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Height Work Control Measures

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:55 pm
by safetyandy
Hi All,

Here’s the scenario. A shop front rises up to a height of about 3m its then a flat roof ( no edge protection) that extents in towards the rest of the building for about 2m, then the building extents up a further 3m to the guttering.
The task is to clean the guttering right across the top (runs for about 15m) value of works to just clean the guttering is £45 and will take maybe half a morning.
Only 2 ways of accessing the guttering for cleaning – 1st by use of ladder from the flat roof using a tower scaffold as edge protection across the exposed flat roof area.
2nd use of powered access ( much higher cost) used to eliminate the need for ladders on the flat roof. Generally the safer way to undertake the task
This is tendered work so the surveying team are very mindful of costs but in the same breath conscious of the H&S implications.
In people’s opinions is it reasonably practical to consider the use of ladders over powered access if the cost is much higher to implement the powered access option?

thanks

Re: Height Work Control Measures

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 2:28 pm
by Zman
Gutter Cleaning System!

Industrial vac at ground level, can be supplied as 110v and powered from portable generator, assemble lightweight carbon fibre poles to required length - some come with wireless camera so gutter can be seen. NO WaH!

Do a google search, there are a number of systems available. Just had a demo in the last week as we sometimes have to work in similar scenarios ;)

Re: Height Work Control Measures

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 2:38 pm
by Twisted Blister
What is the tower scaffold tied into? It sounds like if someone hit the tower scaffold with any kind of work person velocity, say just falling 1m, they would hit it hard enough to make it move, I'm guessing the tower scaffold would just topple and there's another 3m fall to contend with onto a pile of aluminium tubes. If you cant fix your guard rail in, it's no guard rail at all.

Re: Height Work Control Measures

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 2:40 pm
by stevel
If you are working higher than the guard rail then what is it guarding.

Re: Height Work Control Measures

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:44 pm
by frankie
In my opinion, the ladder on the second level is NOT an option. Even on the grounds of SFAIRP.
Due to the required safe angle (1 in 4) the feet are going to be too close to the edge (just over 1 metre).
As the leaves are going to be something that crops up at least once a year (planned maintenance) you need to have something in place. The W@H Regs say AVOID W@H where you can. Zman's idea does that, just like a window cleaner now uses telescopic poles with a brush and a water feed attached.

Re: Height Work Control Measures

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:33 pm
by ddlh
Hi safetyandy - I reckon theres somethings you are not telling us here?

Who say £45 and who will do this for half a day?
And how often will this be carried out?
And what is actually inside the extended 3 metres above the flat roof?
And who nowadays works for £90 a day - better of on he dole I hear!!
Is this a business owned flat or leased by a landlord?

Be very carefull about what you advise here my friend - because for £45 or £45K a fall is a fall and the law says dont do it. unsafely.

Dave