This working at heights procedure template can be used to improve safety when working at heights.
Working at heights is defined as the performance of work at an elevated height of two meters or higher where workers are exposed to the injury of falling. This type of work is common in the construction industry. Working at heights is one of the biggest causes of preventable work injuries and fatalities around the world.
A working at height risk assessment evaluates hazards and risks associated with working above ground/floor level. It is both a moral and legal obligation of employers to have a risk assessment done prior to working at heights in order to formulate and implement preventive measures against potential injuries and fatalities associated with working at heights.
Same as a regular risk assessment, a risk assessing while working at height involves the following steps:
Working at heights is dangerous in more ways than one. Several situations, elements, and factors contribute not only to the overall risk level, but also to the nature of the hazards safety officers and construction workers may face on any given day. Below are the top hazards encountered when working at heights:
Slips, trips, and falls are common accidents that occur when a person loses balance due to sudden changes in surface conditions, obstacles, or uneven flooring. Neglected tools and equipment are one of the common causes of these accidents. Workers must also be clear from any influence of drugs or alcohol, and be fit to work to ensure proper motor functions.
Falling objects are another common hazard when working at heights that can injure workers or damage equipment. To prevent this, it’s important to designate specific areas for tools and materials on elevated platforms. Safety officers should ensure that workers, especially those below, wear hard hats at all times.
Elevated working platforms such as scaffolds and towers can be dangerous if they are poorly designed or maintained. Safety officers must ensure that elevated work platforms follow OSHA standards and are regularly inspected to catch and fix any structural problems promptly.
Fragile roofing refers to roofs not designed to support the weight of workers. To safely use them as work platforms, a proper assessment is necessary to determine the right safety measures. Construction personnel should use roof ladders or crawling boards to evenly distribute weight, allowing the roof to handle the load safely.
Inclement weather such as strong winds, rain, snow, and fog can damage structures, make surfaces slippery, and reduce visibility. During bad weather, it’s safest to stop any work. If work must continue, safety officers should ensure workers are properly trained and equipped with the right PPE to minimize risks and prevent accidents.
At the start of the job it is best practice to determine whether a task requires working at heights. Unless necessary, It is advisable to avoid working at heights and instead encourage workers to use extended or long handled tools for hard to reach locations.
In the event that the work requires working at heights, determine if falls and accidents are preventable. If so, proper equipment (i.e. Mobile Elevated Work Platforms, scaffolds, ladders, PPE) should be used and inspected at all times to ensure that they are in good working condition. If falls and accidents are at risk of occurring or not preventable then safety harnesses and fall protection landing gear should be installed.
Below is a flow-chart that summarizes the decision making process when planning on working at heights:
Before working at heights, a thorough risk assessment is important to ensure safety of your workers. Below is an example of a how to conduct a working at heights risk assessment :
After the inspection, users can then generate a professional report to share with stakeholders and have action plan already in the pipeline :
Working at height is a high-risk activity that requires comprehensive planning and following a lot of safety protocols. Understanding the risk it presents through regular assessments is crucial to ensuring the safety and well-being of workers in such situations. This includes identifying potential hazards, assessing their severity and likelihood, and implementing appropriate measures to mitigate or eliminate them.
A risk assessment should be done before performing a working-at-height task, allowing enough time to identify potential risks, evaluate their severity, and implement appropriate control measures. By doing this, any necessary safety precautions can be put in place to minimize the risk of accidents or injuries occurring during the work at height.
Some of the safety measures that can be implemented to minimize the potential hazards during work at heights include:
SafetyCulture is the world’s leading checklist app when it comes to workplace safety. Conduct paperless and detailed work at heights risk assessments with SafetyCulture’s digital and customizable checklists using any device. Take photo evidence of any risks and assign actions on the spot. Be able to generate instant reports and share them with multiple recipients within the app.
Use this toolbox talk template to identify and share hazards associated with work for the day as well as following up on previously unresolved hazards. Record what was discussed during the working at heights toolbox talk and have all participating members sign off in the app.
Inspection template Powered byUse this template to ensure a stable foundation of a scaffold before working on it. Assess the risk of using a scaffold by checking the structure of the scaffold, its base, height, and dimensions. Capture photos of any defects and rate the overall condition of the scaffold with this inspection checklist.
Inspection template Powered byUse this working at height safety PPE checklist to ensure that all equipment are in good condition. This checklist allows you to describe the hazard, select suitable PPE, then check the quality of PPE by taking photo for further evidence of observation.
Jona Tarlengco is a content writer and researcher for SafetyCulture since 2018. She usually writes about safety and quality topics, contributing to the creation of well-researched articles. Her years of experience in one of the world’s leading business news organisations helps enrich the quality of the information in her work.
Use this toolbox talk template to identify and share hazards associated with work for the day as well as following up on previously unresolved hazards. Record what was discussed during the working at heights toolbox talk and have all participating members sign off in the app.
Use this template to ensure a stable foundation of a scaffold before working on it. Assess the risk of using a scaffold by checking the structure of the scaffold, its base, height, and dimensions. Capture photos of any defects and rate the overall condition of the scaffold with this inspection checklist.
Use this working at height safety PPE checklist to ensure that all equipment are in good condition. This checklist allows you to describe the hazard, select suitable PPE, then check the quality of PPE by taking photo for further evidence of observation.
