Newcastle University Estate Support Service

G Morton Jan 2010

Newcastle University – Estate Support Service

Arrangements for Work at Height

1. Main requirements of the Work at Height Regulations

2. Ladders & Stepladders

3. Scaffold – Tube and Fitting and Modular

4. MEWPS - Mobile Elevating Work Platforms

5. Harnesses, lanyards and man safe systems

6. Rope access

7. Employee Fitness for Task

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1.0 The main requirements of the Work at Height Regulations

Overriding principle

You must do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling.

1.1 Duty holders’ responsibilities

The Regulations require duty holders to ensure:

 all work at height is properly planned and organised;  all work at height takes account of weather conditions that could endanger health and safety;  those involved in work at height are trained and competent;  the place where work at height is done is safe;  equipment for work at height is appropriately inspected;  the risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled; and  the risks from falling objects are properly controlled.

1.2 Planning

You must:

 ensure that no work is done at height if it is safe and reasonably practicable to do it other than at height;  ensure that the work is properly planned, appropriately supervised, and carried out in as safe a way as is reasonably practicable;  plan for emergencies and rescue;  take account of the risk assessment

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 where they cannot eliminate the risk of a fall, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall should one occur.  use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where they cannot avoid working at height; and  avoid work at height where they can;

1.3 Weather

 You must ensure that the work is postponed while weather conditions endanger health or safety (but this does not apply to emergency services acting in an emergency).

1.4 Staff training

 You must ensure that everyone involved in the work is competent (or, if being trained, is supervised by a competent person). This includes involvement in organisation, planning, supervision, and the supply and maintenance of equipment.

 Where other precautions do not entirely eliminate the risk of a fall occurring, you must (as far as it is reasonably practicable to do so) train those who will be working at height how to avoid falling, and how to avoid or minimise injury to themselves should they fall.

1.5 The place where work is done

 You must ensure that the place where work is done at height (including the means of access) is safe and has features to prevent a fall, unless this would mean that it is not reasonably practicable for the worker to carry out the work safely (taking into account the demands of the task, equipment and working environment).

1.6 Equipment, temporary structures, and safety features  If you rely on the exception above, you must provide equipment for preventing (as far as is reasonably practicable) a fall occurring. If the precautions do not entirely eliminate the risk of a fall occurring, you must do all that is reasonably practicable to minimise the distance and effect of a fall. 1.7 When selecting equipment for work at height you must:  use the most suitable equipment for the purpose;  give collective protection measures (eg guard rails) priority over personal protection measures (eg safety harnesses);  take account of the working conditions; and risks to the safety of all those at the place where the work equipment is to be used.  ensure equipment is in good condition 1.8 Monitoring Health and Safety

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 Monitoring work at height is incredibly important and should be foremost in everyone’s mind when managing this type of work 2.0 Ladders and Stepladders

2.1 Training/Refresher Training

All employees that have cause to use ladders/stepladders will be provided with formal training prior to them being allowed to use the equipment for the first time. Following this refresher training will be provided at four yearly intervals.

2.2 Equipment

All equipment purchased and provided for use will be manufactured according to the following standards.

Aluminium Ladders – BSEN 131 – Industrial Class 1

Aluminium Stepladders – BS2037 – Industrial Class 1

Glass Fibre Stepladders - BSEN 131 – Industrial Class 1

2.3 Inspection

Pre use inspection

All ladders/stepladders must be inspected by the user every day prior to use, any defects must be reported to the user’s line manager immediately and the ladder taken out of use and quarantined.

2.4 Weekly Inspection

All ladders and stepladders will be given unique identification numbers.

All ladders and stepladders will be inspected weekly and their condition will be recorded on PPM.

In the event that any equipment is found to be defective it will be removed from use immediately and quarantined to prevent its use until such time as it has been destroyed and disposed of or repaired.

Ladder/Stepladder inspection will include an examination of the following:

 missing, damaged or worn anti-slip feet on metal and fibreglass ladders (these are essential for good grip)  items stuck in the feet such as swarf, stones grease or dirt, preventing the feet from making direct contact with the ground  mud, grease or oil either on the rungs or the stiles (the sides)  cracks in the rungs or stiles of the ladder  missing, broken or weakened rungs;

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 missing or damaged tie rods;  check metal ladders for cracked or damaged welds and missing or loose screws or rivets. 2.6 Limitations on the Duration of Work from Ladders/Stepladders

In accordance with guidance provided by the HSE, ESS employees will wherever possible limit the duration of time spent working from ladders/stepladders on individual tasks to 30 minutes.

3.0 Scaffold – Tube and Fitting, System and Tower

3.1 Competence

ESS will only employ competent scaffolding contractors to carry out work on our behalf, that is:

All scaffold contractors employed directly by ESS must be deemed compliant by CHAS (or have successfully passed the ESS Contractors Health and Safety Management Assessment – Stage 1).

