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Working at heights, as the name implies, refers to the workers who are working at a specific height from the ground. Now you can guess that these workers are mostly the ones working on construction sites. Working at height can be dangerous, therefore it must be avoided. However, there are several situations in which it cannot be avoided just like when constructing a building. In such situations, the workers can either fall from the edge or fall on sharp, fragile things, which could definitely cause an injury. Fortunately, there are some steps that can be taken in order to minimize the risk of harm. For this purpose, you need to make sure that workers are trained for working at heights. If not, you can recommend several sites offering courses on working at heights. Such courses are quite helpful and provide the workers enrolled in the course with a working at heights certificate as proof that they have taken the training and are ready to work at heights.
In this blog, we are going to mention how the risk of working at heights can be minimized to ensure the occupational safety of the workers working at a specific height from the ground. So, let’s begin!
How to Minimize the Risks of Working at Height?
Just as explained earlier, working at Heights can lead to several adverse consequences that can prove fatal. Therefore, it is very important to work for the safety of your workers working at heights.
The first thing to do to minimize the risk of working at heights is to ensure that your workers are highly trained for working at heights. Experience and expertise in work are not enough to claim that a person is trained. The workers must be aware of the possible consequences of working at heights and must have certain skills to work safely.
Despite having proper training and a certificate for working at heights, it is a wise decision to avoid working at height where possible. For example, one can think about doing certain tasks at ground level rather than on heights. Similarly, one can think of ways the risky task can be done through machinery rather than the worker himself. In this way, the consequences of working at heights can be avoided.
The third most important thing is to make sure that the workers are using the correct machinery for the task assigned to them. In addition to this, the workers must be aware of the usefulness and working of the machinery they are working at hand with. Apart from that, you need to know the protective gears you must use before you operate a certain machine especially hazardous equipment like a sand blasting machine.
Moreover, the workers must have all the necessary tools and equipment carried with them safely. Backpacks and lanyards are a good way of carrying tools and equipment safely at work.
Last but not least, make sure you know about the area you are working in. The type of ground and place matters a lot. In case the workers are working on old or decaying services, it is evident that there must be weak surfaces that could collapse and cause harm to the workers. Therefore, it must be made sure that the workers are comfortable working there and are aware of the consequences so they can prepare for it to minimize the risk of working at such sites. In case of any emergency, the workers must be aware of the evacuation and emergency exit to get themselves rescued.
Proper Planning and Supervision
In addition to ensuring the proper training of workers working at height, it is very important to plan and supervise construction or any other task being held at a specific height from the ground. Oftentimes, the employees are found guilty of not supervising the task properly when any working-at-height offense occurs. Both planning and supervision are very important for the manager and the workers. This can help reduce the risk of working at height and ensure not only the safety of your workers but also your reputation.
So these were some ways in which you can reduce the risk of working at heights. Working at heights must be avoided as much as one can, however in situations when it cannot be avoided, make sure all the planning and supervision on your part is done perfectly and the workers you hire are well-trained for the job they are about to do. The safety of people working for you is your responsibility. It is your responsibility to ensure the occupational safety and health of the workers working for you. They are risking their lives for doing your work, so you often have some responsibilities towards them. Therefore, plan, supervise, and train wisely!