If you work at height, whether it be once a year or multiple times a month, you have a duty to partake or provide working at height harness training. This is a legal duty under The Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974. It is essential that anyone who works from height is 'competent' in doing so.

Read on to find out more about work at height training and why it's important for the health and safety of yourself and your peers when working at height!

At Safety Harness Direct, we understand and care about your safety when working at height. If you work at height frequently, you will be well aware of the risks that come with this type of work. To give you the essential information you need to safely work at height, we have compiled all of our working at height guidance into one handy guide for your convenience. 

Scaffolding safety is incredibly important. We've used our safety harness expertise to put together some scaffolding safety do's and don'ts to help keep you safe next time you're on site! 

Scaffolding Safety Do's

• Always thoroughly check the scaffolding materials (including poles, platforms and connections) for signs of wear or damage before you start building - never use materials that you aren't 100% sure are safe.
  
  
• Always thoroughly inspect your scaffolding harness for any damage or wear before use - the consequences of using damaged or faulty harnesses can be fatal, so make sure your harness inspection is in depth and that any harnesses deemed unfit are taken out of use.
  
  
• Always clear the ground of any debris and ensure that it is completely level before you start constructing the tower. 
  
  
• When constructing the tower, follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. If you suspect that a part if missing or not built correctly, rectify this before you start work. 
  
  
• Ensure that only trained and experienced workers are working on the scaffold towers. All workers should have a good understanding of security procedures.
  
  
• Always carry out a risk assessment before starting the work.
  
  
• Always maintain three points of contact when using fixed ladders or stairs for access. 

Scaffolding Safety Don'ts

• Never erect a scaffold tower near a hazard like a power line - there must always be a suitable clearance before the work platforms and any external hazards.
  
  
• Don't keep equipment that is not in use at the top of the tower as it could fall and injure workers below.
  
  
• Don't work on scaffolding in adverse weather conditions like extreme wind, rain, snow or storms as these can cause the scaffold to become unstable.
  
  
• Never attempt to work on scaffolding without the correct PPE - you will need a harness, helmet, gloves, hearing protection protective eyewear and hi-vis clothing.
  
  
• Never load a scaffold beyond its weight capacity.
  
  
• Never climb the steelwork or use cross braces as ladders.
  
  
• Never throw, drop or tip materials from height. 
  
  
• Don't work on platforms without appropriate guardrails and toe boards.

Here at Safety Harness Direct, we supply a wide range of height safety equipment that will enable you to work at height safely on scaffolding. If in doubt, always speak to the site manager before undertaking any work on scaffolding. 

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If you are planning an elevated job, you might be asking: what are the risks of working at height, and how can they be safely managed? Working at height is inherently precarious. Whether you are navigating scaffolding, repairing a fragile roof, or hauling equipment up a ladder, you need a safe, compliant method for getting the job done.

Under UK regulations, we always recommend conducting a thorough risk assessment before any elevated work begins. This assessment allows you to identify every potential working at height risk and put the correct safety equipment in place to minimize the chance of an accident.

Read our guide below to understand the most common hazards and how to protect your team.

Common Work at Height Risks

Let's start by looking at the hazards you might face. These dangers must be considered in any scenario, whether on a commercial building site, an industrial warehouse, or a residential property:

• Falling from height: The most severe hazard, often caused by slipping or losing balance near unprotected edges.
• Dropped tools and equipment: Falling materials pose a massive, sometimes fatal, threat to the personnel or public below you.
• Fragile surfaces: Falling through weak structures, such as skylights, asbestos cement roofs, or unstable scaffolding.
• Un-guarded openings: Stepping into unprotected voids, ledges, or elevator shafts.
• Inefficient or faulty safety equipment: Relying on worn lanyards or expired harnesses that fail upon impact.
• Inexperienced staff: Allowing untrained or incompetent team members to operate at height without supervision.

How Can You Manage These Risks?

Before work begins, it's absolutely vital to carry out a risk assessment in accordance with the Work at Height Regulations 2005. You must consider all possible work at height risks—not just the obvious ones—so you aren't caught in a life-threatening situation once the job starts.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends managing these hazards using a strict hierarchy of control:

1. Avoid Working at Height Always weigh up your options. If a job can be done from the ground (such as assembling structures before lifting them, or using extendable tools), you should avoid working at height altogether.
2. Prevent Falls If the job cannot be completed from the ground, you must prevent falls by investing in the right safety equipment, such as guardrails, edge protection, or fall restraint harnesses that stop a worker from reaching a hazard.
3. Minimise the Distance and Consequences If the risk of a fall cannot be completely eliminated, you must use fall arrest equipment (like shock-absorbing lanyards or safety nets) to minimize the distance and impact of the fall.

Key Checks for Your Risk Assessment

When auditing your site for a specific working at height risk, always check the following:

• Equipment: Is the gear selected suitable and in good working order? Check for any signs of wear and tear, and replace damaged PPE immediately. Never work with equipment you aren't 100% confident in.
• Surfaces: Inspect the surfaces you'll be standing on. Are they fragile, wobbly, or unstable?
• Falling Objects: Ensure all equipment and materials are secured. We stock a great range of tool lanyards specifically designed to prevent dropped objects.
• Emergency Procedures: You don't want to be making an evacuation plan while suspended in mid-air. Make sure everyone on site understands the rescue and emergency procedures before anyone leaves the ground.

Things to Avoid When Working at Height

Finally, make sure everyone is well-versed in the absolute "don'ts" of height safety:

• Do not overload equipment or platforms with too much weight.
• Do not overreach while on ladders, platforms, or scaffolding.
• Do not rest access solutions on weak or unstable ground.
• Do not let people who are untrained or incompetent work at height.

Now that you know exactly what to look for, let's look at the top-of-the-range equipment we supply to help you work safely.

Safety Harness Kits

If you want to purchase a single kit with everything you need to work comfortably and safely, take a look at our safety harness kits. These contain a combination of our most durable harnesses, safety lanyards, and accessories so you can get started ASAP.

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Safety Harnesses

Here at Safety Harness Direct, we specialise in a wide range of PPE. Whether you need a single-point, double-point, or full-body setup, we can supply a harness that will properly support you.

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While there are a lot of risks to consider when you're working at height, you can work safely and effectively when you have the right equipment to support you. If you have any questions, or if you'd like to speak to our team about your safety equipment needs, feel free to get in touch.

MEWP is an acronym for mobile elevated work platform. By definition, a MEWP is a platform designed to lift workers or equipment, often used in situations where work at height is required. In the construction industry, MEWPs are used to access hard-to-reach places such as telegraph poles and scaffolding.

There's a diverse range of mobile elevated work platforms on the market, but almost all of them will require you to wear some kind of height safety equipment, such as a safety harness. In this article, we're going to take a closer look at some of the most common MEWPs in the business before we delve into the types of safety equipment you should be using when you're working with a MEWP.