What is working at height? What are working at heights job examples? What are the hazards of height work?

There are many professions that involve working at heights, and it is not for the faint of heart or those prone to vertigo or fear of heights. Working at height can be seriously risky, and comes with all kinds of hazards that show why it should be avoided where possible.

Where it cannot be avoided, you must adhere to strict safety codes. But what exactly is working at height, and what hazards should you be on the lookout for? If you are considering a job where you may have to work at height, read on to find out more…

What is working at height?

Much as the name suggests, a certain height is involved in working at height. Specifically, the term refers to jobs that, if something went wrong, could result in a person falling far enough to be seriously injured.

In the US, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, requires protection for any height difference of 4 feet upwards. Others define the amount as being 2 metres either above or below ground level. This may not sound like a lot, but it doesn’t take much of a distance to hurt yourself when working at height so it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Some people may work at height every day while others may only have to do so occasionally in their particular job. Either way, working at heights training is imperative if you want to stay safe and avoid accidents and injuries.

What are working at heights job examples?

There are a great many examples of working at height, mostly in the construction and decorating professions, but they can be a part of many jobs in different situations. Some of the key examples of working at height include:

• Using a ladder – this is one example that many if not most people will do at some point in their jobs.
• Working on a loading dock
• Erecting or taking down a scaffold
• Using a scaffold
• Using a cherry picker
• Working on a roof
• Installing solar panels on a roof
• Erecting the frame of a building
• Painting a building
• Cleaning windows
• Using a crane
• Working on ceilings
• Painting ceilings and so on.

Really, working at height can happen in so many different professions while carrying out any number of tasks. Anything that involves you being up high, near a hole, or working with a height differential of 4 feet or 6.5 feet depending on who you ask.

These may be tasks that you have carried out before without realising that they count as working at height but they do. And they require a level of training and safety awareness to make sure that you aren’t putting yourself and others at unnecessary risk.

You need the right equipment, to follow the safety procedures in place and know any and all hazards that are involved. And before you set foot on a ladder, a roof, scaffolding or anywhere else that involves working at height.

What are the hazards of height work?

Pretty much all jobs come with health and safety concerns, and it is important to be aware and plan for these at all times. Whether that means providing great quality industrial supplies or the right Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), you should always be prepared.

It is unsurprising that in a job that is defined as being far enough off the ground to be at risk, there are many hazards that you must prepare for. You should always have a comprehensive plan in place to deal with any of these hazards if they arise, and take the necessary safety precautions to do your best to make sure they don’t.

The key hazards of height work are:

• Falling – the number one hazard, and the main focus, of working at height is unsurprisingly falling from said height. Each year a large number of injuries and deaths occur from falling while working at height, so make sure that you take it very seriously.
• Objects falling – as well as people, objects that are dropped or knocked from a height can also cause serious injuries.
• Overturning or ejecting people from the platform – you have to be aware not just of yourself but also others. You don’t want to knock someone else over, nor do you want to be knocked yourself.
• Becoming stranded – in the event of structural or mechanical failure, you could find yourself stranded up high with no clear way down.
• Entanglements – especially if you are up somewhere like the side of a building on ropes these can become entangled which is a serious hazard.
• Collisions
• Crushing
• Suspension trauma
• Incorrect operation
• Lack of training and expertise

This last one is perhaps the most avoidable of all hazards. You can wear PPE, utilise proper communication tools and properly inspect the area. You can ensure that your platform, scaffolding or ladder is secure and stable, that you have the right equipment and that you know exactly who is around you and where they are.

You can obey site rules, make sure any tools you need are secured in bags where you can access them but where they won’t fall and use a fall protector device. There are so many ways that you can work to limit your hazards while working, but the training that tells you what to do and not to do has to be the most important.

Final thoughts

The most important consideration when undertaking height work is to properly assess whether the job can be carried out any other way. If you don’t have to work at height then don’t. If the job does have to be done, check for hazards, make a plan and carry out the work as safely and efficiently as you can.

The best way to avoid problems is to be fully trained in height work and to remember that training in real-world situations. Don’t ever undertake a job you are not prepared for, and that you haven’t been adequately trained for.