Health And Safety Working at Height Policy N0 25 : BPCT/SPD/RISK/052008 Author: Department: Damian Gudgeon Risk Management Date: July 2008 Review Date: July 2011 To ensure services provided by Blackpool Primary Care Trust and North Lancashire Primary Care Trust are accessible and information is available upon request in a variety of accessible formats including large print, Braille, on audiocassette or computer disk. We can also provide help for British Sign Language users and provide information in languages other than English.
Document Type: Policy Title: Working at Heights Policy BPCT/SPD/RISK/08/08 Version 01 Author(s): Damian Gudgeon Title(s): Risk Auditor Classification: Health and Safety Department(s): Risk Management Date of Issue: August 2008 Review due: August 2011 Replaces Version 0 Description of Amendments: New Legislation Ratified by: Title: Signature: Ratified Date: Blackpool PCT North Lancashire Teaching PCT Joint Health and Safety Committee and Senior Management Forum Joint Health and Safety Committee Document Review History Review Date: Version Approved Reviewer: 27//05/08 Damian Gudgeon Page 1 of 10
1.0 PURPOSE Incidents involving employees Working at Height has consistently over the last 10 years, been responsible for the largest number of fatalities in the workplace. As a direct result the Work at Height Regulations 2005 were introduced to protect employees and others against risks to the health while working at height. During 2006-2007 45 fatalities occurred as a direct result from working at height. Due to the nature of reporting it is unclear how many major injuries have occurred as a result of employees falling from height when at work. This policy outlines the steps to be taken by Blackpool Primary Care Trust and North Lancashire to ensure that all employees, clients, members of the public and contractors do not work at height where it can be avoided and where it cannot suitable and sufficient controls are introduced following the appropriate hierarchy. To achieve this, the corner stone of this policy requires a suitable and sufficient risk assessment to be completed for all tasks which require working at height. 2.0 DUTIES 2.1 Consultation All staff employed by the Trust will be affected therefore, the Trust and Staff representatives have had all information made available to them and have been consulted through the Joint Health and Safety Committee. 3.0 SCOPE This policy applies to all employees and staff and contractors employed by Blackpool Primary Care Trust or North Lancashire Teaching Primary Care Trust. 4.0 EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT This document has been impact assessed by the author and members of Joint Health and Safety Committee. No issues in relation to equality, diversity, gender, colour, race or religion are identified as raising a concern. 5.0 Policy 5.1 Definition Working at height means, work in any place, including a place at or below ground level where, if measures are not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. This could also include obtaining access and egress from a place of work, with the exception of a permanent staircase being used for access and egress purposes. Working at height is no longer classed as simply as work above 2 metres off the ground. Working at height can range from using a kick stool to a tower scaffold. Page 2 of 10
Examples of activities that are classed as working at height include: Working on a flat roof Working from a ladder or step ladders whatever size Working at ground level adjacent to an open excavation Working near or adjacent to a fragile materials Using a kick stool Examples of what is not working at heights include Walking up and down a staircase in an office Working on the floors of a office block or portacabin Slipping and tripping on ground level The level of risk from working at height will vary for each department. In order to help achieve compliance with this policy two procedures have been developed to help guide staff. Working at Height in the Primary Care Trust This procedure applies to all staff in both PCT s and provides easy guidance in avoidance and safety when working at height in an environment not always considered to be dangerous. Working at Height in the Works Department. This procedure has been produced to help guide staff in the North Lancashire PCT Works department. The controls identified in this procedure are also relevant to all contractors undertaking any work for Blackpool or North Lancashire Primary Care Trusts. 5.1.1 Reasonability s Senior Managers Ensure that every effort is made to avoid working at height Ensure employees and their representatives are consulted when assessing the risks connected to working at heights. Ensure an appropriate level of supervision is placed upon line managers. Ensure the requirements of this policy are carried out. Lead by example when they themselves are required to work at height. Provide suitable work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where work at height cannot be avoided. Ensure all contractors employed are competent to work at height and are appropriately managed when on site. Line Mangers Ensure that every effort is made to avoid working at height. Ensuring that where work at height cannot be avoided a suitable and sufficient risk assessment is carried out. Ensure employees and their representatives are consulted when assessing the risks connected to working at heights. Page 3 of 10
Provide suitable work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where work at height cannot be avoided. Ensure all necessary precautions are taken. Ensure all equipment used while working at height is properly inspected and maintained. Ensure that prior to working at height a suitable emergency and rescue procedure has been developed. Ensure all staff working at height are aware of this policy, understand its contents and comply with local procedures. Ensure all staff who work at height are fit to do so, and refer those who are not to the occupational health department. Ensure all staff who work at height have received and understood appropriate information instruction and training and supervision. Ensure all contractors employed are competent to work at height and are appropriately managed when on site. Check safety at each stage of work. Act upon any report of an activity or defect likely to endanger safety. Employees Assist with the completion of risk assessments Comply with all control measures identified through the risk assessment. Use all safety equipment provided Work as informed, instructed or trained. Inform their line manager if they suspect that any control measure, including the provision of information instruction or training is ineffective or inadequate. Report any activity or defect likely to endanger safety on the appropriate Untoward Incident Report Book. Inform their line manager if for whatever reason they are unfit to work at height. Take reasonable care of themselves and any other person who may be affected by their actions. 5.1.2 Incident Reporting All incidents of persons falling from height must be reported on the appropriate Untoward Incident form and the risk management department be contacted immediately after the incident. 5.1.3 Contractors The Primary Care Trusts cannot delegate its responsibility for the management of working at heights to contractors. If contractors are to be used as a result of the undertakings of the PCT the PCT have a responsibility to ensure the contractors are competent to work safely and work in a safe manner. Before any work at height activities are carried out by the contractor the manager responsible for hiring the contractor must obtain copies of the following Page 4 of 10
