Work at Height
HSE Services
Working at height safety matters because work at height creates a hazard both for the people doing the work and for those nearby who could be struck by falling objects.
Our Working at Height Safety Hierarchy
We therefore follow a hierarchy of work at height:
- Avoid working at height
- Prevent the fall from occurring
- Minimise the consequences of a fall
If work at height cannot be avoided, our expert risk assessors will perform:
- Risk assessment of the work at height
- Assessment of the work-at-height structure being used (for example, a scaffold tower)
- Assessment of the quality of the equipment being used and its appropriate use (for example, a harness)
- Completion of a permit to work where required
- Creation of safe systems of work, communicated to all affected parties
- Marking of the area around the work at height, with additional barriers erected where required
- Monitoring of the area
- Review of the work-at-height structure as needed, depending on the duration of the work
Working at height safety is one part of a complete risk assessment approach, applying the same hierarchy of controls we follow for every hazard category.