Guidelines for the Prevention of Falls at Workplace

Section 2: General Safety

2.l Employee Safety

Working at heights-Where any person is required to work at a place from which he will be liable to fall a distance of more than ten feet, means shall be provided to ensure his safety and such means shall where practicable include the use of safety belt or ropes.

(Reg. 12. Factories and Machinery (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations 1970)

The employer shall determine that all walking/working surfaces on which employees are to work have the strength and structural integrity to support employees safely. Each employee on a walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge which is 2 metres or more to a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of a guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall-arrest system.

2.5 Access and Egress

Where people are required to gain access to high areas of trucks, road transporters, tankers and rail transportation for the purposes of securing, restraining, loading or unloading freight and, where there is a risk of falling, employers must provide a safe system of work for people to get to and from the work area. This could be the provision of steps, permanent access ladders, walkways and guardrails. Wherever practicable, as much work as possible should be carried out at ground level.

2.8 Personal Protective Equipment

Employers shall ensure that the personal protection provided is:

• Suitable for its intended use;

• Correctly sized and fitted to the individual user;

• Used by employees who are trained in its use and understand its performance;

• Correctly stored when not in use;

• Cleaned and checked at regular intervals, usually every time it is used;

• Disinfected and sanitised before use by another person;and

• Used by everyone that needs protection.

Section 3: Permanent Fixed Access and Platforms

3.1 General

Guardrails should be fitted to all exposed edges.

3.2 Handrails, Guardrails and Toeboards

Handrails are provided to assist balance; guardrails to prevent falls. The top rail should be at least 1.0 metre above the floor or front of the stair nosing. For guardrails, a midrail shall be fitted. A toeboard should be fitted anywhere there is a danger of tools or materials being lost over the edge.

Section 10: Building Construction and Plant Maintenance

10.5 Floor and Work Platform Perimeter Edges

The exposed edges of all floors and work platforms from which a fall of 2 metres is possible shall be fitted with guardrails. Toeboards shall also be fitted if objects can fall from the edge and endanger others below Where guardrails are impractical, other means of fall protection shall be available and used. While erecting such guardrails, employees shall use other means of fall protection such as harnesses and lines. Bump rails 2 metres back from an exposed edge may be used where the employer can ensure no person will climb over between the bump rail and the edge.