Avoid, Prevent, Minimise

Work at height means work in any place where a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury — including below ground level, and including falls through fragile surfaces.

The hierarchy

• Avoid working at height where reasonably practicable. Assemble at ground level and lift into place; use extending tools from the ground; design out the need for access; specify remote inspection.
• Prevent a fall where work at height cannot be avoided. Use an existing safe place of work, guard rails, scaffolds with edge protection, tower scaffolds, or mobile elevating work platforms. Collective protection before personal protection.
• Minimise the distance and consequences of a fall where the risk remains. Soft landing systems, safety nets, then fall arrest harness systems as the last resort.

Collective before personal

A guard rail protects everybody who comes near the edge, without training, decisions or equipment checks. A harness protects one person, only if it is worn, clipped, correctly adjusted, anchored to a suitable point, and connected with adequate clearance below. Reaching for the harness first is the commonest failure in height planning.