Last week I watched an operative on the roof of a nearby 2-storey building with growing concern as he traversed the wet, pitched steel roof with no edge protection. It struck me that this was behaviour I’d seen numerous times in the past, particularly by consultants doing a ‘quick inspection’.
Despite the wider responsibilities (see PCBU’s and officers/workers) and greater risk of prosecution brought about by the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, it seems that we continue to put ourselves and others at risk when it comes to working at height.
While most construction sites generally have safe working at height down to a tee, what happens when the building is finished, the scaffolding gone, and someone needs to fix a small leak or undertake an inspection is a different matter. There’s often no site management, no induction, no permit to work system.
Whether it’s an inspection or maintenance works, the injuries arising from a fall from height (even one below 3m) can be very serious, regardless of the duration of that risk. Worksafe are very clear on the point:
‘Short duration work [work that lasts minutes not hours] at height shall be treated the same way as any other activity at height. Appropriate fall prevention controls shall be put in place, regardless of the time duration of the task.’
Depending on the work to be done, elimination of risk may not be feasible, although drones are playing an increasing role in inspections. Isolation of the risks may be possible through the use of access plant such as mobile elevated work platforms and/or fall restraint systems. Failing that, a fall arrest system (least preferable) may be used to mitigate the risks.
The reality is that, whether you’re a consultancy or a firm of tradies, if you send your people to high places, you need to train them appropriately. This would typically involve training in safe ladder and scaffold use, fall restraint/arrest systems and relevant elevated work platform operation as a minimum.
If you’re a building owner or occupier, property or facilities manager arranging work or inspections by another company, make sure you check that qualifications / certifications are current and relevant. A harness used without the required knowledge can be just as fatal as a fall. Expect to see risk assessments, method statements and rescue plans before anyone straps in.
We should acknowledge the fact that implementing safe methods of working at height for short durations can be an inconvenience. But the temptation to justify risk of harm on the basis that ‘it won’t take long’ must be resisted. The potential damage caused by a fall from height to the lives of the individual, their family and employers, managers and those arranging work (PCBU’s) simply isn’t worth saving a few hours or dollars for.
Further information from Worksafe on safe working at height can be found here.
If you need assistance with or advice on any high access work or inspections, you can contact us or check out our specialist high access facade and roof inspection services.