RC1259595

#1 WALS CLOSE OFF PETER ODILI ROAD TRANS-AMADI,

PORTHARCOURT RIVERS STATE NIGERIA

Document Title:

Working at Height Policy And Procedure

Document Number: NISNL-QHSE-WAHP-021

Rev Rev. Date Description Prepared By Reviewed By Approved By

Jan Issued for
01 Aniekan A. Dumbari N. Austin E.
27/2021 Review
 Doc. No: NISNL-QHSE-WAHP-021

Working at Height Policy And Procedure

AUTHORIZATION

Name Title Signature Date

Jan 27th 2021
Ochuko
Onobrakpor
Technical Advisor
Ochuko Onobrakpor
Jan 27th 2021
Dumbari Nwikwor Operation Director
Dumbari Nwikwor
Jan 27th 2021
Austin Edema Managing Director
Austin Edema

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 Doc. No: NISNL-QHSE-WAHP-021

Working at Height Policy And Procedure

Amendment History

Issue Status Date Reason for Change Authorized

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 Doc. No: NISNL-QHSE-WAHP-021

Working at Height Policy And Procedure

CONTENTS

Introduction 5
Purpose 5
Definitions 5
Roles and Responsibilities 6
Risk Assessment 8
Use of ladders 9
Permit to Work 10
References 10
Appendices 11

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Working at Height Policy And Procedure

1. Introduction

The purpose of Work at Height Regulations 2005 is to prevent death and injury caused by a
fall from height, by this law NETCORE is responsible in controlling the risks associated
with working at height in any place, where if suitable measures are not taken a person
could fall a distance liable to cause injury.

The regulations place duties on employers to ensure that if there is any requirement for a
person to work at height all factors involved in the planning, organisation and provision of
access equipment, have been given adequate attention to ensure the safety of those
individuals has been maintained.

Most organisations will require employees to use equipment to perform a variety of tasks
from filing in an office, hanging blinds, cleaning, decorating and painting, changing light
bulbs, etc., and the Working at Height Regulations will apply. The NETCORE approach
will be to design out the risks of working at height so far as is reasonably practicable.
Where working at height is necessary, the company will ensure all that responsible
supervisors identify the tasks within their areas where such equipment is used. They will
ensure that the equipment is fit for purpose and that employee is competent in its use.
Training may vary from the simple demonstration of a ladder, to more formal training in
specialist equipment. Responsible supervisors will also need to ensure contractors are
suitably competent and are using the correct equipment for the task.

Every work location as its own peculiarities were there may be risks from animals such as
birds while working on a platform. While this is possible NETCORE responsible supervisors
will assess the risks before commencement of task and as far as reasonably practicable
e n s u r e t h a t p e r s o n n e l a r e aware of these risks before carrying out the
activity.

2. Purpose
The purpose of this document is to ensure that NETCORE provides, so far as is
reasonably practicable, a safe working environment free from working at height hazards:
by ensuring that potential hazards in the workplace are identified, risk assessed and
managed. It describes the procedures which should be followed, and the factors which
should be taken into account by all employees when dealing with aspects of working at
height in the workplace.

3. Definitions

3.1 Height
Any distance that a person or an object may fall leading to fatality or injury, loss or
damage to property.

3.2 Fall
A fall is an event whereby an individual unintentionally comes to rest on the ground or
another lower level (excluding intentional change in position to rest in furniture, wall or
other objects), or any uncontrolled descent of a person or an object from a height.

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Working at Height Policy And Procedure

3.3 Working at Height

Includes moving around at a place of work and will include any place at or below ground
level, which requires access or egress to be achieved whilst at work, except by use of a
permanent staircase. This would include the use of step stools, stepladders, ladders,
specialist access equipment, i.e. mobile elevated work platforms, traditional scaffold,
quick fit scaffold, etc.

