INTRODUCTION

A fall from height is one of the most common causes of serious injury or death in the workplace. Whilst working at height should be avoided where possible there will be occasions when it is unavoidable. Where this is the case, arrangements must be put into place to minimise the risks of falling persons or items. Working at height includes any place above or below ground level which “if a person fell they would be likely to suffer injury” (Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 2014). Examples include: An opening in the floor, working up a ladder or where someone could fall through a fragile surface, such as a roof. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 place duties on employers to ensure that any work carried out at height is done in a safe manner that prevents persons or equipment falling from height. The selection of access equipment, such as ladders or mobile work platforms must be carefully considered and should be suitable for the task it is designed to be used for. Access equipment includes step stools, stepladders, leaning ladders, scaffold and specialist access equipment such as ‘cherry pickers.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the policy is to ensure that where work at height cannot be avoided: • A suitable and sufficient risk assessment is carried out by a competent person before work is carried out. • Work is properly planned, appropriately supervised and safely carried out. • The correct access equipment is selected for the type of work being carried out • Employees who are required to work at height are appropriately trained. • Suitable controls are put in place to reduce the risks of working at height. These should include control measures to prevent persons not involved in the work from being struck by falling objects.

SCOPE

The policy applies to all Gilbert Builders staff working in any part or in other organisations’ premises. Contractors working on behalf of Gilbert Builders will also be required to comply with the standards described within the policy. They will be informed of this when they sign in before starting work and receive a site induction. A permit to work may be required for work at height. Gilbert Builders staff must, in the first instance, report any concerns or non-compliance.

RESPONSIBILITIES, ACCOUNTABILITIES AND DUTIES

Gilbert Builders has overall accountability for ensuring compliance with statutory regulations including the Work at Heights Regulations and to ensure that a suitable management structure is in place to manage health and safety. The responsibility for implementation of the policy is delegated to Directors, Managers Where working at height may take place, all managers who are involved in supervising staff, volunteers or engaging contractors have a duty to ensure that the standards within this policy are adopted. Duties of managers include, but are not limited to:

• Carrying out a risk assessment of all tasks that could be classed as working at height.

• Determining the most appropriate means of access/egress and involving staff/contractors and others in the decision of a safe system of work. It is important to note that working from ladders should only be used for light work undertaken for periods up to a maximum of 30 minutes.

• Procuring or checking that any access equipment provided by contractors is suitable for the task and of an appropriate standard.

• Checking that staff carrying out the task are competent to use the equipment. This includes correct assembly, appropriate fixing and securing.

• Providing suitable training to all Gilbert Builders staff using such equipment, where appropriate. For example, scaffolds and access equipment would require documented formal training by a manufacturer/supplier or similar, whereas a stepladder/step stool could be by local demonstration by a supervisor.

• Ensuring that suitable and sufficient measures are put into place to minimise the risk of falling objects whilst work at height is being undertaken. The fitting of toe boards, netting and cordoning off zones underneath working areas should be implemented where appropriate.

• Making staff and others aware of any fragile areas and ensuring that such areas have signage to that effect displayed.

• Monitoring the regular inspection of any system of access equipment in use for extended periods to ensure it remains safe. In the case of scaffolding this will be weekly.

• Ensuring that access equipment undergoes a regular formal inspection by a competent person and that the inspection is recorded.

• Engaging specialist contractors where heights are considered beyond the capability of untrained staff.

• Seeking advice from either the Health and Safety or Gilbert Builders where required on the suitability of equipment

• Ensuring that all working at height equipment which is owned by the Gilbert Builders is registered and recorded and subject to regular inspection and maintenance as required.

• That any person, including contractors, undertaking work at height is competent to do so.

• Ensuring that suitable and sufficient planning and risk assessments are completed that recognise work at height can be performed safely in a number of different ways, using a wide range of work equipment. Some of these duties are delegated to others managers in Gilbert Builders.

• Advising on the suitability of any system intended to be used for working at height. • Developing a policy for working at height. Some of these duties are delegated to other members of the Health and Safety Team. Staff Any member of staff who is required to work at height must:

• Carry out a pre-use check of any equipment for visible damage or defects before use on every day where the equipment is used.

• Immediately take the equipment out of use if it is damaged.

• Immediately report any defects to their manager.

• Report any difficulty or danger regarding the height or the means of access to it.

