HSE Issue Updated And Simplified Working From Heights Guidance

Following its government dictate to re-write all of its guidance document sin order to ensure businesses aren't confused as to their responsibilities and safe ways of working, the HSE has now issued new guidance on working at height.

Additionally their guidance document on the safe use of ladders and step-ladders has also been updated.

The Access Industry Forum (AIF), the forum created in 2004 by the leading trade bodies to represent the position of the access industry on matters of legislation and regulation, has welcomed the launch by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of new and simplified guidance for working at height.

It says that the new guidance was produced in consultation with the organisation and that "the new guidance advocates sensible and proportionate management of the risks and is in response to Professor Ragnar Lofstedt' recommendation for clearer and simpler guidance on the requirements of the Work at Height Regulations (WAHR). The Regulations themselves remain unchanged."

Forum chair Peter Bennett said in a press release:

"It was clear from the outset that where problems existed with the Work at Height Regulations, they arose from the misinterpretation of the Regulations rather than from the Regulations themselves.

With falls from height still the biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the main causes of major injuries, what was needed was better awareness and understanding of the Regulations, rather than a dilution of the law. This could potentially have put people at greater risk with shattering consequences for their families, friends and colleagues.

All of the organisations who operate in the work at height sector foster and support codes of good practice - minimum standards for equipment; trained and qualified operatives, and education and information activities. This major overhaul of HSE guidance setting out in clear simple terms what to do and what not to do, can only help advance the height safety agenda.

Going forward, the real challenge is to change the thinking and consequent behaviour of not only those who work at height, but also those who are responsible for its planning and implementation. No one sets out to fall from height, but there are many, many people on a daily basis who are prepared to take that risk."

So many media myths have been built around the working from heights regulations, aminly by those who demand no health and safety regulations at all! They argue that common sense is all that is reqwuired, not regulation!

In order to tackle such myths: HSE have banned the use of ladders on building sites, HSE has banned the use of ladders to access scaffolds and you will be fined if you ignore this ban, and You need to be formally ‘qualified’ before using a ladder at work; the HSE has issued a number of 'myth buster' statements, including on the newly designed and amended guidance on the use of ladders and step-ladders. Their website also lists common myths and destroys them.

Both documents can be downloaded from the E-Library Database by selecting category 'working from height'

Source: HSE / AIF / Unionsafety

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