Working at Height Policy

 

Reviewed by:	Suzanne Deadman, 15 05 2025
Ratified by:	Resources Committee, 05 06 2025
Next Review:	Summer term 2027

Introduction

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require that, “every employer shall take suitable and sufficient action to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any person falling a distance liable to cause personal injury”.

These procedures are designed to support this aim and to give practical guidance to all staff and contractors, who might be expected to undertake working at height activities.

Examples of working at height include:

• Putting up displays
• Accessing high-level storage (i.e. items that cannot be reached/stored safely from floor level
• Changing light bulbs/tubes
• Window cleaning (i.e. where this cannot be safely carried out from floor level)
• Clearing out gutters

The most common causes of accidents whilst working at height include:

• Not securely placing or fixing equipment
• Climbing access equipment with loads
• Overreaching or overbalancing
• Slippery substances access equipment (e.g. mud, grease, oil)
• Placing equipment on slippery floors
• Falls through fragile surfaces
• Unsafe or faulty equipment

The Working at Height Regulations 2005 require that:

• All work at height is properly planned and organised
• Those involved in work at height are trained and competent
• The risks from working at height are assessed and appropriate equipment is selected and used
• The risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled
• Equipment for work at height is appropriately inspected
• Consideration is given to weather conditions that could endanger health and safety
• The place where work at height is done is safe
• The risks from falling objects are properly controlled

High Risk Activities

All high-risk working at height activities must only be carried out by specialist contractors with the appropriate competency and equipment to undertake the tasks safely.

Examples of high-risk tasks are detailed below (this list is not exhaustive)

• Accessing unguarded flat roofs to recover balls etc
• Working on unguarded flat/fragile roofs
• Cleaning out gutters
• Changing a bulb/fluorescent tube at high level e.g. in school hall or gym

Staff Awareness

The Head of school will raise awareness of the risks associated with working at height through training, posters and staff meetings.

School Access Equipment

The appropriate means of access within school are stepladders. Staff are not expected touse a ladder during their work.

Chairs, tables, boxes, shelving are not appropriate means of access and therefore must not be used.

Hierarchy of Controls

Before undertaking any working at height activity employees must consider the following hierarchy of controls outlined in the Regulations:

• To avoid work at height wherever possible i.e. can the work be undertaken safely from ground level
• Where you cannot avoid working at height, a risk assessment must be carried out to identify and implement controls designed to prevent a fall
• If the risk of a fall, person or object, cannot be eliminated, further controls must be put in place to minimize the height of the fall and the extent of the potential injuries or damage

Responsibilities

The Headteacher and Health and Safety Governor have the delegated responsibility from the Governing Body to do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling from height by ensuring:

• All work at height is properly planned and organised
• No work at height is undertaken if it is safe and reasonably practicable to do it other than at height
• All work at height takes account of weather conditions that could endanger health and safety
• The place where work at height is undertaken is safe
• Staff or contractors understand their responsibility to undertake a risk assessment prior to working at height
• Staff working at height are physically capable
• Staff working at height are competent and appropriately trained
• Risks of personal injury from falling objects are avoided or controlled
• Access equipment provided is suitable for the activity
• Access equipment is regularly inspected to an agreed schedule and records are retained
• To immediately remove any unsafe access equipment from use
• Suitable storage space is provided for access equipment and secured to prevent unauthorised access
• The use of access equipment is monitored and where unsafe practices are identified they are immediately stopped
• Pregnant women, volunteers and work experience do not undertake working at height activities

It is the responsibility of all employees to:

• Consider prior to any working at height activity if the task can be achieved safely from ground level e.g. using a pole to open a window
• Only use access equipment with which they feel competent
• Ensure they are fit to undertake the task and have no medical conditions which may affect ability to work at height, e.g. vertigo and ear infections.
• Ensure they are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including prescription and over the counter medicine, which could affect their ability to work at height
• Visually inspect equipment before each use and report any defects immediately to the Premises Manager or School Business Manager
• Report any safety hazard to the Premises Manager or School Business Manager
• Carry out a risk assessment prior to each new activity and be aware of the relevance of the school’s generic risk assessment for working at height
• Only use access equipment in accordance with procedures, instruction and training
• Wear suitable footwear e.g. no flip flops,
• Follow the School’s Lone Working Procedures and how they relate to working at height activities
• NEVER use chairs, tables or other items of furniture as access equipment
• NEVER bring access equipment into work

Contractors

Where contractors carry out work on the school site they will be expected to work to the standards outlined in these procedures, however their access means will not be restricted to stepladders.

Where contractors are obviously not complying the Head of school or Premises Manager will firstly speak with the contractors or their supervisor. If the matter cannot be resolved either the Head of school or Premises Manager will seek advice from the Health and Safety Department at Lewisham Council or Health & Safety Consultant and request, they leave site until it is resolved.

Inspection of stepladders

It is the responsibility of the Premises Manager to ensure school stepladders undergo a monthly inspection and a record of the inspection is kept. Any equipment identified as having a defect must be immediately removed from use.

