10 Safety Practices You’ll Master in Your Working At Heights Course

Working at great heights is, undoubtedly, one of the riskiest occupations out there. That being said, the risks can be mitigated if strict safety precautions are observed. In EMCARE’s working at heights course, you’ll learn a number of essential safety practices that, when put into place, will drastically reduce the possibility of accidents on the job. In just a few minutes of reading, discover 10 safety practices you’ll master when you participate in our comprehensive working at heights course.

What does working at Heights entail?

Working at heights refers to any kind of work where an individual runs the risk of falling and injuring themselves. This encompasses working from a roof’s edge, a ladder, an opening on the floor, scaffolding, and even loading docks. Government regulations require workers to equip themselves with fall protection if they’re working at heights, and strict safety precautions must be adhered to.

1. The Proper Use of Railing

   One of the first practices you’ll learn during EMCARE’s working at heights course is the appropriate use of railing. Wherever possible, workers in high elevations must use railing. It’s classified as a form of passive protection, and can do wonders in keeping you safe with minimum effort on your behalf. There’s no extra equipment required to master this practice, either. Most rooftops have railing systems in different forms, including:
   
   
   • Metal roof railing
   • Non-penetrating roof railing
   • Parapet mounted railing
   
   No matter the type of railing available on a job, you’ll learn to make use of it in a number of ways. At some point during your career, an employer may charge you and your colleagues with creating a makeshift railing on the rooftop where you’ll be working. They are, without question, the easiest fall protection system you’ll encounter.

2. Selecting Appropriate PPE

   Knowing exactly which pieces of fall equipment you’ll require for a job is another valuable practice you’ll learn during your working at heights course. In most cases, you’ll need to make use of some form of full-body harness that adheres to industry standards. These systems can be costly, but it’s the responsibility of your employer to provide your equipment. If you’re embarking on your own working-at-heights business venture, you may be in for some steep expenses.
   
   
   
   The full-body harness is just one piece of equipment you’ll come to know. Safety lanyards are another. You’ll learn how to properly select and attach them. It’s likely that the equipment you need will change from job to job, with lower ascents requiring fewer pieces, and vice versa. Don’t feel intimidated while doing research on the masses of existing fall protection equipment out there, as our course will get you up to speed in no time.
   
   

   Working at heights equipment

   • Harnesses
     
     The full body harness is an essential piece of equipment when working at heights. They work by distributing fall arrest forces across the pelvis, upper thighs, chest, and shoulders. These harnesses feature a dorsal D-ring that serves as an attachment point for connectors like lanyards. D-rings can serve various other purposes as well. It’s important that they’re routinely checked for damage and wear.
     
     If a fall occurs, these devices work together with an automatic locking mechanism. The locking device creates an arresting engagement and works as an energy absorber or brake to decelerate the individual’s falling mass.
     
     
   • Lanyards
     
     Lanyards are lengths of wire rope, synthetic webbing, or typical rope that connect to a full body harness or a horizontal or vertical lifeline. They can be attached to connectors like carabiners or snaphooks.
     
     

3. Inspecting your PPE

   Once you’ve chosen the appropriate personal protective equipment, you’ll need to inspect it to ensure it’s in perfect working order. You’ll learn exactly how to do this during your working at heights course. If systems are worn, they will certainly fail at some point or another. Equipment must be inspected before each and every use.
   
   You’ll come to know what to look for, what is acceptable or not, as well as the steps you need to take if a piece of equipment isn’t up to scratch. Although pre-use examinations don’t have to be lengthy, it’s of the utmost importance that they’re thorough. Taking the time to observe this practice could literally be the difference between life and death.
   
   

4. Selecting an Anchor Point

   What good is a fall protection harness and lanyard if your chosen anchor point doesn’t hold? Anchor points refer to objects to which you’ll attach your equipment in order to work safely at heights. You’ll come to know that anchor points are only acceptable if:
   • They can handle a load of over 2000 kilograms.
   • They’ve been designed and approved by an engineer or professional that has calculated the expected load.
   
   
   As you can imagine, not many structures will be able to withstand the abovementioned force. This is why it’s common practice to choose structural steel with an appropriate beam clamp. If installed properly, roofing carts or manufactured anchors also suffice.
   

5. Calculating Fall Distance

   You can wear the best fall protection equipment in the world, but if it doesn’t engage in time, it’s worth nothing. While this may sound like common sense, you’d be surprised at how easy it is to slip up in this area. You’ll come to know, during your working at heights course, that you’ll need to add around 1.5 metres to your lanyard to account for the deployment of your deceleration device.
   
