CONTRACTOR KILLED IN FALL FROM ROOF

1
A briefing tool for managers

• WORKING AT HEIGHT
• Work at height is work in any place at, above or
  below, ground level, where a person could be
  injured, if they fell from that place.
• Access and egress to a place of work, can also be
  working at height.
• Examples of working at height are-,
• Working on a roof
• Working from a ladder
• Work at ground level adjacent to an open
  excavation
• Work anywhere where there is a risk of falling
• Erecting and working from scaffolding
• Work near or adjacent to fragile surfaces e.g.
  skylights
• WHY MANAGE WORK AT HEIGHT
• Work at Height Regulations 2005
• 45 workers across industry died in 2007 as a
  result of falls from height and 3,750 suffered
  injury
• Biggest cause of workplace death
  
• One of the biggest causes of major injuries,
• 2/3rds of major injuries, caused by low falls

LUCKY ESCAPE A trapdoor was cut in a landing to
give access to the top of tankers without having
to climb the tank ladder. The possibility of
someone falling through the hole, (see photo),
was not considered so no hand railing was placed
around the trapdoor. As a result an employee was
lucky to escape with a broken shoulder when he
nearly fell through the opening after the
trapdoor was left open.
CONTRACTOR KILLED IN FALL FROM ROOF
An overseas contractor died after falling 4
metres from a building roof at an aggregates
quarry. The contractor was removing corrugated
sheets from the building. At the time of the
incident he was trying to access a ladder, which
was secured against a steel girder, to climb down
for his lunch. As he attempted to do this, he
slid on an unfixed corrugated sheet and fell to
the ground below. Sadly, he died 3 days later
from his injuries.
FALL RESULTS IN FRACTURE from relatively low
height
A sub contractor working on a new silo fell from
a temporary working platform whilst aligning
plates. The platform was designed considering the
fact that the work being undertaken required
frequent modification of the platform to allow
insertion of silo plates. The platform included a
top handrail with a 100 mm lug fitting down into
support tubes and a restraining strap fitted as
an intermediate handrail. The top handrail
became dislodged from its fixings at one end and
the contractor fell backwards over the
intermediate strap falling 1.1metres to the
ground. The resulting fall caused the contractor
to fracture his collarbone. (SA04/2008)
CONTRACTOR KILLED IN 27m FALL An contractor fell
27 metres to his death while working on a major
project at a company cement plant overseas during
a planned maintenance shut down period. Several
contractors were working on the construction of a
new bag filter structure and their work involved
them being on 3 different platform levels to
carry out the various tasks that were needed.
After noticing some of the steel floor grids on
the 3rd (highest platform level) were insecure in
one area, the deceased asked another contractor
to weld the floor in place while he proceeded to
check the security of the floor grids with his
foot in other areas. Tragically, while he was
doing this, a section of floor grid flipped over
and the contractor fell through the hole the
missing grid had created and straight through the
other two platform levels to the ground through
holes that had been left open following the
removal of some old ducting.
2
Working at Height Preparation This stop and think
talk can be used individually or with a group of
people. It could be delivered in the workplace
where examples of Working at Height can be
observed or where equipment used in Working at
Height is stored. If you are carrying out a
practical demonstration, take care that the area
is suitable for people to hear and see what you
are doing. Participants should receive a copy of
the talk for their CPD files as well as signing
the training declaration. Introduction (After
reading out the case studies) Work at height can
and does take the form of many activities, even
when working on purpose made platforms or in
buildings there is the potential to create a
working at height risk by the removal of flooring
or barriers. The use of mobile elevated
platforms, tower scaffolding, ladders and other
work with the potential to fall from height MUST
be assessed and planned to eliminate (or
minimise), the possibility of anyone falling from
that height.
THE TALK
Use the questions below to open the discussion
under each heading and then go through the
lists explaining in detail each hazard / control
and what is expected

• Hazards
• Question 1 What are the hazards of working from
  height?
• Falling
• Someone being struck by falling object
• Both aspects have to be considered when working
  at height. It is not just about the protection
  of the persons at height but also the potential
  affect on those below.
• Question 2 What is work at height? Where are
  you required to "work at height?
• Working on a roof
• Working from a ladder
• Work at ground level adjacent to an open
  excavation
• Work anywhere where there is a risk of falling
• Erecting and working from scaffolding
• Work near or adjacent to fragile surfaces e.g.
  skylights
• There is no specific height where the term
  working at height applies. Work where any fall
  could result in injury is considered working at
  height.
• Risk Assessment
• Question 3 Who should assess the work at
  height?
• Anyone undertaking or planning to undertake work
  at height

• Controls
• Question 6 How would you control work at
  height?
• Risk Assessment
• Worksafe
• Permit to Work
• Effective supervision
• Consideration must be given to
• The potential for working in a safer,
  alternative way to eliminate
• the need for access at height.
• The potential for objects as well as personnel
  to fall, always
• considering people below.
• Selection of correct and effective control
  measures and
• appropriate equipment.
• The possibility of adverse weather conditions
  and other
• changes that may influence the working
  conditions.
• Selection of approved and suitable anchor
  points for equipment
• and the condition of any supporting structures.

3
Working at Height Training RecordThe people
listed below have received instruction in Working
at Height as detailed on the previous pages. By
signing below they are confirming that they
understand the safe systems of working discussed
and will adhere to these in the workplace.
Date Name Signature Instructed by