Working safely at height
The biggest risks when working at height? Falling employees or incidents due to falling objects. As an employer, you want to avoid both these situations. IDEWE will guide you through a suitable approach and the right protective equipment.
What is considered as working at height?
Working at height is any situation where an employee is working above the ground. Examples:
- Working on ladders, fixed or mobile scaffolding
- Working on roofs or elevated platforms
- Maintenance and installation work on facades or structures
Working at height has two big risks:
- Falls from height due to a lack of protection, unstable surfaces or improper use of ladders and scaffolding
- Falling objects such as tools or materials causing damage or injury
What is the law regarding working at height?
The regulations on working at height are part of the Codex on employee wellbeing. The Codex requires employers to take various measures to limit their employees’ fall risk:
- Carrying out risk assessments before starting work at height
- Provision of appropriate fall protection and protective equipment as needed
- Training employees on the safe use of equipment such as ladders and scaffolding
When is fall protection mandatory?
Are your employees at risk of falling two metres or more? In that case, fall protection is mandatory. Depending on the situation, you can implement collective protection such as handrails or nets, or if that is not possible, personal protection such as harnesses and shock absorbers.
Fall protection is also mandatory in the following situations:
- Work on unstable surfaces
- Working with aerial work platforms or mobile scaffolding
- Work at heights under two metres if a fall can have serious consequences
Learn more about the specific guidelines in our client area.
How do you reduce the risk of falls?
Follow these steps to reduce the fall risk for your employees:
- Make an inventory. List all permanent work at height, such as working on roofs, stairs and fixed work platforms. Also list temporary situations such as the use of ladders, scaffolding and aerial work platforms.
- Carry out a risk assessment: identify the risks for each situation.
- Take targeted action. Start by focusing on the most dangerous situations and activities.
- Raise awareness. Ensure employees who regularly work at height remain vigilant as well.
- Continue inspecting and optimising. Carry out regular safety inspections of work equipment. Has there been an incident after all? Investigate it and adapt your measures.
How do you implement effective fall prevention?
Limit your fall risk with these three tips:
- Avoid working at height whenever possible. For example, are you cleaning windows from the inside? You don’t need a ladder for that.
- Provide appropriate protective equipment. Implement collective protection (guardrails, scaffolding, safety nets) and personal protection (harnesses and shock absorbers) if that is not possible.
- Do your employees use work equipment such as cranes or scaffolding? Check that they follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Why choose IDEWE?
- Preventive approach – We believe that prevention is better than cure. IDEWE offers proactive support to prevent accidents.
- Experienced experts – Our experienced prevention advisers provide advice tailored to your organisation.
- Thorough risk assessment – We will help you to identify potential risks at your organisation so you can take targeted action.