Suppose you are considered a PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking) in Australia. In that case, that means that according to the Model Work Health and Safety Act, you assume the duty of primary care. Simply put, you would be responsible for managing any risk that can potentially harm your workers, including those associated with working at heights. As a result, you would need to educate yourself on preventing falls and what equipment can be used to do so effectively.
This article will walk you through the best ways to minimise the risk of falls, as well as some protective equipment, from roof guardrails to roof safety mesh, that can help you protect your workers from work injuries.
Hierarchy of Hazard Controls
The Hierarchy of Hazard Controls is a pyramid that, befitting its name, shows the hierarchy of risk prevention methods based on their effectiveness.
According to the Working At Height Association of Australia, the hazard controls in the order of decreasing safety and effectiveness are:
- Elimination: physically removing the risk of the fall
- Substitution: switching out one means of access with a safer means
- Engineering Controls: creating a barrier between people and the hazard
- Administrative Controls: implementing temporary walls that are meant to warn people away from areas likely to cause falls and injuries
- Personal Protective Equipment: always considered a measure of last resort, personal protective equipment such as harnesses are designed to catch people if they ever experience a fall
It is also important to realise that training constitutes a crucial part of reducing and eliminating risks resulting from working from heights. It can help workers better respond and manage any risks, learn how to best operate around the safety measures in place, and develop safer working methods.
Examples of Protective Equipment
Here are just some of the types of equipment that can be used to make the site of work safer for your workers:
Guardrails
Roof guardrails are one of the best ways to prevent the risk of falling since they are a passive form of protection that don’t require workers to wear personal protective equipment such as harnesses while working.
Roof Safety Mesh
A roof safety mesh installation involves forming a mesh using high tensile strength wires to prevent internal falls through a roof. However, a roof safety mesh does not protect against falling from the roof’s edge or through holes in a roof, so a roof safety mesh and appropriate edge protection should be used side-by-side.
Scaffolding
Scaffolds are temporary instalments designed to act as a stable platform for construction workers when there is not yet a finished floor and work cannot be done at ground level. In some cases, it is suggested to install guardrails along with scaffolds along all open sides.
It is also necessary to note that different kinds of fall protection equipment may be required depending on the construction site. Therefore, it helps to work with a service that manufactures and installs the fall protection to determine which equipment and installation are best suited for your site.
Please note that this article only serves to provide you with a basic introduction to preventing the risk of falls and does not detail all the safety standards that need to be met. It is best to contact your local Work Health and Safety Authority to ensure you meet the required safety standards in your worksite.
