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Height Safety Planning for Facilities Managers
– Introducing STRICTPLAAN

Russell Tennent, Managing Director at Leach’s, explains the important safety protocols facilities managers must implement to ensure safe work at height.

As a facilities manager, you’re used to juggling a range of priorities at any one time. One minute the lightbulbs need replacing. The next you’re planning complex refurbishment and development projects. You’ll have your hands in many pies to ensure the continued operation of a facility.

Often overlooked is the risk attached to maintaining a facility or premises. A large amount of the required activities may need to be conducted at height… even changing a lightbulb! And that’s where the danger lies.

Items that require frequent maintenance, such as HVAC systems or solar panels, are often located on roofs. It’s important to have a strict set of safety measures in place that effectively reduces the risk of any person working at height suffering a fall.

What Is Classified As Working At Height?

There were 39 construction workers killed in 2020/21. 50% of those fatalities occurred following falls from height, with a further 11% struck by moving objects, including flying or falling objects – also a severe risk when working at height. While these numbers don’t relate specifically to facilities management, all those that work at height are exposed to the same level of risk if the appropriate safety plans are not in place.

So, what classifies as working at height?

According to the Work at Height Regulations 2005, working at height refers to any work conducted whereby a fall from distance could occur, resulting in personal injury. Such work could include:

• Working from a ladder, including a step ladder
• Working from a scaffold or mobile tower
• Work from a MEWP, Boom or Cheery Picker
• Working at ground level next to an excavation
• Working near or adjacent to fragile surfaces, such as roof lights

What’s The Role Of The Facility Manager?

Often, it’ll be the facility manager’s role to specify and plan any work that is to be undertaken on a facility or premises. Conducting effective health and safety risk assessments before this work takes place is essential to properly identify hazards or areas of risk, ensuring the safety of all those who will carry out the planned maintenance or renovations.

Following a strict assessment and planning framework can help facilities managers cover off all the important aspects to ensure safety when working at height. The STRICTPLAAN framework is designed achieve this. It entails:

S – Scenario – Evaluate the scenario

TR – Threats and risks – Understand the threats and risks

I – Instigate – Instigate proper planning

C – Competencies – Evaluate worker competencies

T – Training – Ensure thorough training

P – PPE – Choose quality PPE & height safety tools

L – Look – Look at your equipment before each use

A – Actionable – Create an actionable emergency and evacuation plan

A – Assure – Assure regulatory compliance

N – Never – Never get complacent.

S - Evaluate the scenario

Before undertaking any work at height, the following question must be considered… “Do I need to?”

The single most effective way to avoid falls and injuries at height is not working at height. Closely evaluate the scenario to determine if it’s absolutely necessary. Best practice advice – undertake as much work with two feet on the ground (if possible).

TR – Consider the threats and risks

Once you’ve agreed the project requires work at height., a competent person should identify all of the health and safety threats and risks that may present themselves. The best way to do this is via a full and thorough risk-assessment.

Employers and facilities managers must therefore produce and implement a formal procedure that ensures a risk-assessment is clearly defined, documented and all the relevant safety procedures are adhered to by those working at height

I – Instigate thorough planning

Once you’ve covered off the risks, it’s time to implement a strict plan.

Any work at height must comply with the Work at Height Regulations 2005. It is the duty of the employer, self-employed, or the facilities manager if overseeing the work at height, to produce stringent safety measures to prevent the risk of a fall. These must include:

• Scope of project
• Means of access, such as roof or scaffolding
• Lighting details
• Plant and equipment needed
• Materials or substances that could be hazardous
• Pre-determined risks and their controls
• Training provided
• Supervision required
• Site maintenance and storage
• PPE required and instructions for us
• Power requirements
• Working at height requirements
• Third party protection
• Emergency and rescue plans
• How the plan will be communicated to workers

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C – Evaluate worker competencies

Everyone working at height must have the relevant skills, knowledge, ability and experience to do so; this is called worker competency. Asking a tradesperson without the right skills to work at height safely is an accident waiting to happen. Often, it’ll be the facilities manager’s duty to ensure the competency of those conducting the work

T – Ensure proper training

Although not everyone on a on a project will be asked to work at height, it’s best to give as many workers the opportunity to train as possible. If it’s likely they’ll be asked to help with a job, even when it isn’t their core expertise, they need to be confident to deliver. It is best-practice to ensure every staff member who may be called upon for support is properly trained.

P – Choose quality PPE and height safety tools

There’s nothing more important to your health and safety when working at height than utilising the right equipment and protection. Is your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is best-in-class? Does it comply with the latest regulations?

Sourcing cheap and non-compliant gear is a risky procurement approach. Your equipment may break or fail. If it does, procuring more equipment might be the least of your concerns. What if a member of your team was injured in the process?

When workers’ wellbeing is at stake, quality PPE can make all the difference.

L – Look at your equipment before each use

When was the last time you had a really good look at your PPE?

It’s good practice for all PPE and height safety equipment that you conduct visual inspections before each use. The BS EN 365: 2004 Personal protective equipment against falls from height standard instructs users of fall arrest equipment to re-certify equipment on a 12-monthly basis. Some textile webbing products may need to be tested every 6-months at least, or every 3-months if being used in arduous conditions.

A – Have an actionable emergency evacuation and rescue plan

While you should make every effort to reduce all risks when working at height, unfortunately accidents can still occur. You must have an easy-to-action, well-drilled emergency evacuation and rescue plan ready.

A – Assure regulatory compliance

Good awareness of all the relevant legislation and regulations that exist to mitigate against any risks is essential.

As a facilities manager, if you or your team is working at height, you will need to comply with the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR).

Any work at height must be properly planned, supervised, and carried out by competent people with measures in place to protect everyone at risk. Non-compliance with the relevant legislations could result in increased risk of injury due to poor safety practices, as well as potential fines and site closures.

N – Never get complacent

Train, train and then train again. Never get complacent. It isn’t a one-time thing. Training gives confidence, increases knowledge, and upskills tradespersons so they can carry out their work effectively with minimal risk. Training is one of the most important tools to prevent injuries on-site. A worker must be confident using the tools at their disposal.

Stay Safe At Height

The STRICTPLAAN work at height planning framework gives facilities managers a simple method to remember important height safety measures that must be implemented before a project is undertaken. Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive guide and we always recommend speaking to a height safety specialist to support your requirements. You can download the STRICTPLAAN safety guide for free.