• Make use of any equipment designed to prevent individuals or objects falling

. • Be trained to use any access equipment or work at heights system.

• Use the equipment properly, in accordance with training and instructions.

• Assist in the inspection of equipment which is subject to a periodic maintenance regime, and check that it has been maintained before using. Formal inspections must be recorded. For ladders the form in • Report any accidents or near miss incidents using the Gilbert Builders incident reporting system Contractors All work undertaken by contractors must only be carried out following approval of relevant risk assessments and method statements detailing how the work will be carried out in a safe manner. Approval will usually be by an Gilbert Builders. Contractors working on behalf of the Trust must:

• Carry out and provide suitable risk assessments for any activities requiring work at height.

• Work to approved method statements with adequate controls to prevent injury to themselves or others who may be affected by their work.

• Provide suitable maintained access equipment to carry out the required work and check that it has been correctly installed before use and at appropriate periods thereafter.

• Prevent unauthorised entry to access equipment when not in use.

• Report all accidents or near miss incidents to their contact in the Trust

. • All work at height takes account of weather conditions that could endanger health and safety. e.g. High winds or thunder storm.

• Those involved in working at height are trained and competent.

• The location where work at height is carried out is safe to work from.

• Equipment for work at height is appropriately inspected and maintained

• A risk assessment of the task is carried before any work is undertaken. This should include controls to minimise the risk of persons falling from height or through fragile surfaces and the risks associated with falling objects.

• Work at height in areas where patients are present is risk assessed and appropriate precautions taken to prevent patients gaining access to the equipment. Selecting access equipment Only equipment that meets British and European standards and is suitable for the work should be purchased. Advice on suitable equipment can be provided by the Health and Safety or Gilbert Builders . When purchasing new equipment consideration must be given to:

• Likely ground conditions – most equipment needs a firm solid surface that is able to withstand the weight of the equipment and any load it may carry.

• The expected weight of any load that might need to be carried. E.g. The combined weight of the worker, materials, tools and equipment. Equipment will be marked with a maximum load capacity by the manufacturer.. Ladders and stepladders Ladders may be used where a risk assessment has shown that the risk is low and any work to be carried out is of short duration (usually up to a maximum of 30 minutes). Only light materials and tools should be used. Class 1 ‘industrial’ or EN 131 ladders or stepladders must be used at work. Class 3 ladders are designed for domestic use and are not suitable for work purposes. They must not be used. Ladders or stepladders must be:

• A suitable size or length for the intended work so that over reaching is avoided.

• In good condition with no damage to any part of the ladder and no oily or slippery substances on the rungs or stiles.

• Tied at the top to a fixed structure, using a ladder stabiliser or anti-slip device at ground level.

• Used on a firm flat surface. Some stepladders have a top platform. This should only be used if the ladder has a handrail that extends above the height of the platform. Appendix 4 provides further information on the Trust’s standards when using ladders and stepladders. Scaffolding General access scaffold Scaffold must only be assembled, dismantled or modified by competent persons who have received training in the type of scaffold to be installed. Less experienced Scaffolders must be

supervised. Scaffold must be braced and tied to a fixed structure and located on firm ground, avoiding grates or manhole covers. Once installed scaffolding must be inspected before first use, then at least every 7 days and following any situation that might have jeopardised ntegrity of the scaffold, such as high winds. Inspections must be recorded. Tower scaffold Persons erecting tower scaffold must be trained and competent and familiar with the type of scaffold to be installed. They should be trained by the Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association (PASMA. Mobile access equipment There are a variety of different types of equipment including ‘cherry pickers’ and scissor lifts that are collectively termed as mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs). They are suitable for roof access and short duration work such as inspection or maintenance. Equipment must be used on firm solid ground. If there is a risk of people falling from the platform, a harness with a short work restraint lanyard must be secured to a suitable manufacturer-provided anchorage point within the basket Special Situations Managers and staff must take into consideration any loading that access equipment may be subject to. This may arise with items being taken on to the equipment as part of a repair job. Alternatively it could arise with external access due to wind conditions. Where the activity for which the access is required is considered hazardous, for example ‘tree surgery’, it will be necessary to have a barrier to form an exclusion zone whilst the work is ongoing, this may include sealing access routes off. Such work must include a method statement, which details training, equipment and all safety measures to be taken. Similarly managers involved in minor contracts such as window cleaning must ensure that the equipment being used is suitable and working methods are safe. 6. TRAINING IMPLICATIONS Training will vary from simple demonstration of a stepladder to more formal training on specialist access equipment. All staff who use tower scaffolds, ladders and stepladders must undertake training which gives them awareness of the hazards of using the equipment and what to inspect, including pre-use visual inspection checks to ensure such equipment remains in good working order. As a minimum, all staff who use ladders or stepladders as part of their work must be made aware of the HSE information on leaning ladders and stepladder safety leaflet INDG455 (2014) that may be accessed via: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg455.htm Where managers are unsure of the suitability of equipment, advice should be sought from either the Health and Safety Team or Estates Team.

MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS

Area for monitoring How Who by Frequency Reported to Adherence to Policy Safety inspections / observations /incident reports Managers/ Safety Team On-going Health and Safety Forum / Estates and Facilities SubCommittee 8. EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT The completed Equality Impact Assessment for this policy has been published on this policy’s webpage on the Trust website. 8.1 Privacy, dignity and respect The NHS Constitution states that all patients should feel that their privacy and dignity are respected whilst they are in hospital. High Quality Care for All (2008), Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS, identifies the need to organise care around the individual, ‘not just clinically but in terms of dignity and respect’. As a consequence the Trust is required to articulate its intent to deliver care with privacy and dignity that treats all service users with respect. Therefore, all procedural documents will be considered, if relevant, to reflect the requirement to treat everyone with privacy, dignity and respect, (when appropriate this should also include how same sex accommodation is provided). Indicate how this will be met There are no additional requireme nts in relation to privacy, dignity and respect 8.2 Mental Capacity Act statement Central to any aspect of care delivered to adults and young people aged 16 years or over will be consideration of the individuals capacity to participate in the decision making process. Consequently, no intervention should be carried out without either the individuals informed consent, or the powers included in a legal framework, or by order of the Court Therefore, the Trust is required to make sure that all staff working with individuals who use our service are familiar with the provisions within the Mental Capacity Act. For this reason all procedural documents will be considered, if relevant to reflect the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to ensure that the interests of an individual whose capacity is in question can continue to make as many decisions for themselves as possible. Indicate How This Will Be Achieved. All individuals involved in the implementation of this policy should do so in accordance with the Guiding Principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. (Section 1)

PRE-USE CHECKS AND DETAILED VISUAL INSPECTIONS FOR TOWER SCAFFOLDS, LADDERS AND STEPLADDERS

Tower scaffolds, ladders and stepladders are subject to pre-use checks and detailed visual inspections. Both are looking for obvious visual defects but differ in the detail they go into; both can be carried out in-house. Pre-use checks should be part of a user’s training and detailed visual inspections should be formally recorded. Pre-use Checks Every tower scaffold, ladder and stepladder must be checked by the user of the equipment prior to each day of intended use to make sure it is safe to use. If frequently used during a day, equipment only needs to be checked once at the start of the day, unless moving equipment from soft / dirty ground to a solid / smooth / clean area. The following pre-use checks must be carried out: Do the tower scaffold / ladder / stepladder have any of the following?

♦ Missing, damaged or worn anti-slip feet on metal and fibreglass ladders / stepladders (essential for good grip)

♦ Items stuck in or adhered to the feet such as stones, grease, dirt or other debris, preventing the feet from making direct contact with the ground

♦ Mud, grease, oil or wet paint either on the rungs, stiles, steps or platform

♦ Cracks, splits, bends or warps in the rungs, stiles, steps or platform

♦ Missing, broken or weakened rungs or steps

♦ Missing or damaged tie rods

♦ Cracked or damaged welds, missing or loose screws or rivets, corrosion, sharp edges, dents

♦ Painted surfaces - Ladders / stepladders should never be painted as this could hide dangerous defects from view.

If the answer to any of the above is “Yes” the tower scaffold / ladder / stepladder should be taken out of use until it is adequately cleaned, professionally repaired or replaced with a new one as appropriate. Defects should be formally reported to the Estates Department as a matter of urgency. Stability devices and other accessories should also be pre-use checked in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Detailed Visual Inspections These should be carried out by a competent person and formally recorded every six months for ladders used frequently or occasionally (daily / weekly) or every twelve months if used infrequently, say once a month. A copy of the inspection report should be retained on site. An example of a suitable inspection report follows. Page 13 of 22 Detailed Visual Inspection Record for Tower Scaffold / Ladders and Stepladders