IMS9.4.6.6 Working at Heights Procedure

1.0   PURPOSE

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that:

• Any work conducted where there is a risk of falling from one level to another, Queensland legislation requires that fall protection be provided for persons working at height and there is a risk of personal injury, standards and specific Client site-specific procedures.
• When working from an elevated work platform, a man cage or a crane box, appropriate precautions are taken to prevent a fall.
• To ensure that when working at heights there is no possibility of personnel being exposed to a radiation or radio hazard.
• Working at Heights Permits must be used. 

2.0   SCOPE

This procedure applies to all areas of operations within SeaLink where personnel are exposed to Work at Height related hazards.

3.0   REFERENCES

• WHSMS Safety Manual
• IMS9.4.6.3 Hazard and Risk Assessment Procedure
• IMS9.2 Safety Policy
• IMS9.3.3 Safety Objectives
• IMS9.4.7 Emergency Response and Preparedness
• AS/NZS4801: 2001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
• QLD Work Health and Safety Legislation and Regulations  2011
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2002
• Qld Electrical Code of Practice - Working near exposed live parts V2
• Managing the risk of falls at workplaces Code of Practice 2011
• SeaLink Isolation and Lockout Procedure. SP4.4.6.4-5

4.0   DEFINITIONS

Company - SeaLink

EWP - Elevating Work Platform

Man / Crane Box - Fabricated, certified steel box to lift personnel via a crane to conduct work at heights.

Power lines                        Up to 110 / 132kV                           

Distribution Lines           Over 110 / 132 kV             Transmission Lines

Must - mandatory

5.0   REQUIREMENTS

This procedure includes requirements to ensure that:

• Risk assessments must be conducted before the commencement of work performed at any height where there is the potential to fall or sustain an injury and at any time the scope of work changes or the risk of a fall increases.
• The need to work where there is the risk of a fall is eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels by use of the Hierarchy of control selection process.
• All working at heights equipment must comply with the requirements of relevant Australian Standards and are fit for purpose.
• All equipment must be pre-use checked prior to each use.
• Comprehensive inspections of the equipment must be undertaken and documented as required or determined by SeaLink.
• All equipment must be registered and tagged to indicate compliance with inspection requirements.
• Barricades and warning signs are placed in effective locations to protect lower levels where objects may fall.
• All tools and equipment are prevented from falling from height by the personnel using them.
• All forms of fixed, portable and moveable work platforms and suspended work cages must conform to legislative requirements and relevant Australian Standards.
• All persons erecting scaffolding or operating elevating work platforms or cages must be trained and certified for the equipment they are using.
• All persons tasked with work at heights are physically and psychologically suitable for such work.
• All persons engaged in work at heights are competently trained and assessed at regular intervals.
• Behaviour based observations must be performed for tasks involving work at heights and specific additional retraining determined by use of these observations.
• This manual does not apply to rope rescue situations that are regarded as specialist functions. This must be covered in separate procedures.

5.1   Assessment Process

Before any task is undertaken where a person who is required to work at heights, they must complete a Take 5 Pre Task Assessment, in the event that risks are identified that are not covered by this Procedure they must then complete an additional JSA to ensure that the identified risks have control measures implemented to:

• Eliminate the risk of a fall; and/or
• Remove the risk of equipment and tools falling from one level to another.
• Consider potential requirements for assistance and rescue should a problem occur.
• Assessing the risks involved must include considering:
  • Is the task covered by a Standard work Procedure
  • Does the task require work outside of fall protection
  • Should the person perform the task alone
  • Is a rescue plan required
  • Is the scope of the task liable to change
  • Object falling
  • Environmental changes

5.2   Control Selection

Wherever practical, a safe working area must be provided by means of work platforms or scaffolds complete with floors, guardrails, kick boards, and a safe method of access.

Should a safe permanent or temporary work platform not be practicable then the risk assessment must determine, via the hierarchy of control, the most practicable and effective controls required.

