Any enclosed (or largely enclosed) place where there is a reasonably foreseeable risk of fire, explosion, loss of consciousness, asphyxiation or drowning counts as a 'confined space' for health and safety purposes. Note that a space doesn't necessarily have to be small, difficult to enter or completely enclosed to count as 'confined'.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) uses the above definition when explaining which workplaces are covered by confined space safety rules.
A fragile surface when working at height can be every bit as dangerous as an open edge. If the surface gives way, a worker may fall through it and suffer life-changing or even fatal injuries.
All roofs should therefore be treated as fragile until a competent person has confirmed otherwise.
Because safety harnesses come in different sizes, it's important to measure yourself and make sure you get a harness whose dimensions match your body.
Wearing a harness that's the wrong size for you can cause discomfort and restrict your movement, making it harder to get the job done – and in the event of a fall, the forces may not be distributed evenly across your body, increasing the risk of fall arrest injuries.
Fall arrest injuries are injuries that can happen when a fall arrest system stops a worker from hitting the ground, but exposes them to other hazards such as sudden stopping forces and the risk of suspension trauma.
A properly-planned fall arrest system can save a worker's life. If someone falls from a roof edge, MEWP or other elevated spot, their fall arrest harness and should keep them from hitting the ground.
However, stopping the fall is only part of the job. A fall arrest system must also reduce the risk of injury during and after the arrest. If the wrong equipment is used, if the harness does not fit correctly, or if no rescue plan is in place, the worker may still suffer serious harm.
'Falls from a height' are falls from one level to a lower level. This could mean falling from a roof, ladder, elevated work platform or unprotected ledge. Falling through an opening in the floor also counts as a fall from a height.
