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New Occupational Health and Safety (Prevention of Falls) Regulations
2003 apply to all workplaces where there is any chance at all of a
fall of more than 2 metres as of the 31 March 2004.
The Regulations provide three steps to follow in
identifying and assessing a fall risk.
1. Identify all Fall Hazards
Employers must identify all workplace tasks where there is a
chance of someone falling more than 2 metres.
Special notice must be taken of particular tasks that are done in
circumstances that make a fall more likely including:
-
Work done on slippery or unstable surfaces.
-
Using equipment to gain height to do work.
-
Work done close to a place where a fall could easily
happen.
2. Assess the risk of a fall
Employers must then undertake a risk assessment. The risk
assessment will identify the likelihood of the fall occurring and
the consequence of the fall. This will assist in determining the
priority of implementing control measures to reduce or remove the fall
risk.
3. Remove or reduce the risk
The first priority in all cases is to remove the risk
altogether. Where this is not possible use a risk control measure
that produces the lowest practicable risk of a fall.
The preferred risk control measures are the ones that
aren’t dependent on a worker’s skill or action for them to be
effective. For example, in most situations, it’s better to use a fixed
barrier compared to a safety harness and anchoring system to prevent a
fall.
Risk control measures
These measures are listed from safest to least safe. Less
safe options should only be considered after safer options are ruled
out. The Regulations allow for a combination of risk control measures
to be able to control the risk of a fall properly.
1. Eliminate the risk of a fall
Determine whether you can avoid doing the work at height or if you can
do the work on a solid structure where there is no risk of a fall.
2. Use passive fall prevention devices:
Investigate using passive fall prevention devices. For example:
-
Scaffolds (fixed or mobile).
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Guard railing or perimeter screening.
-
Building maintenance equipment.
-
Temporary work platforms such as scissor-lifts,
cherry-pickers, work boxes specifically designed to hold people and
lifted by cranes, hoists or other types of lifting equipment.
-
Roof safety mesh.
3. Use work-positioning systems:
Consider work positioning systems that include:
-
Industrial rope access systems (they usually involve
ropes, rope friction devices, harnesses and anchoring systems).
-
Travel restraint systems (these involve harnesses and
anchoring systems used to limit the movement of the wearer or stop a
fall).
-
A drainer’s hoist.
4. Use fall injury prevention systems:
Implement a fall injury prevention system. These systems don’t
stop a fall but aim to minimise the distance someone can fall and
therefore reduce any subsequent injuries resulting from the fall. They
include things like:
5. Use ladders or administrative systems:
If all of the above measures above are not practical, look at
using a ladder or administrative system to control the risk of a fall.
These two options are equally poor ways to control the risk of a fall.
An “administrative system” includes things like
arranging work procedures to either eliminate or reduce risk. An
example of an administrative system would be a work procedure that
directs workers not to approach a place where a fall is possible.
There are special requirements associated with the use of these two
systems:
-
A ladder then it must be set up correctly and be
appropriate for the type of work and the duration of the work.
-
An administrative control on its own then it must be
recorded along with a description of the work to which it relates.
Provide Training to all staff
Provide information, instruction and training to workers on the
work that involves a fall hazard and on the safety measures put in
place to control the risk of a fall. This will enable them to identify
other potential fall hazards prior to working in a potentially
dangerous situation.
By law that all employees
have the responsibility to follow any safety procedures the employer has put in place.
Implement Emergency Procedures
Employers are required to have emergency procedures in place. The procedures must cover rescue and first aid and be
quick to implement if an emergency arises.
Consider emergency procedures before committing to a
fall protection measure, since rescuing people from some fall
protection measures can in itself be dangerous and require a high
level of skill to carry out safely.
Utilise Health and Safety Representatives
Where an OH&S representative is available in the workplace, the
employer is obliged to consult them on fall hazard identification,
risk assessment and decisions on control of risk.
This article is for information purposes only and you
are advised to consult the Regulations for detailed requirements of
the new laws.
To give us feedback on this article contact Cetec
here.
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