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Risk of falls during work at height

25 September 2019

During a recent construction site visit a Prohibition Notice was served to prevent a carpenter working from improvised, unguarded work platforms.  Access to and from the work area was via a single scaffolding plank.

Most disturbing was the fact that the carpenter was being assisted by a young apprentice.

All the photos below were taken on the same site.

The first photograph shows access to the work area across a single plank. As well as the obvious risk of falling, the unsupported plank could snap, potentially causing a fall of three metres.

In photograph two a step ladder is set up on two half scaffold boards, over open joists, with a risk of falling five metres.

The third photograph shows a single half scaffold board placed across the top of a step ladder to form a platform. This was carried out to enable work amongst the roof joists, but created a risk of falling five metres.

Despite sustained campaigns by regulators around the world the risk of falling from height remains the single biggest killer in the construction industry.

Fig 1: Single unsupported plank access

Fig 2: Stepladder over open joists

Fig 3: Platform created on top of stepladder

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