Working at Height (WAH) is one of the most common hazardous activities in the Oil&Gas industry. Although it is a familiar situation for those who work in this field, workers must never underestimate the hazards and must avoid risk normalization.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) defines work at height as work in any place where, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury.
For example, you are working at height if you are
- Working on a ladder or a flat roof;
- Could fall through a fragile surface;
- Could fall into an opening in a floor or a hole in the ground;
- Working on the back of the trailer for loading and unloading of materials.
Whenever working at height, applicable rules to be applied include, as a minimum:
- Work with a valid permit when required
- Secure tools and work materials to prevent dropped objects.
- Inspect fall protection equipment before use
- Tie off 100% to approved anchor points while outside a protected area
- Plan for emergencies and ensure required rescue equipment and competent personnel is in place before start
Successful implementation of Work at Height controls starts from specific training for all individuals, their supervisors,
and their leaders, and passes through continuous initiatives to ensure implementation, such as safety campaigns, toolbox meetings, refresher training, leadership site visits, positive recognition of conformance and interventions, internal and external feedback for improvement of compliance.
