When working at height, it is important that safe roof
access hatches, guardrails and fall protection measures
are in place. James Fisher of Bilco offers some tips on
sourcing the most appropriate access solution
WorkWhen working at height, it is important that safe roof
access hatches, guardrails and fall protection measures
are in place. James Fisher of Bilco offers some tips on
sourcing the most appropriate access solution
Working at height can
present serious risks for
maintenance personnel,
painters, window cleaners and others
if there is not safe access to get on and
off roofs. Indeed, falls from height
remain the most common cause of
workplace fatalities. According to HSE
statistics in 2010/11, falls from height
accounted for 20 fatalities, and over
3,000 injuries that caused the injured
person to be off work for three days or
more.
On a more positive note, the number of
falls from heights is decreasing, thanks
in part to designers' willingness to
embrace the HSE regulations regarding
working at height. However,
manufacturers are also playing their
part by working in conjunction with
employers and regulatory bodies to
provide equipment and machinery that
improves standards of safety.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005
apply to all work at height where there
is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal
injury. It is the responsibility of
employers and/or any person who
controls the work of others to ensure that
workers are safe. At the same time, it is
equally important for manufacturers of
access equipment that is used at height to
engage with companies and provide
solutions best suited to health & safety
requirements, as well as any other
equipment issues.
Access hatches need to be appropriately
sized and sited to allow people - and, if
necessary, equipment - to be taken on
and off roofs. Building designers also need
to consider whether a ladder provides safe
access (depending on how the hatch will
be used) or whether a hatch should be
designed to be accessible from stairs.
Furthermore, consideration should be
given to whether or not equipment can be
safely lifted through the hatch manually,
or if a hoist (or a similar device) should be
provided on the roof.
Another necessity for roof access
hatches is that they have lift assistance -
to enable easy, one-handed opening - and
hold-open devices to prevent them from
being blown closed by the wind. To
maximise safety, motorised covers are
often employed to eliminate manual
handling of the cover.
Product selection is often left with the
contractor, which may not always be wise,
as this can lead to a cost-influenced
decision, rather than a safety-conscious
solution. This may seem like a good idea
in the short-term, but it is better investing
a little more to begin with to ensure that a
safe, long lasting, quality product is
specified.
In addition to roof access hatches,
ladders also help to emphasise the
importance of providing the right
equipment to ensure people are safe,
particularly when working at height. The
HSE advises that when climbing or
working from a ladder, three points of
contact should be maintained at all times.
If someone is working from a ladder and a
handhold cannot be maintained other
than for a period of time (e.g. holding a
nail to start hammering it in) then other
measures need to be taken in order to
prevent a fall or reduce the consequences
of one.
Fortunately, there are products available
on the market that assist with keeping
three points of contact on a ladder, such
as specially designed, telescopic posts
which permanently mount to the top two
rungs of any fixed ladder, making it easier
to enter and exit an access hatch. These
can easily be retrofitted. Ladders can also
be fitted with safety cages and guardrails,
which further bolster their health & safety
credentials and meet the requirements of
relevant standards.
Finally, fall protection is another
essential requirement for those working at
height. Specifiers should consider utilising
protection grating systems over floor
doors and railing systems around open
roof hatches. These systems will allow the
operator to leave the cover open, enabling
light and ventilation into the area below.
When working at height, it is essential
that every available health & safety
measure has been undertaken. Although
the number of injuries and fatalities is
decreasing year on year, there are still too
many. Specifiers need to ensure that they
work together with the manufacturers of
safety products to ensure that long term,
high quality measures are in place.
James Fisher is general manager at Bilco
UK/Europe.