It will also include work on any roof area, or any platform or intermediary area, where
access has been achieved by using any of the equipment mentioned above.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

4.1 M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r

The M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r has overall responsibility for the implementation of this

procedure and in turn this responsibility is delegated to the line managers and site
supervisor to ensure enforcement

4.2 P r o j e c t o r F a c i l i t y M a n a g e r s

They are responsible for enforcement of all requirements, rules and established
guidelines as outlined in this procedure. They ensure personnel in his/her responsibility
are provided with needed and necessary training for this procedure.

4.3 Health and Safety Manager

The Health and Safety Manager is responsible for providing reports on all working
at height incidents for discussion and consideration for addition to the risk register,
and/or the assurance framework.

4.4 S ite supervisor

All site supervisors who are responsible for supervising personnel required carry out
work at height will ensure that personnel understand and adhere to this procedure and
related documents, and in addition the supervisors must:

 where possible, avoid working at height

 Carry out an assessment of all tasks which could be classed as working at height

 Ensure a Permit to Work (PTW) is in place where necessary

 Determine the most appropriate means of access/ egress

 Take into account weather conditions that could endanger health and safety

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Working at Height Policy And Procedure

 Plan for emergencies and rescue

 Ensure personnel carrying out the task are competent to use the equipment
which will include correct assembly, and as appropriate fixing and securing.

 Provide collective protection measures (e.g. guard rails) priority over personal
protection measures (e.g. safety harnesses).

 Ensure that training is given to all personnel using working at height equipment,
which is appropriate to complexity of the equipment.

 Ensure the risk of falling objects is minimised while working at heights e.g.
the fitting of toe boards and/or netting should be considered

 implementing any actions identified from incidents

 Ensure that any fragile areas are adequately marked and made known
to employees or others as appropriate

 Ensure that any system of access equipment in use for extended periods is
subject to inspection by a competent person to ensure it remains safe, e.g. with
scaffolding- weekly inspections

 Ensure access equipment is periodically examined even when not in use to

ensure it is maintained in good condition.

 maintain a record of all ladders and steps within their work area and must
ensure they are inspected at least once a year, and that a record of the inspection
is kept.

 As necessary engage specialist contractors where heights are considered

beyond the capability of employees

4.5 P e r sonnel

Any employee who is required to work at height will:

 Ensure any equipment they use remains safe and that they are authorised
and trained to use the equipment

 Report any defects immediately to your manager or supervisor

 Report any difficulty or danger regarding the height or the means of access to it

 Make use of any equipment designed to prevent individuals falling or objects falling

 Attend training to ensure competency with use of any access equipment or system

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Working at Height Policy And Procedure

 Ensure equipment, s u b j e c t t o p e r i o d i c m a i n t e n a n c e
p r o g r a m m e , h a s b e e n maintained before using it.

 Report any ill health that may permanently or temporarily affect working at heights

5. Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is the means by which work at height activities and precautions
required should be identified.

Risk Assessment could include, but not be limited to, the following issues:

 Access to and egress to/from the area of work

 Height of the work

 The area of work

 Ground conditions (loading etc…)

 Fragile structures (fragile roof/sky lights etc…)

 Falling materials

 Identification & suitability of fall from height protection methods

 Overhead & buried services

 Weather

 Night work/light levels

 Security of the access

 Lifting operations

 Management of emergencies

Considering the Risk Control Hierarchy is a key part of the risk assessment and decision
making process as to how to work safely. The r e s p o n s i b l e s u p e r vi s o r has to
ask the following risk control questions in order to identify work at height activities and
ensure adequate precautions are taken:

 Can the need to work at height be avoided in the first place?

 If avoidance is not reasonably practicable, the r e s p o n s i b l e s u p e r vi s o r

should consider the next stage of the hierarchy which is fall prevention. Can a
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Working at Height Policy And Procedure

fall be prevented by utilizing an existing place of work?

