Stop Construction Falls

Contractors and other persons conducting a business or undertaking

On any worksite, all persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) have the responsibility to ensure the safety of anyone working on or visiting the site. The word 'person' in this case means the business or company involved, not just the individual in charge of a site or project.

Of course many projects will involve a number of PCBUs, tiering down from the principal contractor to the lowest level of subcontractor involved. Although the primary responsibility may rest with the principal contractor, the law requires that all PCBUs involved consult, coordinate and cooperate wherever they have overlapping responsibilities.

A PCBU in control of a construction project is therefore responsible for the health and safety of any person who may be affected by the construction work, including any subcontractors involved in the project. This means that the PCBU has a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons engaged to undertake the work, and any other person affected by the work, are protected from the risk of a fall from height.

Persons with control of a construction project and construction work must provide adequate supervision to ensure that workers are working in accordance with established safe work procedures. They must also provide any equipment and any training that may be necessary for that task to be completed in a safe manner.

Clients

Clients are also PCBUs with responsibility for the safety of work carried out on their behalf. In particular, clients have a duty to consult with designers and builders to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the structure to be built is designed and constructed so that workers, and any other persons on the construction site, are protected from hazards, such as a fall from height.

Designers

Designers have a duty to ensure, to the extent that they have control over the design, that fall hazards arising from the design are identified and, where possible, eliminated by design modification. Hazards that remain should be identified in a written report to the client and other relevant parties.

Workers

Workers must ensure, as far as they are able, that their work does not put themselves or others at risk and that they undertake work at height in accordance with the information, instruction and training with which they have been provided.

Consultation

Good communication is vital in helping make construction sites safer places to work. This means that the information a person may need to work safely and the best way of providing that information need to be examined. The level of training, experience and general language skills are all things that should be considered when communicating with a range of people on a construction site. For example, does the way the information is provided need to be altered because the person does not use English as their first language?

Australian work health safety law has specific requirements to ensure that appropriate consultation occurs between management and workers. This is particularly important in high risk industries such as the construction industry.

What are the duties when working at a height of less than 2 metres?

The harmonised work health and safety laws require that those with a duty to ensure the health and safety of persons undertaking or affected by construction work adopt a risk management approach for the prevention of falls. In situations where persons are working at heights where there is a risk of falling less than 2 metres, the standard risk management model of identifying fall hazards, assessing the risk of a fall occurring, and controlling the risks should be adopted.

What are the duties where work is being done at 2 metres or more?

High risk construction work includes work at height where there is a risk that a person could fall 2 metres or more.

Persons in control of a construction project or construction work where there is a risk that someone undertaking construction work could fall 2 metres or more must ensure that:

hazards, including hazards other than fall hazards, have been identified;
where reasonably practicable, physical fall prevention is provided;
other hazards have been controlled; and,
after a risk assessment has identified what controls are needed, a safe work method statement detailing the control measures to be used, is developed for the work.

Planning a safe approach to working from heights

Too many falls from height are caused by a failure to plan, assess and organise work properly.

The safe planning of working at height requires the person or people with control of a construction project to ensure workers are not exposed to fall hazards by following a risk management process.

Identify fall hazards

All locations and tasks that could cause injury due to a fall must be identified. The following methods will help in the hazard and risk identification and assessment process:

Inspections – walk around the workplace and talk to your workers using a checklist to record and manage hazards.
Task Analysis – Identify the hazards involved in each task of the job.
Process Analysis – assess all task hazards and assess the risks arising from each fall hazard.
Accident Investigation – check your records of previous injuries and 'near miss' incidents related to falls.

Assess the risk of harm with each hazard

Consider what could happen if someone is exposed to a hazard and the likelihood of it happening. The assessment can help you determine the likelihood of a fall and the severity to determine the consequence of the hazard.

Control the risks

The most important step in controlling risks involves eliminating them so far as is reasonably practicable. You can then use the hierarchy of control to minimise the chance of injury due to a fall.

Planning for emergencies

Persons with control of a construction project should ensure that whenever and wherever there is a risk of a fall from a height, emergency procedures and facilities, including first aid, are established and provided.

Where appropriate, specific emergency exits, routes and plans should be displayed on the construction site, and where indicated by the risk assessment, emergency evacuation procedures should be practiced at regular intervals. Any difficulties with these procedures should be identified and resolved.

Refer to the safety management - SAFE steps page for further information about risk management

Managing hazards

A hazard is something which has the potential to harm the health, safety and welfare of a person or people.

Every worker has the right to a safe work environment where all practical steps have been taken to identify hazards and minimise risk.

There are many potential hazards on a worksite that pose the risk of a fall from height. To minimise the risk of an fall-related accident, worksites should employ the principals found in:

hierarchy of control; and,
monitoring and review.

Hierarchy of control

The hierarchy of control lists the ways in which the risk of a construction site injury due to a fall from height can be removed or reduced. There are five levels with level one being the most optimal.

When deciding how to deal with a potential fall hazard at work, the first aim should be to eliminate the hazard altogether. If this is not possible then the hierarchy of control should be implemented.

After the appropriate level has been determined, a process of monitoring and review should be undertaken.

Level 1 - Undertake the work on the ground or from a solid construction.

Level 2 - Undertake the work using a passive fall prevention device such as a:

scaffold;
perimeter screen;
step platform;
perimeter guardrailing;
guardrailing edges of roofs;
mast climbing work platform;
protection for trenching work;
work box;
safety mesh; or,
purlin trolley.

Level 3 - Undertake the work using a work positioning system. These include:

total restraint systems; and,
industrial rope access systems.

Level 4 - Undertake the work using a fall injury minimisation system. These include:

catch platforms;
and full-arrest systems.

