D: High risk activities

1.1 The HSE website has many resources, including a dedicated work at height section that includes information on the Work at Height Regulations, including INDG401 (Rev 2)Working at height - A brief guide.

1.2 The Access Industry Forum website contains information and guidance, including a working at height video knowledge base. This includes a series of online videos of experts explaining the requirements for various topics (such as edge protection and fall prevention, scaffolding, MEWPs, safety nets, ladders and mobile access towers). It also contains a series of video toolbox talks.

1.3.1 For further information refer to the HSE guidance document Safe use of ladders and stepladders - A brief guide (INDG455).

1.5 To assist trainers in this respect British Standards published the Code of Practice for the delivery of training and education for work at height and rescue (BS 8454).

1.7 The HSE has developed a step-by-step guide, developed to help workers at height understand the key factors to consider when selecting the safest and most appropriate types of access equipment.

1.8.1 The HSE has developed a brief step-by-step guide to help workers at height understand the key factors to consider when selecting the safest and most appropriate types of access equipment. http://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/step-by-step-guide.

1.8.2 The Ladder Association, in consultation with the HSE, has produced risk assessment guides for ladders and stepladders.

1.14.3 The Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) has a card scheme in place for people working in the scaffolding industry, including scaffolders, trainee scaffolders, labourers, supervisors and inspectors.

2.1 Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, an independent review of Building Regulations and fire safety was announced by Government in July 2017.  The final report sets out a new regulatory framework for duty holders involved with planning permission, design, construction and refurbishment, to ensure building safety would operate across the building life cycle. The report contains recommendations and guidance, mapping the new building safety regulatory framework for the construction and occupation of a higher-risk residential building (HRRB). The review of fire safety requirements and guidance in the Building Regulations is ongoing, with the government continuing to respond to concerns on technical standards.

2.1 For further sources of information and guidance relating to roof work refer to the following websites:

• Advisory Committee for Roofsafety (ACR).
• Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC).
• Access Industry Forum (AIF).
• National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC).
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
• British Constructional Steelwork Association.

2.3.2 For further information refer to the ACR’s Guidance note for competence and general fitness requirements to work on roofs.

2.3.3.2 For detailed guidance on wind speed advice for different roof work refer to the HSE guidance Health and safety in roof work (HSG33). 

2.3.3.2 For further information refer to the National Federation of Roofing Contractors’ guidance booklet Roofing and cladding in windy conditions.

2.3.3.3 For further information refer to the HSE guidance Fire safety in construction(HSG168).

2.4.6 For further information refer to Solar panel installation (GS001) (907KB, PDF)

2.5 Refer to the HSE publication Health and safety in roof work (HSG33) (paragraphs 170-202) and Fragile roofs (GEIS5) for details of the dangers presented by fragile surfaces:

• Health and safety in roof work 
• Fragile roofs.

2.6 The HSE maintains a list of accreditation bodies for training organisations that can deliver training of this nature.

2.6 The HSE has produced Asbestos essentials, a task manual for building, maintenance and allied trades on how to safely carry out non-licensed work involving asbestos.

2.7.2 For further information on this course, and the regulations, refer to:

• The Ladder Association website.
• Schedule 6 of the Work at Height Regulations.

2.7.7.1 For further information refer to the following:

• The International Powered Access Federation website.
  
• The Strategic Forum Plant Safety Group Best Practice Guide for MEWPs – Avoiding trapping/crushing injuries to people in the platform.

2.7.7.1 Avoiding trapping/crushing injuries to people in the platform – Strategic Forum Plant Safety Group, Best practice guidance for MEWPs.

2.7.7.2 For further information refer to the International Powered Access Federation website.

2.7.7.3 For further information refer to the Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Association website.

2.7.8 For further information refer to the following:

• FASET website.
• The Blue book – Recommended practice for the use of safety nets for roof work, published by the Advisory Committee for Roofsafety.

2.8 For further information refer to Health and safety in roof work (HSG33) and the NFRC guidance for handling roofing sheets and recommended safe wind speeds.

• Health and safety in roof work 
• NFRC guidance.

2.10.1 The Advisory Committee for Roofsafety is a body dedicated to making working on roofs safer. It was established in 1998 and is made up of nominees from HSE, trade associations and organisations involved in roof work that provide many years' of experience of involvement in working on roofs in the advice given in their documents.

2.10.1 Refer to the Access Industry Forum website for some useful online videos.

2.10.2 For additional information and resources refer to the HSE website.

20.10.2.1 The Advisory Committee for Roofsafety (ACR), which is the lead authority in the UK on roof work health and safety and represents all the relevant trade associations, has published jointly with the HSE definitive guidance on what constitutes fragile material: Red book – Test for non-fragility of profile sheeted roofing assemblies (ACR 001:2014).

3.2 The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has developed a step-by-step guide.

3.3 For further information on the performance and effectiveness of ladder stability devices refer to the HSE website.

3.3.2 All ladders should be marked with a unique identification number and the class or duty rating. For more comprehensive guidance refer to the HSE guidance document Safe use of ladders and stepladders (INDG455)

3.4 For further information about low-level access equipment and training refer to the PASMA website.

3.6 For further information on tower scaffolds refer to the HSE website.

3.6.3 For further information about training in mobile towers refer to the PASMA website.

3.6.9 Training courses are available from CITB, as well as from manufacturers and suppliers. Certificates should be provided as proof of training.

4.1.1 The British and European Standards can be accessed via the British Standards Institution (BSI) website..

Visit the Scaffolding Association and NASC websites for further information.