Health and Safety policy Employees Compulsory Liability Insurance (except self employed with no employees) Public Liability Insurance All risk assessments relevant to the task particularly Work at Height risk assessments. Any relevant safe systems of work / job method statements including what equipment will be used and how supervision will take place. Training records of all employees of the contractors who will be working on site which must be relevant to the task and the work equipment used. Maintenance and inspection records of the work equipment. Experience of working at height. How will they control the use of any Sub Contractors used. All these documents must be up to date and relevant to the tasks being undertaken. Management must use these documents as point of reference when supervising contactor compliance with safety measures. Any contractor found to be working in an unsafe manner must be withdrawn form the task immediately and not be allowed back on site until all control measures identified in the assessments are implemented and used. For any contractor who employs 4 or less employees reference must me made to the risk management department for further advice on the relevant documents to be obtained. 5.1.4 Audit Department and service managers shall be responsible for the auditing of department / service compliance with this policy. An audit checklist is provided in appendix 1. The risk management shall audit compliance during any audit of management systems. Results of audits shall be sent to the department / service manager and to the service director. 6.0 IMPLEMENTATION 6.0.1 For risk management to be effective within the Trust, this policy has a structured and supportive approach for the implementation of training and will demonstrate the Trust's commitment that all staff are taking positive steps and working in partnership with each other, patients and stakeholders to provide a positive risk management culture within the organisation. Page 5 of 10
7.0 MONITORING To achieve this, the Risk Management policy will be; reviewed annually and approved by the Health and Safety Committee and Senior Management Forum. circulated to all Managers, with specific responsibilities detailed in the document. available to all staff in all departments and practices. available to all stakeholders on request ( in an appropriate format ) available to Independent Contractors for information. available on the intranet. 6.1.1 Implementation of the policy The Risk Management Department will provide support and guidance to all staff to implement the policy. To support the implementation of the policy, risk management must be: included in the job descriptions for all staff; incorporated into KSF and PDP objectives for all staff on an annual basis; part of the mandatory induction programme for all new staff; A Risk Management Bulletin will be published on a 4 monthly basis and available on the Intranet. All aspects of the policy will be monitored and reviewed via the Joint Health and Safety Committee and as part of the Healthcare Commissions Standards for Better Health. 8.0 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS NHS Litigation Authority Risk Management Standards for PCT s Annual Risk Management Reports Auditors Local Evaluation (ALE) 9.0 REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY Information sources that the author has referred to or quoted from shall be referenced as an appendix in the document. Page 6 of 10
10.0 ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS Document Title 25a 25b Working at Height in the Primary Care Trust Working at Height in the Works Department Page 7 of 10
11.0 PEER REVIEW The document, entitled Working at Height has been peer reviewed by the following people: Name (print) Post held Date Signature Wendy Swift (BPCT) Chief Executive 27/05/08 Keith Savage Head of Governance 27/05/08 Helen Skerritt Associate Director of adult provider services 12/06/08 Liz Holt Associate Director of children provider services 12/06/08 Debbie Mathlouthi Risk Auditor 27/05/08 Brenda Hargreaves Head of community nursing 27/05/08 Tracey Keith CDNA staff side 27/05/08 Colin Norris Unison staff side 27/05/08 Ruth Roberts (NLPCT) Director of Provider Services 27/05/08 Tricia Cross Infection Control Nurse 27/05/08 Donna Taylor Infection Control Nurse 27/05/08 (All documents must be peer reviewed. Peer reviewers must sign that they have reviewed the final draft of the document. An email receipt from a reviewer with comments will be acceptable. Take confirmation of the peer review process with your document to your Clinical Standards Sub Group.) Please ensure that the document has been peer reviewed by clinical risk, child protection and infection control. Page 8 of 10
12.0 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Audit Checklist Appendix 2 References and Bibliography Page 9 of 10
Working at Height Audit Tool Appendix 1 Department Date Risk Assessments Yes No Evidenced Are work at height risk assessments completed Are the assessments reviewed Are the assessments relevant to the task Inspections Is all work equipment inspected Are inspection sheets and reports completed Maintenance Is all height access a equipment maintained Are maintenance records retained Ladders Is there a ladder register Is the register up to date Are all ladders individually identifiable Are ladder inspection sheets completed Lanyards and Harnesses Is there a lanyard and harness register Is it up to date Are all lanyards and harnesses individually identifiable Are inspection sheets completed Are personnel trained in rope access Are emergency procedures in place Training Are personnel trained in all the various types of work at height equipment available. Are personnel trained in height awareness and in the use of Ladders and step ladders Is all training up to date Every Yes scores 5 points. Maximum points available 100. Acceptable level 70. Any scores below 70 must result in an action plan for all the boxes ticked no. Page 10 of 10
Appendix 2 References and Bibliography Work at Height Regulations2005 SI 2005/735 The Work at Height Regulations 2005 a brief guide INDG 401 HSG 33 Health and Safety in Roofwork HSE Topic Inspection Pack Working at Height HSG 150 Health and Safety in Construction Page 11 of 10