Where a risk of falling still exists in unprotected areas, access must be restricted and controlled through risk assessment

5.3   Fixed Platforms and Access Ways

A fixed platform or access way is the preferred option when working at heights. A fixed platform or access way must be the first consideration in controlling the risk if working at heights is required.

5.4   Mobile/Temporary Platform and Access Equipment

Mobile/Temporary platforms and access equipment include but are not limited to:

• Mobile stairways/platform
• Scaffolding
• Portable stands
• Elevated work platforms
• Boom lifts
• Knuckle Booms
• Trailer mount access platforms (cherry pickers)
• Portable ladders

The safe operation and use of the above types of equipment is effected by a wide variety of factors. To establish a safe system of work for each piece of equipment the following factors must be considered when conducting a risk assessment for task completion:

• Equipment design.
• Equipment use applications.
• Equipment failure characteristics.
• Nature of the task.
• Height of work to be performed.
• Environmental limitations (slopes, unstable ground, electrical hazards, etc.).
• Weight of equipment/SWL.
• Competency of operators ( may require tickets)

5.5   Inspection and Servicing Of Mobile / Temporary Platforms and Access Equipment

Mobile / Temporary Platform and Access Equipment must be inspected to confirm as adequate:

• Before the first use.
• At intervals determined by the operating conditions (maximum of 3 monthly intervals).
• As soon as practicable and prior to further use following an occurrence that could have affected the stability or adequacy of the work platforms or access equipment (e.g. fire, collision, cyclone, overloading).
• Prior to use following repairs and modifications.

Erected scaffolds over 4m must be inspected at least every 30 days or less as determined by the risk assessment by a licensed and authorised scaffolder and or Client / Site requirements.

5.6   Portable Ladders

Portable ladders include:

• Platform ladders
• Single ladders
• Extension ladders
• Step ladders

Portable ladders must comply with AS 1892 parts 1 & 2.

5.7   Working Without a Work Platform

Where persons are to work in an area that has no work platform (fixed or temporary) and the risk assessment has deemed it to be impracticable to install such, fall injury prevention systems must be employed to prevent falls and falling objects.

Fall injury prevention systems may include:

• Fall prevention devices
• Work positioning systems
• Temporary work platforms
• Perimeter guard rails
• Anchorage lines and rails
• Personal fall arrest equipment
• Catch platforms

A fall injury prevention system must be used where a person may need to gain access or work from an unprotected edge where they could fall from an edge at the workplace unless edge protection is used. Working in the marine environment and/or over water will require special consideration.

The following key requirements must be considered with the use of fall injury prevention systems:

• The systems chosen must be the most appropriate and reasonably practicable as determined by the risk assessment.
• The system and anchorages must be designed, manufactured, constructed, and installed so as to be capable of withstanding the forces applied to them as a result of a person or object falling.
• In every case preventing a person or object from falling (fall restraint) must be employed before considering a system to catch after a fall has occurred.
• All persons using the system must remain attached to an appropriate anchor point at all times while at risk of a fall occurring including times when movement around obstacles is required.
• Where a potential to fall under the full influence of gravity before the fall arrest system starts to take any loading exists, the equipment must include a fall arrest harness and an energy absorber (Inertia reel, lanyard) in the system. The use of body belts for any fall arrest is prohibited.
• Any fall arrest equipment must not be used after it has arrested a fall until it has been inspected and certified as operational and safe for use by a competent person.
• Where total free-fall fall arrest systems are to be used (working in suspension), the appropriately trained and appointed Supervisor in charge of the work area must provide signed permission in writing.

Where a personal fall arrest system is employed, consideration of the potential for an emergency rescue must be made during the risk assessment process. This contingency planning shall consider:

• Requirement not to work alone while using fall arrest equipment.
• Competence to perform the rescue.
• Response time.
• Access to a potential victim.
• Recovery.
• Equipment requirements.
• Impact consequences considering suspension trauma.

5.8   Working on Roofs

Prior to working on or accessing any roof or other structure, a risk assessment must be conducted to determine the soundness of the roof to support the intended load.

