At Altus Safety we offer ppe for working at height services, where we can ensure compliance with working at height regulations at your site or building. We can review what you already have in place and then suggest and supply you with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) that might be missing from your site.
Unsure what personal protective equipment you need? We’ve put together this handy guide today to help you understand what you and your workers ought to wear when working at height. Getting it right is vital, so make sure you stick around and learn more to see if you’re missing any essential PPE for your workers.
Why is PPE for working at height so important?
Working at height presents significant risks to workers. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) it should only be done following a thorough and detailed working at height risk assessment. This risk assessment should consider, in this first instance, whether working at height is even necessary. If there’s an alternative way to complete the work, then it should be done. Avoiding working at height is the safest way to work at height.
With that said, you can still work at height in a safe and responsible way, as you wear the right clothing, invest in proper training and PPE for your workers, and look at fall protection and fall arrest systems for safety. But before any of that, you have to understand the regulations that dictate how to work at height in the safest possible way.
What legislation and safety regulations cover working at height?
The main legislation protecting workers who have to carry out work at height is the The Work at Height Regulations released in 2005. Many things are covered throughout this document, all designed to improve workplace safety for workers working at height.
It’s worth a read if you’re in the industry, but we’ll cover the main points to be aware of below.
For the first time, the Work at Height Regulations put the onus on employers to ensure compliance with safety regulations and to put their workers’ safety at the forefront of their operations. Anyone on their site, whether employed directly, subcontracted, or otherwise, was now the employers’ or site owners’ (known as the duty holders throughout the document) responsibility.
As the duty holder at your site, it’s your job to make sure that:
- any work at height to be carried out is properly planned and organised
- that the work is only carried out by competent people with the appropriate training in that area and with the safety systems they’ll be using
- all risks involved in working at height are properly assessed, identified, and mitigated with the right equipment and systems to protect workers
- any equipment being used for working at height must be properly inspected and maintained (typically every 12 months but individual systems have their own regulations)
Within these regulations is a Hierarchy of Control Measures which essentially sets out the order in which different measures should be considered and implemented for the safest way to work at height. In the first instance, you should take reasonable steps to avoid the risks of working at height entirely. If this isn’t possible then everything should be done to prevent or reduce the risks of a fall or personal injury.
You can do this by selecting the right work at height equipment and PPE. Collective protection should be considered at first, to prevent falls entirely. Fall prevention equipment for individuals should be considered next, followed by fall arrest systems designed to slow a fall should one occur to minimise the risk of injury.
What to wear when working at height: Personal protective equipment guidance
When working at height workers need to be provided with the right PPE and come prepared with their own items of clothing suitable for the tasks at hand. We’ll look at these individually below:
Full Body Harness
A full-body harness is the most critical piece of equipment, as it distributes the force of a fall and helps prevent any injuries should the worst happen. Even with collective protection in place, a full body harness attached to a secondary system is usually a good idea for maximum protection.
Hard Hats
A hard hat is an essential piece of PPE and is legally required in most situations where there is a risk of head injuries. This is almost always true when working at height and where there is a risk of falling objects. This is basic PPE kit that should be provided to your workers for protection as standard.
Footwear
All workers should be encouraged to wear protective, anti-slip footwear for balance and stability. These aren’t necessarily governed by safety standards, but non-slip, steel-toe-capped boots are usually great for working at height to prevent foot injuries.
Eyewear
Safety goggles or glasses aren’t always necessary, but when cutting, grinding, or otherwise working in any way that could cause debris to get in your eye, protective eyewear is a must. Whether or not it’s necessary for your workers for a specific task will be identified following a thorough risk assessment which should always be carried out before any work at height.
Gloves
Gloves can be worn to protect hands, but they should never get in the way of a person’s grip on any objects they’re holding or any guardrail system they’re using for added protection.
High-Visibility Clothing
Wearing a high-visibility vest or jacket is a must. This ensures workers are seen by one another and members of the public are aware of the work being carried out.
Clothing and other considerations
- Avoid loose clothing: Wear snug-fitting or all-in-one coveralls to prevent clothing from snagging.
- Comfort and functionality: Choose PPE and clothing that are comfortable and allow for a full range of movement.
- Secure tools: Tether your tools to your harness to keep your hands free and prevent them from falling.
Things to avoid when working at height
The above PPE is always important to consider, but equally as important is thinking about the things your workers should avoid when working at height.
Loose Clothing
Workers should be taught the importance of avoiding loose clothing when working at height. Snug clothes and coveralls are recommended to prevent clothing from snagging and getting in the way of any safety system working effectively.
Unsecured Tools
Tools should always be attached to the worker’s person or safety harness to prevent them from being dropped and becoming a hazard themselves.
Trust Altus Safety for your fall protection equipment and essential PPE
Getting the right PPE at your site is the single best thing you can do to reduce serious injuries and workplace accidents. But finding a reputable company capable of supplying you with the right equipment and systems is another thing entirely.
Here at Altus Safety we’re a dedicated team of height safety experts with plenty of years in the industry. We blend experience with up-to-date training, never resting on our laurels when we’re responsible for installing and maintaining so many key fall protection systems for some of the UK’s biggest names.
If you think you could use our help with getting the right height safety systems and PPE in place for workers carrying out work at height, then contact us today and tell us the details of your project so we can figure out the best way to help you!