   Your pre-calculated fall distance needs to include both the length of your lanyard when deployed and your body length below the D-ring (and any other sag in your anchor system and harness). You will learn exactly how to calculate your fall distance during EMCARE’s extensive working at heights course.
   
   

6. Using the Right Equipment

   In the same way that harnesses come in many shapes and sizes — suited to individual requirements — ideal fall protection solutions vary depending on the unique situation. In some scenarios, you’ll find yourself on a lift. Even lifts must change to suit the job in question. Depending on the lift type, you may or may not need to wear a lanyard and harness. You’ll find that this is the case when making use of a scissor lift.
   
   In other situations, scaffolding may be your best bet when working at heights. Jobs like painting houses or washing lower-level windows often require the use of scaffolds. Sometimes, scaffolds will be completely infeasible, and you’ll have to rely on a ladder, for example. Here, fall protection requirements become even trickier. We’ll address that a bit later.
   
   While completing your working at heights course, you’ll learn how to recognise the situation, and the type of elevation system you’ll need to use. It’s unlikely that you’ll encounter the same height situation throughout your career. This is why learning to adapt and change your tactics is so essential.
   
   

7. The Proper Use of Aerial Lifts

   Aerial lifts are one of the many methods used to ascend and descend from heights. It’s well known in the industry that there are several ways in which something can go wrong when operating this equipment. Something that is often forgotten is the need for any person in an aerial lift to be tied-off (no matter the height or time of day). This means that the individual is secured to the lift’s anchor point, and that their lanyard has been properly adjusted to the calculated height.
   
   Aside from keeping both feet firmly on the platform, you’ll come to know during your working at heights course that properly fastening yourself to aerial lifts is the most important safety measure. Even the smallest misstep can endanger your life, and the lives of your colleagues. Recognising that fact puts you one step closer to being the ultimate high-elevation worker.
   
   

8. The Proper Use of Ladders

   At first glance, this may seem like common sense. After all, haven’t we all made effective use of a ladder at some point or another in our lives? However, ladders are the source of many workplace accidents — purely because we take safety and structural integrity for granted when we use them. During EMCARE’s working at heights course, you’ll learn that there is more to using a ladder safely than meets the eye.
   
   Before deciding on a ladder for a particular job, you need to properly consider whether the tool is the best of its kind for the task. Couple this with the important ladder handling techniques we’ve detailed below.
   • Have around 1 metre’s worth of extension on the ladder past the height level you’re working at.
   • For every metre the ladder rises, place the base of the ladder roughly 0.3 metres away from the structure you’re ascending.
   • At all times, make sure that there are three points of contact with the ladder (for example: two legs, one hand).
   • If you need to carry anything up or down the ladder, use a pulley system or belt attachment so that you can maintain the three points of contact rule.
   
   When using fixed ladders over 7 metres high, it’s of the utmost importance that you make use of a ladder safety system. This could encompass lanyards, vertical lifelines, or harnesses. The cages that you see covering high ladders simply don’t cut it. In no way do they prevent falling. Also, the transition at the top is another issue to contend with.
   

9. Recognise The Type of Fall Protection Required

   Three factors must be considered when deciding what fall protection is required for a working at heights scenario: duration, frequency, and location of work. Regulatory bodies use two terms that help people determine the duration and frequency of the work in question. We’ll address these terms and factors in more detail below.
   
   
   • Temporary (duration): Short-term, simple tasks that take less than 2 hours.
   • Infrequent (frequency): Work that must be performed once a month, or less.
   • Location of work: Once duration and frequency have been determined, you’ll need to determine the location of the job, in proximity to the hazard (fall).
   
   You’ll learn in detail how to accomplish the latter during your comprehensive working at heights course.
   
   

10. Dedicated Training

    Perhaps this goes without saying, but regular training and remaining fit is incredibly important if you’ll be working at heights on a regular basis. Training programs like EMCARE’s working at heights course are required by law. There is a significantly increased risk of injury (or worse) if an individual is confused while trying to protect themselves on the job. In fact, in some countries, falls are the leading cause of injury on construction sites.
    
    This stands testament to the threat of the job. Feeling confident while metres off the ground is an essential safety practice, since the more nervous you feel, the more likely you are to fumble. Thorough working at heights courses like those offered by EMCARE address nerves and fears at the root, and alleviate them by providing solid training that can be applied outside of the training room and beyond.