the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007.

For online Health and Safety training solutions, please check our Online Health and Safety Training portal!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

Recognising and Promoting Positive Safety Behaviour

For employers there is a legal duty to provide a safe place of work for their employees wherever the place of work maybe. In these COVID-19 times this can and does in many cases mean remote working from home. Health and Safety requires all the stake holders to actively participate in safe work practice and to understand what is involved to create a safe place to work. Giving staff the information and tools to do this is a first step. When on-boarding staff, it is important to carry out a risk assessment that is personal to the employee and their role. Making sure they have the correct training, and any necessary certification is the next step and thereafter the employer needs to monitor compliance and performance.

Office Ergonomics

An effective way of doing this is through an online solution that provides the records and training required. Having such a system that provides 24/7 access to information you can then go further to promote positive safety behaviour. By encouraging ongoing engagement with the core safety information and training you can see which employees are performing well and keeping engaged and up to date. You can incentivise staff to make sure they are aware of safe behaviour and you can encourage them to report unsafe issues that may arise.

It is true that a safe place of work is likely to be a more productive environment for the employee which all contributes to your bottom line. Promoting positive safety behaviour will reduce the risk of accidents and incidents and will reduce days lost to illness or accidents. It will also help you protect your company from the negative publicity and potential legal action arising from an accident in the workplace. Everyone in a working environment requires knowledge and training on safety behaviour and how to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. A desk bound job requires proper ergonomics and knowledge regarding breaks and what to do in an emergency. Even working in the home carries significant risks if a workstation is not correctly set up.

Our pattern and location of work is changing rapidly as a result of the pandemic and is likely to change permanently with a much larger degree of blended work where people attend the office on a part time basis. In this scenario it will become increasingly important to promote positive safety behaviour as the employer will have less control of the work environment while still being legally responsible for it. Even more reason to recognise and promote positive safety behaviour.

Myelearnsafety.com can provide more information on this topic as well as providing a solution to safety training and compliance monitoring. We would be delighted to hear from you with any of your concerns or problems.

Article by Vincent Traynor

Please feel free to contact Cormac on 01 278 1938 or cormac@elearn.ie, if you would like to discuss your health and safety needs further, or take advantage of a complimentary course.