Working at heights is one of those things that you hear about in relation to ‘health and safety gone mad’.
We’ve all read the story about the window cleaner not being allowed to use a ladder anymore but if we cut through the sensationalism there is a very relevant reason why you need to be knowledgeable when working off the ground.
Taking a working at heights refresher course is something that creates a safe environment for yourself and everyone around you. In fact, there are thousands of accidents every year in the UK because safety measures when working at heights were not properly implemented.
With that in mind, this week we want to look at why enhancing your skills is important even if you have already completed a working at heights course before.
Risk Assessments For Working At Heights
Conducting a risk assessment is required by law if you or one of your employees will be working at heights and it is an integral part of the course.
Not only is it important as a preventative measure to stop any accidents before they happen but it provides safety for the worker and your business too. A simple risk assessment doesn’t take very long and it can be the difference between completing a job safely and a serious incident occurring.
There is no need for you to overcomplicate this process and a refresher course will give you a much more up to date understanding of how to carry one out.
How To Use Harnesses Properly
Some jobs require the use of a harness and while your employees might not be scaling a turbine for example, it is still an important skill to know.
A working at heights refresher course gives a detailed overview of how to use a harness properly particularly when it comes to portable buildings. Harness accidents can be fatal so there is a real emphasis on working safely when using one.
By taking a refresher course, you can ensure that if yourself or any of your workers are using a harness for their job then they are properly protected.
Brush Up On The Do’s And Don’ts
Finally, you can go back to the basic do’s and don’ts when working at heights.
These can be pretty straightforward but it is always good to remind yourself of the fundamentals. For example, do as much work as you can from the ground and have emergency procedures in place but don’t overload a ladder of use it for more than 30 minutes each time.
It sounds like common sense and for the most part it is however having it communicated in a structured way will massively enhance your skills and knowledge.
Taking A Working At Heights Refresher Course
A working at heights refresher course can be the difference between creating a safe working environment and a serious or even fatal accident happening at work.
The course can be taken in a day and it is a valuable skill that should be updated every so often to ensure worker safety.
It is recommended that you take the course again if it has been a while since the last time you done it. If nothing else you will confirm what you already know about working from heights in a safe manner and you can always learn something new as well.