 If fall prevention is not reasonably practicable or measures outlined above do

not eliminate the risk of a fall occurring, then the r e s p o n s i b l e s u p e r vi s o r
should mitigate the effects of a fall. Can work equipment be used to minimize the
distance and/or consequences of a fall?

 Finally, if it is not reasonably practicable to prevent or mitigate the effects of

fall, r e s p o n s i b l e s u p e r v i s o r should identify and provide additional training
and instruction or take other additional suitable and sufficient measures to
prevent a fall. Can additional training, instruction and other suitable and
sufficient measures be taken to prevent so far as is reasonably practicable, any
person falling a distance liable to cause personal injury?

A flow chart showing the Hierarchy of Control can be found at Appendix 1.

5.1 Rescue/Recovery

The law requires that when you work at height, you also plan for emergencies and rescue.
These arrangements should not rely on the fire brigade as this may result in a delay which
may be critical. Rescue kits are available and suppliers can provide training in their use so
that in house equipment and expertise can be provided

If a plan is necessary, a simulation must be undertaken to ensure that it is effective and

highlights any changes needed.

Examples of when a rescue plan would be required:

 Working in a MEWP (i.e. cherry picker)

 Erection/dismantling of scaffolding

6. The use of ladders

The main cause of all injuries from working at height is people falling from ladders. Ladder
and stepladder use can be justified using the bottom of the hierarchy, providing the user
has been trained and instructed in the selection and safe use of ladders, and systems are
in place to ensure ladders are maintained and inspected.

Decisions and authorization of the use of ladders must be made by a competent person
who has risk assessed the situation. Ladders do not prevent a fall or mitigate a fall but if
used by trained operators in appropriate circumstances, i.e. Low risk and for short
durations, their use can be justified.

When it is necessary to use ladders precautions should normally be taken to prevent a

leaning ladder slipping or falling (refer to HSE Guidance INDG455). The hierarchy of
precautions in descending order of effectiveness is:

 Where possible, tie (or equally effective secure) the ladder at the top. If this is not
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Working at Height Policy And Procedure

reasonably practicable; then

 Tie it part way down (i.e. through a window), or at or near the foot; then

 Use an effective ladder stability device; then

 Wedge the ladder against a suitable fixed structure (e.g. a wall); then

 ‘Foot it’. The best method of footing is by facing the ladder with feet on the bottom
rung, each foot as far apart as possible on the rung (stile to stile), and both hands
on the stiles. The person footing the ladder should remain in the position described
until the person using the ladder has descended to at least the halfway point. The
user and footer should not overload the ladder.

7. Permit to Work

PTW systems detail the work to be carried out, how and when it is to be done and the
precautions to be taken. PTW systems are applicable to all staff including contractors.

With regard to Working at Height within the Trust all roof work where the roof has no fall
protection requires a PTW, this includes roof access. PTW may also be necessary for
other Working at Height tasks.

Further guidance and information can be found in the Trust Permit to Work Procedure.

8. References

The following references and further reading are applicable to this document:

 Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974

 Health and Safety Executive W orking at Height Regulations (2005) amended – A

brief guide

 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

 The Workplace (Health Safety and W elfare) Regulations 1992

 NETCORE Permit to Work Procedure

9. Appendices

Appendix 1 – Hierarchy of Control

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Working at Height Policy And Procedure

Hierarchy of Control

YES Can Working at Height be avoided i.e.

working from ground level

NO

Can falls be prevented by appropriate

work equipment i.e. MEWPs, suspended Collective Fall
YES Protection
cradles, edge protection?

NO

Can consequences of a fall be minimised by

the use of collective fall protection i.e. Collective Fall
YES
Protection
safety nets, airbags, landing mats?

NO

Can work restraint PPE i.e. running lines be

employed to prevent workers from reaching Personal Fall
YES Protection
hazardous areas?

NO

Can work position PPE be employed i.e. fall Personal Fall

Protection
YES arrest harnesses?

NO

Develop a Safe System of Work

Suspend work

Undertake Works

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