VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1
Infosheet 8. Falls from height Identifying Fall Hazards Falls are a major cause of workplace fatalities and serious injuries. There are many jobs that require people to work at heights greater than 2 metres, or at ground level where a fall is possible because of hazards like holes, pits or shafts. Examples of typical fall hazards include: • work on or near fragile roof surfaces such as skylights or fibreglass panels with no guarding, safety mesh or other fall protection measures present • installation, maintenance or inspection of air conditioning units situated close to unprotected roof edges • work from ladders – such as painting, repairing or clearing gutters • tree work which requires climbing to reach the branches to be pruned • raising workers on pallets to reach items stored in high racking or shelving • climbing onto the tops of vehicles such as tankers or livestock carriers • mezzanine floors without adequate guardrails or handrails.
Reducing the risk of falls Employers must take steps to safeguard workers against falls. Victorian law now requires every task which involves a fall hazard of more than 2 metres to be assessed, to see whether it can be done safely from the ground or from a stable work platform. For example, equipment mounted on a roof can often be relocated to ground level. If those options are not practicable, there are a number of other risk control measures that could provide the protection needed. They include: • using an industrial rope access system, to enable the worker to supported by ropes which are attached to a strong anchor point • setting up a passive fall prevention device – such as a scaffold or guardrail • using a fall injury prevention system, such as an industrial safety net or safety harness system. All of these require specific training and instruction for the worker, and purpose-designed equipment which must be regularly checked for any wear or damage.
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VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1
The use of ladders Where the use of a ladder is the only practicable way to do a job requiring work above 2 metres, employers must make sure the ladder is appropriate to the task. Ladders should be ‘tied off’ where practicable to ensure that they are stable and will not slip sideways or fall backwards. Where a job requires that a ladder is used frequently, a ladder bracket may be fitted to enable to the worker to secure the ladder before work begins.
Ladders should always be carefully checked before use, and should never be used where the ground is sloping or soft. Tools and equipment should never be carried up or down a ladder – they should be raised and lowered in a bag. A person on the ground can do this, while at the same time keeping watch for pedestrians and other traffic.
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VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1 Â
Worksheet Word Sleuth TASK: Find these words in the grid below. brittle roofs
fall arrest
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safety boots
slippery
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hazards
injury
safe systems
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scaffold
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danger
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shaft
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depth
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risk
sign
steps
fall
gantry
roof
slid
trips
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VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1
Sentence Match Task: Pair the sentence fragments. Victorian law requires a risk assessment for every task that involves a fall hazard of ...
... slip sideways or fall backwards.
Steel/wire mesh and covers protect people from ...
... ropes which are attached to a strong anchor point.
Fitting a ladder bracket to a structure enables a worker to ...
... skylights or fibreglass panels.
An industrial rope access system enables a worker to be supported by ...
... they should be raised and lowered in a bag.
Ladders should be ‘tied off’ where practicable to ensure that they are stable and will not ...
... more than 2 metres.
Falls are a serious risk for people working on or near brittle or fragile roof surfaces such as ...
... light work of short duration.
Ladders should be used only for access to the work, or for ...
... secure the ladder before work begins.
Tools and equipment should never be carried up or down a ladder; ...
... falling down holes or shafts at work sites.
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VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1
Short Answer Exercise TASK: Using the ‘Infosheet’ above and the link below, complete the following ten questions individually: http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/health-and-safety-topics/falls-prevention
1. What are the three groups or categories of falls?
2. List five factors that could cause someone to fall.
3. List three types of brittle roof materials.
4. From where should work on a roof which is fragile or brittle be carried out?
5. List three factors that could cause mobile scaffolding to be unsafe.
6. What are some of the places that people can fall into on a construction or excavation site?
7. What items should be used to protect people from falling into a hole or down a stairwell?
8. As well as using these items to prevent people falling into a hole, what else should be done to safeguard this hazard?
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VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1 Â
9. What is it about the ground or floor on a building that increases the risk of slips, trips and falls?
10. What should you check before you use a ladder?
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