All staff undertaking a working at height activity must also visually inspect the stepladder before use to ensure:

• The general condition of the stepladder is sound – clean and dry, free from wet paint, oil, mud etc on either the rungs or the stiles
• There are no visible defects – no sharp edges, wing nuts are tight,
• The slip resistant rubber or plastic feet are in a good state of repair with nothing that would prevent the feet from making direct contact with the ground
• Steps are stable
• There are no rungs missing, loose or bent
• No stiles are damaged or bent
• No missing or loose screws or rivets
• There is no corrosion
• The ladder is level to the naked eye

Any equipment identified as having a defect must be immediately removed from use and reported to the Headteacher, Premises Manager or School Business Manager

All staff undertaking a working at height activity must complete a risk assessment prior to commencing the task.

The risk assessment must consider:

• The task to be completed – duration of the task, whether its light or heavy work
• The most appropriate equipment options (not just what is available)
• The hazards that are present – the height of the task, work area, weather conditions, fall from height
• The necessary controls are in place to achieve a safe system of work – safe handhold, avoids, stepladder is tied, person footing the ladder

To aid staff a generic risk assessment has been completed for common repetitive tasks undertaken within school, e.g. putting up displays, storing items above head level. Staff must consider whether the generic risk assessment is appropriate and relevant for the task and if not must complete and record the findings of a new assessment as part of the planning process of work.

No working at height activity may proceed if the findings of the risk assessment indicate to do so would place an individual at significant risk.

Training

It is the responsibility of the Head of School and Governing Body to ensure employees required to work at height receive:

• General training in the risks of working at height and
• Specific training in the equipment that they will be using

Appropriate training must be identified at induction by the Line Manager and provided before any employee is allowed to work at height.

Storage of ladders and stepladders

Stepladders must be stored safely so as not to create a trip hazard. Stepladders should not be stored by hanging from the stile or rung. Ladders should be secured to ensure pupils are not able to access.

Purchasing of new ladders

All new ladders that are purchased will meet the British or European standards.

Safe Working Practice Only use a stepladder:

• If the maximum time in one position does not exceed 30 minutes
• For light work – stepladders are not suitable for strenuous or heavy work e.g. carrying loads of over 10kg
• If you can maintain three points of contact – hands and feet. If a handhold is not practicable the risk assessment will have to justify whether it is safe to proceed considering:
  • The height of the task
  • Whether it is light work (not carrying more than 10kg)
  • Whether it avoids overreaching
  • Whether the user’s feet are fully supported

• Do not position a stepladder:
  • Where it can be knocked by a door or window – secure doors (not fire exits) and windows. If this is impractical have a person standing guard at a doorway/window
  • Where it may get struck by a passing vehicle
  • Where it can cause a hazard or where it can be struck or dislodged
  • Within 6m of an overhead power line

• Only use stepladders
  • On firm ground or spread the load (e.g. use a board)
  • On a clean, solid, level surface free from loose material (sand, packaging material) so the feet can grip. Be aware of shiny surfaces.

• Before commencing work ensure:
  • Consider the hierarchy of controls
  • The stepladder is the right height; never use boxes or bricks etc to gain extra height.
  • Each foot is on a clean, level, firm footing and all feet are in contact with the ground with the legs fully open
  • The stepladder is in good condition
  • The stepladder is positioned with the rungs facing the work activity and not side on, which is less stable
  • A risk assessment has been undertaken that considers the hazards, risks and Controls

Safe use of stepladders

• Only use stepladders for light duty, short duration work (no more than 30 minutes in any one position)
• Only go as high as you need
• Only one person should be on a stepladder at any one time
• Don’t use the top two steps of a stepladder unless it has a suitable handrail. (Don’t use the top three steps of a swing back or double-sided stepladders where a step forms the very top of the stepladder, this should ensure a handhold is readily available).
• Don’t carry heavy or awkward shaped loads up a stepladder
• Don’t overload it – your combined weight and that of the load you are carrying should not exceed the highest load stated on the ladder
• Always keep one hand free to grip the stepladder when climbing
• Ask people to pass items to you or use a tool belt
• When working from stepladders try and maintain three points of contact with it at all times (e.g. both feet and one hand)
• Do not use a stepladder if you have a medical condition or are taking medication that could affect your safety or you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Make sure you have the right footwear e.g. clean in good condition without dangling laces
• When going up or down a ladder take each rung one at a time and don’t rush, use both hands to grip the ladder whenever possible
• Access equipment must never be used when people are underneath
• Make sure you do not miss the lower rungs are you step off the stepladder
• Do not overreach – move the ladder so that you keep between the stiles and both feet on the same rung throughout the task. Keep your weight over the centre of the ladder
• Do not place a foot on another surface, such as a window frame, to extend your reach
• Do not throw or hang things from stepladders
• For higher risk work, such as applying a side on force that cannot be avoided, you should prevent the steps from tipping over, for example, by tying the steps to a suitable point
• Access equipment must never be used when people are underneath.

Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed by teh resources committee every two years or sooner if required.