Appropriate control measures determined by the risk assessment must be implemented to eliminate the risk of falls and falling objects.

5.9   Working in Ceiling Spaces

Prior to working in or accessing any ceiling space a risk assessment is to be conducted.

Appropriate control measures determined by the risk assessment must be identified and implemented.

5.10   Barricades and Signs

Where required by a risk assessment, appropriate signage and solid barricades must be installed to protect both those working at height and persons working below.

Any signage used should comply with AS 1319. Signage may be used to alert persons of a danger of overhead work or of an incomplete platform (e.g.: scaffold).

Barricades must be used to prevent persons from entering an area where working at heights is being conducted or where a fall from heights would be possible. Barricading installed should be appropriate for the task (e.g.: traffic barricades will be required to keep traffic out of a working at height area). Where barricades are required to prevent persons from falling (e.g.: through an open hole) barricades must be of a solid construction. Solid construction means a temporary guardrail (e.g.: plastic mesh, steel mesh). ‘Danger tape’ is not considered as solid construction as it will not restrain a person from falling into a hole.

5.11  Open Holes / Penetrations

Where practicable a hole or penetration in flooring must be covered with an appropriate material capable of preventing persons or objects falling through.

5.12  Mobile Equipment

Work must not to be undertaken on mobile equipment (e.g.:truck trailers, boats on trailers) where there is the risk of falling or falling objects without adequate fall prevention measures in place as identified by the risk assessment.

Access to the operators cabin (and where practicable to other areas of the mobile equipment that must be serviced regularly) must be by means of a safe access ladder/stair/platform.

When accessing the operator’s cabin, three points of contact must be maintained at all times.

Platforms used for access to mobile equipment, may be used for direct access from the ladder/stairway to the cabin only without the requirement to use fall prevention or fall protection equipment.

When any work carried out on the platform or around the equipment could result in a fall, fall prevention or fall protection measures must be employed as identified by the risk assessment.

Note: all equipment, materials and tools required at the work area should be lifted and lowered using a safe method as identified by the risk assessment.

5.13  Competency

A competency based training program must be in place for all personnel involved in work where there is a risk of falling or falling objects. 

Personnel working at heights are required to hold a current and valid Work at Heights competency license.

5.13.1  Competency Based Training

Persons who are exposed to the risk of falling must:

• Participate in the risk assessment of the work.
• Know and understand the control measures for falls and falling object prevention.
• Be competent and authorised in the correct use and application of control measures.
• Be medically assessed as fit to work at height.
• Inform their supervisor if they have any medical condition (permanent or temporary) that may adversely affect their competency to work safely at height.

5.14   Inspections

Legislation requires inspections of all equipment used to lift or support a person for access or work at height.

• Formal inspections must be conducted by a competent and authorised person and the results of these inspections maintained for auditing purposes. Formal inspections must be conducted at intervals not exceeding three (3) months, or as specified in legislation or by the manufacturer.
• Pre use /pre-start, after use, inspection by the operator/user and recorded in a log book where required for machinery/mobile equipment.

The formal inspection system must include a record of, but is not limited to the following:

• Completed inspections
• Faults found
• Repairs required and completed
• Date of last inspection

The inspection system is to include the following areas:

• Anchor points.
• Harness and accessories.
• Lanyards and accessories.
• Static lines and accessories.
• Rope systems and accessories.
• Mobile work platforms and attachments.
• Scaffolds and access equipment.
• Work platforms and access equipment.
• Stairs.
• Portable stands.
• Ladders.

The inspection checklists should include items such as:

• Physical damage.
• Wear.
• Corrosion/erosion.
• Distortion and deformation.
• Metal fatigue.
• Deterioration.
• Identification markings.
• Storage.
• Labeling (safety instructions etc.).
• Statutory requirements.

5.15   Auditing

Regular audits must be conducted to ensure compliance with this procedure.

6.0   EXHIBITS

Nil.