Work Activity:

Working at Heights

Directorate

Economy & Place

Section:

Port of Sunderland

Date of Assessment:

05/07/21

Date to be Reviewed:

05/07/22

What are the hazards?

Who might be harmed and how?

What precautions or existing control measures are presently taken.

Likelihood

Severity

Risk Rating

L x S

If High or Medium Risk, what addition precautions or control measures need to be taken to reduce risk to as low as reasonably

Likelihood

Severity

Residual Risk

L x S

Working at Height

Falling from height

Operative, serious injury or death.

All working at height must be properly planned, managed and monitored.

Work at height to be avoided wherever possible, when working at height cannot be avoided appropriate access equipment must be used.

If employees do not have the correct work

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What are the hazards?

Who might be harmed and how?

What precautions or existing control measures are presently taken.

Likelihood

Severity

Risk Rating

L x S

If High or Medium Risk, what addition precautions or control measures need to be taken to reduce risk to as low as reasonably

Likelihood

Severity

Residual Risk

L x S

equipment they must not improvise. They must refer back to their manager, who will ensure the correct access equipment is available before the work starts.

Collective protection must be given priority over individual protections (e.g. edge protection given preference to safety harnesses)

Consideration to be given to minimising the distance and consequences of a fall, by using the right type of equipment where the risk cannot be eliminated (e.g. air bags and netting).

Access equipment must be inspected, serviced and maintained. Only trained competent people to erect and inspect access equipment.

Access equipment must only be erected and positioned on suitable stable ground.

Safe Working Loads (SWL) must not be exceeded when using access equipment. Never overload equipment with tools, people or materials.

Incomplete / part assembled access equipment must be clearly identified as incomplete.

Operators to be trained and competent to use any equipment selected for working at height activities.

Operatives must be trained in working at heights. Working at heights refresher

What are the hazards?

Who might be harmed and how?

What precautions or existing control measures are presently taken.

Likelihood

Severity

Risk Rating

L x S

If High or Medium Risk, what addition precautions or control measures need to be taken to reduce risk to as low as reasonably

Likelihood

Severity

Residual Risk

L x S

training to be carried out at a minimum of every 3 years

Operatives must never overreach to carry out a task; the access equipment must be positioned to allow easy access and reach.

Falling tools equipment and objects.

Operatives, members of the public, contractors.

Hit by falling tools, materials or equipment which can cause serious injury.

Head protection to be worn by operatives and contractors. Hard Hat to have chin strap.

Separate pedestrian routes.

Toe-boards on working platform.

Areas below the work to be segregated, barriered or cordoned off.

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Fragile Surfaces

Falling from height

Operative, serious injury or death.

Prior to working at heights a visual inspection must be carried out to identify any potential fragile surfaces (e.g. roof lights, glass panels, wood wool slabs and cement sheets).

The above precautions are required for all work on or near fragile surfaces, no matter how short the duration, whether the work concerns construction, maintenance, repair, cleaning or demolition.

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Collision with vehicle

Operatives, members of the public, contractors.

Serious injury or death

Route of access planned.

Working area (including footprint of lifting apparatus) barriered off and highlighted with high visibility barriers.

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What are the hazards?

Who might be harmed and how?

What precautions or existing control measures are presently taken.

Likelihood

Severity

Risk Rating

L x S

If High or Medium Risk, what addition precautions or control measures need to be taken to reduce risk to as low as reasonably

Likelihood

Severity

Residual Risk

L x S

Defective Equipment

Operatives, members of the public, contractors.

Death, major injury.

Equipment checked prior to use.

Equipment identified as defective must be taken out of use immediately and supervisor notified. Defective equipment must be clearly identified with “Do not Use “signage.

Planned preventative maintenance to be carried out as identified by manufacturer’s handbook.

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Overhead cables

Operatives, members of the public, contractors

Death, major injury

Prior to erection of any access equipment a visual inspection of the work area must be undertaken to ensure there are no services that may present a hazard to operatives carrying out the work at heights.

As far as reasonably practicable cables to be diverted / buried, shrouded

or protected by other means (in this priority)

If unable to divert, bury or shroud, relevant authority to be contacted to determine safe working distances.

Relevant protection to be put in place in accordance with the requirements of the cable owners.

Separate risk assessment to be carried out for the works being carried out adjacent to any potentially live service cables.

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