This document discusses safety procedures for working at heights. It defines working at heights as being 1.5 meters or more above a working platform. It notes that in 2007-2008, 67 people died and nearly 4000 were seriously injured from falls in the workplace. It outlines common factors that lead to accidents, including lack of safe work systems, failure to use proper equipment, and failure to inspect scaffolds. It provides guidelines for safely using scaffolds, ladders, and other equipment and ensuring the safety of workers and the public. It emphasizes the importance of following safe work procedures and using fall protection to prevent incidents.

1. Working at heights
Ali Al Amri
QEN/111A

2. Contents
• Objective
• Introduction
• Common factors
• Safety of personnel on platform
• Safe use of scaffolds
• Scaffold inspection
• Ladders
• Protecting the Public
• How to prevent incidents

3. Objective
Awareness of risks involved in working at heights
and how these can be overcome.
Definition: 1.5 meters above working platform
considered ‘height’.

4. Introduction
In 2007/2008 67 people died and nearly
4000 suffered a serious injury as a result
of a fall from height in the workplace.
In 2007/2008 53 people died and nearly
3800 injured.
www.hse.gov.uk/falls/

5. Common factors
• Failure to provide safe systems of work
(inadequate instruction…etc).
• Failure to ensure that safe systems of work are
followed.
• Failure to use appropriate equipment.
• Failure to provide safe plant/equipment.

6. Safety of personnel on platform
Work at height should be carried out from
a platform with suitable edge protection.
Ladders can only be used as a mean of
getting to a workplace.

7. Safe use of scaffolds:
• Do not alter the scaffolding to gain access for
work.
• Erection and alteration should only be made by a
competent scaffolding team.
• Never work on platforms that are not fully
grated/boarded.
• Do not overload platforms (spread load evenly).

8. Scaffold inspection
▼Scaffolds must be inspected and certified by a
competent scaffolding supervisor.
• Before first use;
• After substantial alteration;
• At regular intervals.
▼Any faults found must be reported.

9. Ladders
▼Scaffolding ladders should be in a good condition and
regularly examined.
▼They should be secured so they cannot slip.
▼They should be protruding the platform.
▼The ladder should be angled to minimize the risk of
slipping outwards.

10. Protecting the public
▼Ensure the working platform is designed to
carry the load from stored materials and
equipment.
▼Platforms/scaffolding should be designed
to prevent materials falling.
▼Never ‘bomb’ materials from height.

11. To prevent these incidents
• Apply the 3 point rule.
• Use fall protection equipment.
• Develop and encourage a culture of intervention.
• Make sure the employees comply with safe working
procedures.

12. Case Study – Recent Incident
October 4, 2005 - Sakhalin Energy
Fatality from a fall from the platform access ladder
Location of the landing
The access ladders

13. Twin Webbing Lanyard

14. QUESTIONS ?!