Guidance on Edge Protection
The HSE are raising the profile of the hazards associated with working at heights and have issued an information pack. The HSE intend to focus on construction sites and enforcement visits have already commenced.
Your work may occasionally involve working near open edges of buildings. Some examples are listed below:
- Working near the leading edge of a cold store roof during its construction,
- Working near the edge of a completed cold store where a person may fall down the cavity
- Working near the edge of a roof on a building, say during the changing of a condenser,
- Working on floors above ground floor of a building under construction where edge protection has not been provided.
There is a significant risk of a fall if adequate controls are not put in place when working in the above situations. The HSE information pack highlights suitable controls which will help to prevent an accident.
- If working within 2m of open edges, full edge protection must be put in place comprising a top rail, toe board and intermediate protection.
- For short-duration work (a matter of minutes rather than hours) and where it is not reasonably practicable to provide full edge protection, anyone working nearer than 2m must wear a safety harness.
- If work on a roof or floor involves nobody going closer than 2m to an open edge, then full edge protection may not be necessary. In such circumstances a demarcated work area should be clearly and access restricted. Demarcation should be established by erecting an obvious physical barrier and subject to strict supervision to ensure no one strays outside. Although full edge protection is not necessary, a simple painted line or bunting is notsufficient. Demarcated areas should be them
If you encounter any situation where your work places you near an open edge, then a thorough risk assessment must be carried out and controls implemented, before work can commence.