Working at Heights: Why Rescue At Height Training is Essential

Working at Heights: Why Rescue At Height Training is Essential

Working at height involves tasks performed in locations where a person could fall and suffer injury, even at above or below ground level. These tasks include working on ladders, scaffolds, or roofs and accessing areas through fragile surfaces or open holes.

Rescue operations focus on retrieving individuals who may have fallen, become stranded, or faced emergencies while working at height. A properly designed rescue plan is vital to ensure a timely and safe recovery.

Why Manage Working at Height?

• Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry.
• Most fatalities occur when workers fall from open-sided floors and through floor openings.
• Falls from 4 to 6 feet can cause serious injury or sometimes death.

What should employers do?

To ensure workplace safety when working at heights, employers should prioritize proper planning, risk assessment, training, and providing appropriate equipment. This includes ensuring workers are competent, using safe equipment, and taking precautions near fragile surfaces. 

1. Planning and Risk Assessment:

·         Properly plan and organize all work at height: This includes determining the safest way to complete the task, considering factors like the type of work, the height involved, and the environment. 

·         Conduct a thorough risk assessment: Identify potential hazards and implement control measures to minimize risks, such as using guardrails or scaffolds. 

·         Consider weather conditions: Ensure work at height is not carried out in hazardous weather conditions. 

·         Develop a rescue plan: Have a plan in place to quickly and safely rescue workers who may fall. 

What does the Law State about working at Height?

Section 32(c) of The Factories Act, 1948, mandates that in every factory, when any person has to work at a height from where he is likely to fall, provision shall be made, so far as is reasonably practicable, by fencing or otherwise, to ensure the safety of the person so working.

OSHA 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(2) Workers must be protected by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems, even if they are not engaged in leading edge work, if they are on a walking or working surface that is 6 feet or more above a level where leading edges are under construction.