 |
|
EHN Archives home page |
|
Market Report: Work At Height Highlighting the risks Hirers are playing an important role providing appropriate equipment and training to end users, to enable them to work safely at height. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Statistics show that falls from height remain the most common kind of accident causing fatal injuries, and one of the main causes of major injury. The figures also suggest that the number of accidents is reducing (45 fatalities in 2006/07 compared with 48 in 2005/06), but the issue remains a high priority. Being a key link in the supply chain between equipment suppliers and end users, hirers play a valuable role in advising on appropriate work at height practices and products. This has become all the more important since the introduction of the Work at Height Regulations (WAHR) in April 2005, which apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. “Hire companies have helped significantly in HSE campaigns to raise awareness of the WAHR, such as Height Aware and the Ladder Exchange programme,” says Eddie Bailey, Head of HSE’s Falls from Height Team. “For example, working with local authorities and hirers, including HSS, Speedy and SGB Hire and Sale, 4,194 ‘dodgy’ ladders were taken out of Britain’s workplaces. This exceeded our target of 4,000, and we know there are still a lot of dodgy ladders being used and so are actively considering another Ladder Exchange initiative in autumn 2008.” New awareness initiative The latest awareness initiative is HSE’s Shattered Lives campaign, which began on 25 February and runs throughout March. It highlights risks associated with slips and trips, as well as falls, since these hazards share some common features and approaches. “The campaign targets five sectors where risk of such injury is greatest, namely construction, building and plant maintenance, hotel and catering, food retail and food manufacturing. It also focuses on the people who can make a difference, be they site managers, trades-people, chefs and kitchen managers, retail area managers and shift managers. The campaign shows there are often simple measures that can be taken to reduce risks, and advice is available at www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives.” HSE inspections and local authority-led initiatives will be part of the campaign during April and May, looking at equipment and techniques being used, and the measures taken to ensure the competence of workers. “Hirers are helping by offering appropriate training programmes,” says Eddie Bailey. “We are keen to maintain a dialogue with hire companies, who can ensure that courses reflect the core safety messages.” Andy Smith, HSS’ Major Accounts Manager for Safety and Training, reports increasing demand for courses devised by organisations such as PASMA (Prefabricated Access Suppliers and Manufacturers’ Association), IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) and the Ladders Association. “Following the WAHR, many contractors focused on changing equipment, adding items like podium steps, and some took extreme measures such as banning ladders outright. However, many overlooked the basic requirement to ensure that proper risk assessments are undertaken before each task, and that staff are adequately trained. “Too many people rely on generic safety statements that do not cover all situations. I take approximately half a dozen calls a week from contractors who have been asked to leave a site because they have not adopted the most appropriate practices, and who need proper training.” A-Plant has introduced a new initiative to raise awareness of the risks and the actions that should be taken to minimise the dangers of slips, trips and falls. As well as promoting equipment, it highlights the need for appropriate training in working practices and products, and the company’s Access Safety Training Centre runs programmes on powered access platforms, towers and other equipment. A-Plant is also offering a 10% discount on all PASMA access safety training. Underpinning PASMA’s support of the HSE campaign is the message that there are only two methods of assembling, dismantling and altering towers approved by the Association in co-operation with HSE. Both the 3T (through the trap) and advance guardrail methods take full account of fall prevention requirements embodied in the WAHR. Many PASMA members are approved training centres, delivering consistent training on a national basis, and Managing Director Peter Bennett says the Association expects to train 45,000 delegates in 2008. IPAF has revised the categories in its mobile elevated work platform (MEWP) training programme and is moving to align with the international access platform standards prEN 280 and ISO DIS 16368. The new categories are: Static Vertical (1a), Static Boom (1b), Mobile Vertical (3a), Mobile Boom (3b) and Special for other MEWPs. Courses remaining unchanged are Climbing Work Platforms, Insulated Aerial Devices, Telehandler Platforms, Harness Use and Inspection, Loading and Unloading, and MEWPs for Managers. IPAF continues to promote the Clunk Click campaign calling for all users of boom type platforms to wear a full body harness with a short restraint lanyard attached to a suitable anchor point. Given the on-going importance of working safely at height, hirers will be kept busy serving this market. “The WAHR have certainly led to growing demand for appropriate products, particularly equipment for low-level work,” says Mark Raftery, Managing Director of Blackpool-based independent, M & R Hire Centres, which also has depots in Beverley, Bury, Leyland and Manchester. Initially, most interest was shown by larger organisations, but we are now doing more business with smaller contractors as awareness filters down the supply chain.” • Executive Hire News › Archives › March 2008 › Market Report › Highlighting the risks
|
