WORKING AT HEIGHT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING

Falls from height are the single biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the main causes of major injury within the workplace. Steve Dawson, working at height expert at Arco Professional Safety Services, explains the importance of training for working at height and having the right equipment.

The most tragic consequences of not providing the right training and protective equipment to your work force, can be serious injury or even the death of an employee.  In 2020/21, 35 fatal injuries were due to Falls from a height, accounting for 25% of all worker deaths over the year. [1] Add to this the 17 deaths caused from ‘Struck by moving’ (including flying/falling objects) statistics – which can often be related to Working at Height – and there continues to be a serious need for education and training.

Employers are bound by law under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and are required to eliminate or reduce the risks when working at height. Anyone in control of any work at height must ensure that the work is properly planned, and carried out by people who have sufficient skills, knowledge and experience. This must include appropriate training at all levels, from project managers to end users of critical safety equipment e.g. PPE & Rescue equipment.

In the first instance, employers should assess the risk and consider alternative methods for getting the job done without the need for working at height. However, if that is not practical, then it is their legal duty to make sure the requirements of the Regulations are met and their employees are kept safe.  As one of the most common high-risk business environments, it is essential that people receive the proper training before commencing work at height. Training solutions can either be tailored to a particular need or provided through a number of off-the-shelf courses. Highly experienced trainers will work with you on or off-site to provide training at all levels of your business.

Why is training so important?

Most would agree that incidents on site start at the risk assessment and planning phase. The end user of PPE doesn’t stand much chance of staying safe if work planners do not have sufficient knowledge and experience to appropriately mitigate the risk in the first instance. Appropriate training at this level is vital and should help mitigate risk but can also result in a more efficient safe system of work. 

If personal fall protection is required, it can only protect the worker if they are competent in its use, aware of why they must use it, and therefore properly trained. Experienced instructors can simulate realistic working environments and provide advice on the correct equipment to use, and how to use it, together with practical training which can be taken back to real life situations.

New and existing industry/trade bodies are acutely aware of the importance of standardised, quality training delivery for Working at Height. The recent release of the Rooftop Safety Training Standard by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is just one of many examples of industry bodies driving much needed and positive change in their respective sector. There is also an abundance of equipment now available from manufacturers which provides employers with cost effective, practical options to keep workers safe. Training is paramount to ensure end-users understand the advantages and limitations of this equipment when used in their work environment.

Continuing importance of training

Between April and June last year, 32 million working days were lost to COVID-19 related absences. Redundancies, movement restrictions and fluctuating guidelines have made it difficult for organisations to provide their workers with training. As restrictions are lifted and the country moves towards a return to ‘normal’, many businesses are trying to catch up but are struggling to keep up with training requirements. 

Reduced training and a reduction in task-based activity will undoubtedly result in skills fade. The possible consequences in high-risk industries such as working at height, are plain. To maintain skill levels in industry, business leaders are looking at new ways of achieving this. Alongside contingency plans and ‘back to work’ responses, health and safety training must be boosted to ensure that a restructured workforce can cope with high-risk environments and inevitable skill gaps that can occur. 

It’s vital that this training provides workers with the right balance of knowledge and practical skills to be able to deliver their work safely. It is all too tempting for companies to provide their workers with theory only training when social distancing and movement restrictions are in place; however, the shortfall in practical skills could have severe consequences. This is not to say that there is no place for training in the virtual world, there is a balance to be struck where it is safe to do so. The workforce needs the confidence to manage their daily tasks safely but also not to be exposed to the increasing risk of contracting COVID-19 by receiving training in the normal classroom setting. Arco Professional Safety Services has launched several video conference courses and are developing Virtual Reality tools to help organisations keep its workforce safe whilst also maintaining the recommended social distances measures on our practical training courses during COVID-19.  

https://www.arcoservices.co.uk/training/course-finder/video-conference-training  

 

Source:
[1] https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/pdf/fatalinjuries.pd

A recent BITA analysis of RIDDOR reports has revealed that, despite being a seemingly straightforward process, one in 25 forklift-related accidents occurs when an operator is entering or exiting the truck.

As such a frequently executed manoeuvre, it’s vital that you do what you can to ensure any risk is sufficiently reduced — but how do you do it?

Here, Forklift training provider Mentor, provides some tips to help you avoid some of the most common hazards, ensure safe practice and prevent costly accidents:

1. Limit risk of slips and falls when mounting/dismounting truck

Because they do it so often, lift truck operators can become complacent during mounting/dismounting, trying to shortcut the process because they don’t fully appreciate the risks involved… or the consequences.

The steps on forklifts are relatively small and, as one HSL study confirms, wear most at the spot where the operator’s boot rotates over the step’s edge. That constant use makes it particularly slippery.

A simple rule that should form part of any basic forklift training course is maintaining three points of contact when entering or exiting a truck.

3-points-of-contact-posterOperators should keep either one hand and two feet, or two hands and one foot, on the truck at all times, until they are either in their seat or standing firmly on the ground. This free 3 points of contact poster sums it up well as a handy reminder for operators on site.