Level 5 - Undertake the work from ladders, or implement an administrative control. Level 5 should only be considered when no better option is available.

Monitoring and review

The control measures put in place should be monitored and reviewed regularly by a responsible party to ensure they work as intended and are achieving the necessary level of safety.

A review is required when a control measure is not effective in controlling the risk or a new hazard or risk is identified. All involved parties including clients, contractors and employees should be consulted in the review process.

If control measures are altered in any way, all involved parties must be made aware of the changes.

In consultation with workers and health and safety representatives, it is useful to document:

the identified hazards, assessed risks and chosen control measures (including any hazard checklists, worksheets and assessment tools used in working through the risk management process);
how and when control measures were implemented, monitored and reviewed;
who was consulted;
relevant training records; and,
any plans for changes.

Documentation is important to ensure processes have been followed correctly, and to refer to later if an incident occurs.

Equipment

In minimising the risk of a fall-related injury, one of the best preventative measures is to ensure the right equipment is being used, and used correctly.

How to select the right equipment

When deciding on what equipment to use for a task, consider the following:

The principles contained in the hierarchy of control.
Site surroundings – slopes, soft ground, obstructions and traffic can determine the correct choice of work equipment. For example an elevating work platform (EWP) could reach over bad ground or obstructions as long as its stability is not compromised. An EWP may be preferable to a tower scaffold in such circumstances.
Distance to be negotiated for access and egress. Ladders are likely to be less suitable for higher access.
Distance and consequences of a potential fall. An energy absorbing lanyard would be ineffective if the deployment length was greater than the fall distance because the user would hit the ground/floor before the system could deploy.
Duration and frequency of use of the equipment. Long duration, higher frequency work justifies a higher standard of fall protection. For example a tower scaffold rather than a ladder. However, a ladder may be justified for short duration low-risk work.
Ease of an evacuation and rescue if required. If rescue from a deployed fall arrest system is going to be difficult, choose other work equipment, for example a EWP.
Additional risk posed by the installation and removal of work equipment. An EWP used by one person may be less risk than two or three people erecting a tower or scaffold for one person to work safely.

Correct use of equipment

When using equipment, make sure it is being used properly, is maintained and that all necessary safety precautions are adhered to.

As a project progresses, monitor and review the task and equipment to ensure it is still the safest and best way to achieve the required task.

Checklist for using height safety equipment

Have workers been instructed and trained?
Do workers have the skills and knowledge they require to select, inspect, maintain and use the height safety equipment safely?
Have you provided workers with the information they need? (manufacturer’s instructions, operating manuals, training courses)
Have you ensured workers understand the information provided?

Maintenance of height safety equipment

Is equipment maintained and in a safe condition for use?
Have regular maintenance, preventive checks, and inspections on all fall prevention and height access equipment (including ladders) been carried out?
Is there a record of inspections and and tagged?
Have inspections been carried out before the equipment is used for the first time or after any incidents or any major repairs?
Have you checked the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure maintenance is carried out and is to the correct standard.

Fall prevention in residential construction

Falls are the leading cause of death for workers engaged in residential construction.

An important element in the prevention of falls in housing construction work is a clear understanding by all parties about who has responsibilities in relation to fall prevention, and how those responsibilities can be met.

Everyone working on a residential construction worksite must be provided with sufficient information, instruction and training to enable them to work safely and without risking their health.

Where workers are exposed to potential falls from working at any height, information, instruction and training must explain:

The hazards and risks associated with work performed at these heights.
How to follow health and safety procedures associated with this work.
The reasons fall protection measures have been set in place and how to use them properly.

Those supervising the work must also receive training.

Fall prevention checklist

When working at heights, planning ahead is the most important thing you can do to prevent falls. Use this checklist when making decisions related to working at height.

Will ladders be used?

Do you have the correct ladder for the job?
Is the ladder in good condition?
Is the ladder set up properly?
Have users been trained in safe ladder use?

Will boom lifts, scissor lifts or elevating work platforms be used?

Is the ground level and solid to ensure safe footing?
Do all workers have harnesses?
Have all workers been trained in height safety?
Have all workers been trained in the safe operation of machinery?
Has the site been assessed to prevent contact with power lines?

Will scaffolding be used?

Is the scaffold fully planked and are planks in good condition?
Does the scaffold have proper guardrails, mid-rails and toe boards?
Has a competent person on site inspected the scaffold before use?
Have all scaffold builders received instruction and training in scaffolding?
Have all scaffold users received training in safe use of the system?

Will supported scaffolds be used?

Is there proper footing?
Is the ground level?
Is there a ladder for safe access?
Is the scaffold properly tied into, and within proximity to, the structure?

Will suspended scaffolds be used?

Are there sufficient tiebacks to support the scaffold?
Are the connections, wire ropes and braking systems in good order?
Are two-point suspension scaffolds tied or otherwise secured to prevent them from swaying?
Is a system for emergency escape and rescue provided?

Will fall protection (guardrails) be used?

Will all workers be behind guardrails?
Are the guardrails at least one metre high?
Are all exposed edges protected?

Will workers be using fall protection (restraint lines)?

Are anchors installed?
Do all workers have harnesses?
Are workers given harnesses for their individual use during the entire job?
Are restraint lines in good order and of proper length?
Is all the equipment readily accessible and properly stored?
Is there a work plan to prevent restraint lines from getting tangled?
Have all workers been trained in proper use of restraint lines?
Has a competent person been selected to make sure fall protection is current and used correctly?

Know where you are

Ensure all workers on the site know the address of the worksite so that if an emergency situation occurs they can direct emergency services to the location.

More information: