Work at Height

Purpose

To help prevent serious workplace injuries or fatalities by informing employees of the coordination techniques and hazards associated with work taking place at or near a height of 3 m (10 ft) or greater to the grade below.

Hazards

• Fall from height (P2:S2:F1=R5)

Prerequisites

• Identify Contractors whose scope of work will require work taking place at or near a height of 3 m (10 ft), or greater to the grade below.
• Identify Contractors whose scope of work will require work at heights of 7.5 m (25 ft) or greater where a worker is exposed to a fall.

Procedure

1. Coordinate with Contractors to determine the areas where guardrails can reasonably be installed
2. Delegate responsibility for installation of the guardrails in those areas
3. Coordinate with Contractors to determine areas where guardrails are not practicable and what fall protection method will be use
   1. If only 1 Contractor will be completing construction of an area up until guardrails or similar can be installed then the Contractor may be relied upon to provide their own fall protection method (e.g. framing floors and walls, assembly of suspended formwork)
   2. If more than one Contractor (i.e. scope of work) is involved in the construction of an area (e.g. balconies/decks, perimeter of concrete building) then Polygon must lead the coordination of determining the fall protection methods to ensure they are suitable for all Contractors that will work in the area
4. Before work commences, collect a Site-Specific Fall Protection Plan for the site from Contractors for work at heights of 7.5 m (25 ft) or greater where a worker is exposed to a fall; or where guardrails, fall restraint, and fall arrest cannot reasonably be done
5. Coordinate with Contractors for location, installation, and maintenance of anchor points (e.g. webbing slings or anchor plates) to ensure they are suitable for all Contractors that will work in the area
6. Determine and make available temporary anchor solution(s) to be used in the event of installed anchor point being unavailable (e.g. concrete inserts, structural gap/door anchor)

Control Measures

Regularly inspect work at height to ensure fall protection measures are in place and used correctly.

Where fall protection measures are not in place or used correctly for any work at height, stop the work and ensure immediate corrective action is taken.

Emergency Procedure

In the event of an incident (injury to worker, damage to equipment, any unplanned event)

1. Stop Work
2. Follow the Incident Notification Protocol / Emergency Procedures for the site and implement rescue plan from Site Specific Fall Protection Plan as applicable.