Working at height: Safety tips:
Working at height is an activity that requires special attention and care to ensure worker safety. Whether in construction, building maintenance or electrical installations, it is essential to follow safety standards to avoid accidents.
When working at height, it is important to have good planning and preparation, including the use of appropriate safety equipment, such as seat belts, helmets and gloves. Furthermore, it is necessary to guarantee the stability and support of the structure where the work will be carried out.
The risks involved in working at height are high, and accidents can result in serious injuries and even death. Therefore, it is important that companies and workers are aware of the risks and take the necessary measures to prevent accidents.
In , there are several regulatory standards, the standard that regulates work at height. This standard establishes minimum safety requirements for working at heights and must be followed by all companies and workers involved. Click Here for Working at height Course
If you are looking for a company specialized in working at heights, it is important to look for those that follow regulatory standards and have qualified and experienced professionals. A reliable company must also have high-quality safety equipment and guarantee periodic training for its employees.
In short, working at height requires special care and attention to detail to ensure worker safety. Following regulatory standards and relying on a specialized and reliable company is essential to avoid accidents and ensure a job well done.
1 – Working at height requires planning:
In this article we present five workplace safety tips for working at heights.
Firstly, Established instructions regarding planning when working at heights.
Worker who will work at height will be trained and authorized.
And above all, keep in the credential the skills that the worker is authorized to perform.
Furthermore, it is essential that you have permission to work at heights on your credentials. And at all times, this credential must be with the worker.
As long as this credential is with the person working at heights, keep track of the due date for each training session.
In addition to skills, training and other care, the worker must be evaluated by occupational medicine, and that this skill must be recorded.
Therefore, with the precautions mentioned in the previous paragraphs, also check:
- Carry out risk analysis of the activity;
- Have a work permit, when it is a non-routine activity;
- Inspect and test PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
Risk analysis – Working at height:
The risk analysis must be prepared with the existing risks in mind, and with the participation of the entire team.
We have to keep in mind that this analysis is a tool that will make sense if thought about collectively.
Additionally, archive your Risk Analysis for future reference.
When working at height is non-routine, a work permit must be obtained. In this case, ask the person responsible for the area to sign the PT (Work Permit).
Items to consider in PT:
a) The minimum requirements to be met to carry out the work;
b) The provisions and measures established in the Risk Analysis;
c) The list of all those involved and their authorizations.
Keeping all this documentation up to date, inspecting the PPE before starting activities is extremely important.
Furthermore, it is good practice to keep all inspections on file and monitor the useful life of each piece of equipment.
In the case of the seat belt, carefully evaluate the condition of the lanyards (double) and the belt itself.
Observing possible cuts, fraying of the fabric and any damage, It is necessary to discard and replace it, after all, the belt is the main PPE for working at heights!
And at all times it is necessary to be docked with both lanyards at the same time. Undocking one only to change anchorage location.
2 – Signal and isolate the workplace before starting activities:
Isolation and signage of the work execution area! Both isolation and signaling must be done before starting activities. In other words, never start an activity at height without isolating the entire perimeter.
Both isolation and signage of the work area prevent possible accidents and keep those who are not involved in the execution away from unnecessary risk, for example.
Insulation can be the difference in the event of accidental falling of tools or other objects. It ensures that there is a minimum number of people accessing the workplace, thus providing greater safety in the work environment.
3 – Use of recommended PPE and EPC = greater safety when working at height:
As stated in the subtitle above, using PPE and EPC (Collective Protection Equipment) correctly is not everything nor does it guarantee zero accidents, but we can say that it is more safety.
Full safety, if we can say so, will be achieved by following all the measures established in the standard, putting into practice all the precautions listed in the risk analyses, for example, and of course, being careful with the use of EPC and PPE.
Therefore, when carrying out work at heights, we must take special care regarding the use of PPE and EPC.
Inspection and care and conservation:
Protective equipment for individual and collective use must be inspected, as we said before, and the correct use of this equipment must be guided.
In the case of a seat belt, a good fit of the equipment to the body, visual inspection of its components, anchorage location, for example, are good practices that we must have in everyday life.
The same goes for lifting platforms, fixed platforms, access stairs, guardrails, etc. These items need to be inspected and maintained in good working condition.
Before starting activities at height, check the conditions and make sure you are using all the necessary PPE.
The purpose of this article is not to list all PPE (since this should be included in your Risk Analysis), but to warn about its correct use.
