Education Sector Height Safety: Ensuring Compliance and Reducing Risk in Schools
Working at height is one of the most dangerous activities and accounts for many injuries and even fatalities. It is something that should never be taken lightly so school principals or their delegates have great responsibility for keeping people safe.
What is Working at Height and What are the Responsibilities of School Principals?
Working at height is defined as any activity where there is a risk of falling two metres or more. This can include falling into a hole, pit or trench as well as to the ground, and can cause serious injury.
Activities at height include general maintenance and cleaning gutters, retrieving objects from a roof, painting high ceilings or erecting lights. These may be carried out by maintenance staff, although educational facilities are encouraged to use specialist contractors for specific tasks at height.
It is the responsibility of principals or their delegates to ensure any work at height is undertaken safely. This includes:
- identifying and assessing risks, then putting in place controls so that those risks are eliminated or minimised
- preventing people from working at height if it is not part of their role
- ensuring any individuals who work at height have undergone the necessary competency-based training, including a refresher course every two years, and retaining records of this
- having prepared a safe work method statement, then reviewing its completeness and accuracy, and signing and recording the documentation before any work starts.
The aim is to ensure that risks and accidents are minimised so that everyone is kept as safe as possible. To achieve this, a safe working environment must be maintained so that injuries are avoided.
Safe working procedures need to be established, and the necessary safety equipment provided. This includes installing travel restraint systems that prevent workers from reaching a place where they may fall and fall arrest systems that prevent a person from falling too far.
Activities that Pose Risks and How to Minimise Those Risks
Within the education sector, activities at height include general maintenance tasks such as cleaning gutters, inspecting and repairing roofs and repainting woodwork. The structural integrity of the building must be maintained, so these and other tasks have to be carried out regularly.
For all these tasks, it is necessary to make sure that all the necessary safety measures are put in place. This includes having the necessary safety equipment such as personal protective equipment (PPE), cordoning off the work area and having a risk assessment and a procedure that covers safe working practices.
All safety equipment must be installed correctly and must be properly maintained per regulations and to ensure it is safe and effective to use. That means, for example, having height safety harnesses inspected and recertified every six months to ensure they are not damaged and are fit for use. Roof anchor points must be checked annually to verify they are secure.
All installation and recertification of equipment must be carried out by a qualified professional to comply with legislation. At Workplace Access and Safety, we can assess your needs, install the necessary equipment and ensure it is always in full working order. We can also train staff and contractors in the way of safe working at height so they are not put in danger and always operate legally.
Don’t risk falling foul of the law or failing to safeguard people on your educational site. Instead, contact us and we will ensure everything is done properly.