All scaffold contractors employed directly by ESS must pass ESS Contractors Health and Safety Competency Assessment – Stage 2.

All scaffold company’s employed directly by ESS must be interviewed by a health and safety panel made up of members from ESS.

All scaffold contractors working on University premises must carry evidence of their training, that is, valid CITB Cards.

3.2 Risk assessment

Prior to scaffold being erected on site the scaffolding contractor must provide the ESS employee responsible for the work with a dynamic risk assessment for the erection of the scaffold that takes into account the specific location. Work may only commence when the ESS employee responsible for the job is satisfied that all risks have been adequately addressed.

3.3 Scaffold Inspection, (tube and fitting, system and towers)

 Scaffold must be inspected at the following frequencies:

 Prior to use for the first time

 Every seven days

 After any event likely to affect the stability of the structure e.g. high winds

 After any significant alteration

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ESS will normally request that the scaffolding contractor carries out these inspections on our behalf. However, we in ESS will always ensure that we have a proportion of our employees formally trained in scaffold appreciation and inspection who will be able to be called upon as and when the need arises.

3.3.1 Written report (scaffold register) A written report must be prepared by the competent person. The report will normally be written out at the time of the inspection but must be provided within twenty-four hours. A copy of the report must be kept on site in an appropriate place e.g. project managers office or with another named person. A further copy must be retained for a period of three months from the completion of the work. 3.4 Protecting others Scaffolding is an allurement and as such reasonable measures must be taken to prevent members of the public/students etc gaining access to the scaffold to climb it. Wherever possible the base of the scaffold must be segregated using 2metre high close mesh fencing (Heras) in addition to this it is also good practice to remove the ladder that extends to ground level. In the event that materials, tools etc could fall from the scaffold then brick guards, debris netting and protective fans must be installed as necessary. Should it be necessary to install scaffolding on footpaths or in areas where it is not possible to segregate pedestrians from the working area, then standards must be covered with protective foam and highlighted to minimise the risk should people collide with them. Where it is necessary to erect scaffolding on roads it will be protected using necessary cones and signs in accordance with the Road and Street Works Act Chapter 8. If the likelihood of the scaffolding being struck by a moving vehicle is high then consideration should be given to further protecting the scaffold using concrete barriers. 3.5 Tower Scaffolding Erection by ESS Employees All of the control measures identified above that are used to eliminate/minimise/control risks to health and safety must be applied. 3.5.1 Training All ESS employees required to erect Tower Scaffold will be authorised to do so and must be trained to PASMA standards. All ESS employees will receive refresher training every three years. A copy of the manufacturers instruction for the safe use of particular towers scaffolds must be available to employees while the scaffold is being built. 4.0 Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWP’s) A mobile elevated work platform (MEWP) describes a piece of powered access equipment that can be moved along the ground e.g. cherry picker, scissor lift etc

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4.1 Competence All ESS employees required to operate MEWP’s will be trained and certified by Institute of Powered Access Federation (IPAF) approved trainers. IPAF Refresher training will be provided at three yearly intervals to all ESS employees. 4.2 Inspection and Thorough examination All MEWP’s will be inspected every day prior to use. All MEWP’s will undergo thorough examinations at frequencies specified by a nominated competent person in accordance with The Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations. 4.3 Maintenance All MEWP’s will be maintained in accordance with manufacturers instructions, a record of all maintenance will be recorded. 4.4 Protecting others Risk assessment will determine the methods to be used to segregate the working area

5.0 Harnesses, lanyards and man safe systems 5.1 Training All ESS employees required to use harnesses, lanyards and fall arrest systems must be authorised and must have received formal training in the safe use and inspection of this equipment. 5.2 Inspection All harnesses and lanyards must be marked with unique reference numbers and inspected prior to use Thorough annual inspections will be carried out by a trained and competent person, the equipments condition must then be entered onto the maintenance PPM system. In the event that any equipment is found to be damaged or contaminated it must be reported to the appropriate line manager immediately, removed from use and the securely stored until such time as it can be repaired, destroyed and/or disposed of. 5.2.1 Inspection (Man Safe and fall arrest systems) All man safe and similar fall arrest systems installed on University buildings will undergo thorough examinations at frequencies specified by a nominated competent person in accordance with The Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations. 5.3 Maintenance All harnesses, lanyards and fall arrest systems must be maintained and stored in accordance with manufacturers instructions. 6.0 Rope access All contractors employed to carry out rope access work on behalf of ESS must be members of the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) and must carry evidence of competence with them at all times while working on University premises. 7.0 Employee Fitness for Task

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Employees that suffer from the following conditions must not use ladders/stepladders and must inform their line manager immediately. Arrangements will then be made for the individual to be assessed by Newcastle University, Occupational Health Unit.

 Recurring dizziness  Epilepsy  Fear of heights  Heart condition  Severe lung conditions  Alcohol and drug abuse  Significant impaired joint function  Medication that recommends you do not operate machinery