Best practice for mounting and dismounting a forklift truck is as follows:

• Mount/dismount only when the truck is stationary;

• Face the truck;

• Use the handgrips and steps provided;

• Look all around for hazards;

• Get on and off the truck under control and one foot at a time;

• Do not jump;

• Take extra care in rain, snow, or icy conditions.

2. No jumping down to dismount

As we’ve seen, dismounting incorrectly can increase the risk of a slip or fall, but the consequences can be more serious when operators jump down from their cab.

Operators may be tempted to make a quick exit but jumping puts them at a greater distance from the truck — and potentially into the path of another vehicle. By maintaining three points of contact, and facing towards the vehicle as they dismount, they can pull themselves back into the cab and out of danger. Jumping also puts stress on the knees and back which can affect mobility, or it can lead to broken bones if the operator falls.

3. Don’t try to steady a load

It’s not just vehicles that can pose a risk, shifting loads are a significant hazard. Sadly, many injuries occur when someone in the vicinity tries to manually steady an unstable load.

Operators exiting their truck to steady either their own or another load are in danger of serious harm, from pinch/crush injuries when putting their hands into a moving operation, to far worse consequences should the load become unstable and fall.

If a load becomes unstable or needs to be adjusted in transit:

Place it on the ground;

Withdraw the forks;

Make sure the truck is stable and turn off the ignition;

Dismount the truck and carry out any adjustments to the load.

If the unstable load is in the racking, the area should be cordoned off and the Manager or Supervisor informed immediately so that the risk can be dealt with before it can cause harm to someone in the vicinity.

Forklifts & Pedestrians: How Close is Too Close?: https://www.shponline.co.uk/transport-safety/forklifts-pedestrians-how-close-is-too-close/

4. Operate from inside the cab only

Most modern lift trucks are now fitted with a weight-operated micro-switch, which is activated by an operator sitting on the seat to allow the controls to function. However, when this isn’t the case, operators may be tempted to access the controls from outside the truck.

Doing so immediately puts the operator, and those working around them, in a position of danger. To reduce the risk:

Never operate the controls from anywhere but seated inside the FOPs of the cab;

Do not stand next to the operating mast where you could be hit by the load;

Never work with an obstructed view — sit in the cab for the clearest viewpoint;

Do not allow the vehicle to move without the operator inside as it can run them (or someone else) over.

5. Stay within the confines of the truck

In forklift CabStaying inside the truck during operations dramatically reduces the risk of an accident for your operators. But don’t forget, that danger immediately returns if they allow any part of their body to stray outside the confines of the cab.

Operators should never lean or reach outside of the cab, as this puts them at risk of contact with passing obstructions/vehicles. Rather than reach out to access something, they should stop their truck in a suitable place, make it safe, dismount, and then access it on foot. If the load is obstructing the operator’s view, and they need to lean out of the cab to see in front of them, they should be driving in reverse, giving themselves a clear view of their route and any upcoming hazards.

6. Take extra care around truck controls

The most common cause of unintentional operation is when the operator exits the truck on the wrong side and accidentally leans on the controls. What’s more, some functions such as mast tilt, fork lowering or reach extension are gravity fed, which means they can be accidentally operated even when the power is switched off. Ensuring that operators exit on the correct side of the truck will reduce the risk of this happening. This side will be fitted with appropriate handles to aid them.

7. Monitor your operations

All these fundamental safety principles should be covered during your operators’ basic forklift training course. However, as with your site rules or procedures, they’re only effective if they are constantly enforced.

To successfully implement best practice, it’s your role to make sure your staff are motivated, trained and receive regular monitoring by managers and supervisors to ensure safe operation sticks, for the long term.

 

Do you need warehouse safety training? Take a look at our courses here: https://www.arcoservices.co.uk/training/course-finder/working-at-height-training/warehouse-safety-training

Source: https://www.shponline.co.uk/transport-safety/7-ways-to-reduce-forklift-accidents/

 

A Cheshire-based woodworking company has been sentenced after a worker was struck by a forklift truck (FLT).

The incident occurred on 27 March 2017 at Woodford Park Industrial Estate, Winsford.

An employee of Mid Cheshire Pallets Ltd was carrying a pallet across the workshop when he was struck by an forklift truck being driven by another employee. The worker suffered serious fractures to his leg and ankle in the incident and was off work for several months.

The HSE’s investigation found there was inadequate segregation of forklift trucks and pedestrians within the workspace. A risk assessment had been carried out but had not highlighted the importance of marking segregation areas.

Mid Cheshire Pallets Ltd of Leslie Road, Woodford Park Industrial Estate, Winsford pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) and Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £6,500 with costs of £7,362.58.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Jane Carroll said:

“Those in control of work have a responsibility to provide safe methods of working and a safe working environment. If a suitable system of work had been in place the injuries sustained by this employee could have been prevented.”

This risk assesment fault could've been easily avoided had they had expert advice from a consultant. Take a look at our consultancy pages for more details or call us on 01785 850333

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