Working at Height

Working at height is a regular practice in the construction industry and can place workers at risk of serious injuries and lead to fatalities.  Some common activities that could involve a fall from height, or to a lower level, would include:

The most significant hazard associated with working at height would be falling to an area below.

Other possible hazards could include:

• Dropping objects to the area below;
• Contact with overhead power lines;
• Weather (wind, rain, snow, or sun etc.); and
• Exposure to wildlife (i.e., bird nests etc.).

A hazard assessment is a process used to identify hazards and eliminate or reduce the risk of injury or loss.  The steps of a hazard assessment include:

1. Identify the Hazard – Review the workplace and/or a specific task to identify real and potential hazards.
2. Evaluate the Risk – Estimate the potential loss to people, equipment, materials, and environment due to the hazard.
3. Select Appropriate Controls – Controls are used to eliminate the hazard or reduce the risk of injury, illness or damage.

When conducting a hazard assessment for working at height, consider the following:

• Survey the job for potential fall hazards.
• Determine the appropriate fall protection.
• Identify anchorage points for personal fall arrest systems.
• Identify controlled access zones.
• Identify who can enter the controlled access zones.
• Determine emergency response plan.

Fall protection is a general term for any means of ensuring that a worker is not injured or killed from a fall. Fall protection is a combination of steps or procedures, along with equipment and hardware, used to either prevent someone from falling or to protect against injuries should someone fall.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Occupational Health and Safety Regulations require the use of a Fall protection system:

Where a worker is exposed to the hazard of falling from a work area that is:

(a)  3 metres or more above the nearest safe surface or water;

(b)  above a surface or thing that could cause injury to the worker if the worker were to fall on the surface or thing; or

(c)  above an open tank, pit or vat containing hazardous material.

Guardrails must also be installed:

• Where an open-sided floor, working platform, runway, walkway, or balcony is over 1.22 metres above the existing floor or ground level; and
• on walkways over open tanks containing harmful substances or over open tanks 1.22 metres or more in depth.

Additional control measures would include:

• Training (Legislatively required and Sit-specific)
• Written Fall Protection procedures
• Written Fall Protection Plans
• Adequate housekeeping
• Inspection of fall protection devices and equipment (ie. guardrails, ladders, aerial work platforms, scaffolding, etc.)

Fall Protection training requirements are set out in WorkplaceNL Fall Protection Certification Standard. Any worker who is required to use fall protection equipment must complete a 2-Day Fall Protection Training program from a WorkplaceNL approved training provider. Recertification is required every three years.

Additional training that may be required include, but is not limited to:

• Aerial Work Platform Operation
• Scaffold Erection and Inspection
• Confined Space Entry
• Power Line Hazards
• WHMIS 2015
• First Aid

Employers should also ensure that workers are trained on site-specific hazards and procedures.

NL Occupational Health and Safety Explanation Guide – Working at Height