Scaffolding Association 

NASC

4.1.3 The CISRS website provides further information on UK recognised training schemes within the scaffolding industry.

4.2 NASC has produced a range of online video talkbox talks.

4.3.2 For further information, including a list of scaffold structures where bespoke design is recommended, refer to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) scaffold checklist.

4.3.4 SG4 is free to download from the NASC website. 

4.3.5 For further information on rescue planning refer to the NASC safety guidance note SG19.

4.6 For further information about scaffold inspection qualifications refer to the CISRS scaffold inspection training scheme (SITS). 

4.6.4 For further information refer to Access and egress from scaffolds (SG25).

4.7.2 Guidance on protection of the public (SG34) provides general advice for scaffolds erected in the public domain, including the planning required and the range of precautions that should be considered to eliminate the likelihood of harm (for example, through falling material or transport accidents).

4.7.2 TG20 includes compliant scaffolding features (such as pavement lifts up to 2.7 m and light-duty protection fans).

4.7.2 Reference should also be made to the HSE guidance document Protecting the public - Your next move (HSG151).

4.7.5 Edge Protection Federation's Code of Practice 2014 - A guide to the selection and use of temporary edge protection systems. 

5.2 For further information refer to the HSE website.

5.3.2 Information on netting training providers is available from FASET, the netting industry trade body.

5.3.4 For further information refer to FASET’s The testing of safety nets for UV degradation (Bulletin no. 3). (588KB, PDF)

5.3.5 A safety net inspection sheet template is available from FASET upon request.(578KB, PDF)

5.5.6 The Work at Height Safety Association (WAHSA) has produced leaflets and information on use and positioning of fall-arrest equipment for those working at height.

5.5.6 For further information refer to the HSE website.

5.5.8 For full details refer to the HSE publication Inspecting fall arrest equipment made from webbing or rope (INDG367). (PDF. 340KB).

5.6 The trade association that governs the rope access industry is the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA).

5.6 The trade associations for the steeplejack industry are the

• Association of Technical Lightning and Access Specialists (ATLAS) 
• The Steeplejack and Lightning Protection Training Group.

5.8 For further information refer to the Specialist Access Equipment and Maintenance Association (SAEMA) website.

6.2 Information on structural stability of excavations can be found on the construction pages of the HSE website.

6.3.3.1 The Construction Plant-hire Association has produced guidance on management of shoring in excavations, aimed at anyone involved in the planning, management, design and supervision of excavation works.

6.4.3 For further guidance refer to the HSE publications The safe use of vehicles on construction sites (HSG144) and Construction site transport safety: Safe use of site dumpers (CIS52), which can be downloaded free from the HSE website.

6.6 For further guidance refer to the CPA document Guidance on lifting operations in construction when using excavators. (293KB, PDF).

6.3.1 The HSE guidance document Avoiding danger from underground services (HSG47) can be downloaded from its website. 

6.3.3 Full information can be obtained from NJUG guidelines on the Positioning and colour coding of underground utilities apparatus.

6.6.4 Information on working adjacent to underground pipelines and the location of underground pipelines around the UK can be found on the Linewatch and Linesearch websites.

• Linewatch
• Linesearch

6.8.3 For further information refer to the HSE guidance note Avoiding danger from overhead power lines (GS6).

7.4 The complete regulations and the ACoP and guidance notes can be viewed online.

Regulations 

ACoP 

7.5 Tunnelling offers more specific challenges. For the latest updates on training standards visit the Pipe Jacking Association and the British Tunnelling Society websites.

Pipe Jacking Association 

British Tunnelling Society

7.6.14.2 Respiratory protective equipment at work – A practical guide (HSG53) sets out the nominal protection factor for each type of respirator and describes their limitations; it should be carefully consulted in cases of doubt.

8.3.1 For further guidance on DSEAR visit the HSE website.

8.4.2 For further information on the requirements of CDG and ADR visit the HSE website. 

8.7.3 Cylinder identification, colour coding and labelling requirements (TIS6) (159KB, PDF) can be downloaded for free from the British Compressed Gas Association website. 

8.8.7.1 The HSE has published a leaflet Working safely with acetylene (INDG327) and the British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA) has a useful leaflet on carrying gas cylinders in vehicles, as well as a wider range of publications that may be helpful.

The Liquid Petroleum Gas Association (LPGA) has also published its Carriage of LPG cylinders by road and hazard information labelling requirements (CoP27).

Working safely with acetylene (INDG327) 

BCGA leaflets

Carriage of LPG cylinders by road and hazard information labelling requirements (CoP27)

8.8.7.3 For information on fire extinguisher requirements when carrying dangerous goods refer to the HSE guidance.

8.9.2 For further information on legislation and other resources, including guidance and incident reports, visit the HSE website.

90.3.1 Further guidance is available on the HSE website.

9.3.1 Further guidance on DSEAR is available on the HSE website.

9.4.2 Further information on the requirements of CDG and ADR can be found on the HSE website.

9.7.3 Cylinder identification, colour coding and labelling requirements (TIS6) can be downloaded for free from the British Compressed Gas Association website.

9.8.7.1 The HSE has published a leaflet Working safely with acetylene (INDG327) and the British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA) has a useful leaflet on carrying gas cylinders in vehicles, as well as a wider range of publications that may be helpful. The Liquid Petroleum Gas Association (LPGA) has also published its Carriage of LPG cylinders by road (CoP27)

• Working safely with acetylene
• BCGA leaflets
• Carriage of LPG cylinders by road

9.8.7.3 For information on fire extinguisher requirements when carrying dangerous goods refer to the HSE guidance.(27KB, PDF)

9.9.2 For further information on legislation and other resources, including guidance and incident reports, refer to the HSE website.