The risk from working at Heights
In 2004/ 2005 53 people died in the UK and nearly 3,800 were seriously injured as a result of a result of a workplace fall. Falls are the most common cause of death at work.
If you work at height for any task then your employer has a duty under the Working at Height regulations which places a duty of care on employers to protect their employees safety at all times who may be at risk of personal injury from a fall from height.
Latest projects launched by the Health and Safety Executive highlight the risk to the health of workers who conduct duties whilst at height but do insist that this does not mean a ban on the use of ladders as previously reported in the media.
The working at height regulations do not outright the ban in the use of stepladders but place emphasis to employers that they must carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of risks connected with the working duties. This also entails finding reasonable alternatives if possible for not working at height in the first place. As an example of good working practice the use of a tower scaffold rather than the use of a stepladder is always the safer option.
Designers also have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to design products which do not place people at risk during maintenance tasks etc.
A typical example of this connected with the Working at Heights regulations would be that designers construct windows which can be rotated in their frames so that they can be cleaned without someone working at height or design new coatings which protect the glass and self clean like modern ovens.
The most common area of accidents connected with working from heights are connected with window cleaners, electricians and cleaning maintenance personnel. Recent cases provided evidence that a cleaning company was fined ?15,000 after one of its employees fell seven metres fracturing his skull. The employee was cleaning gutters at the time when he tried to cross a roof and fell through a plastic roof light. In another recent case a decorator died as a result of his stepladder collapsing.
Stepladders and ladders should only be used for low risk, short duration work.
A visual inspection should be carried out before any use of ladders to ensure the safety of the equipment, any cracks or deterioration of the equipment must be logged and the equipment removed from service until repaired and signed to warn other people of the hazard.
Employer's management requirements include assessment of risk, suitable safe systems of work communicated to the employee, supervision, task briefing or toolbox talks on the risks connected with the task, training, method statements communicated, using the safest equipment possible and routine checks on the equipment.
The regulations also require all working at height to be properly planned and supervised. With this hierarchy of control measures in place;
Avoid working from heights if practical
Provide working platforms, guardrails, toe boards or using elevating platforms
Providing nets or air bags if a working platform cannot be used
Safety harnesses but do rely on the employee to wear them.
Lawsuit Filed Against AAC Lining Project
EL CENTRO, Calif. (ContentDesk) April 21, 2006 -- Imperial Valley farmers, Mike Abatti and Jim Abatti, and environmental group POWER filed a lawsuit today against the Imperial Irrigation District (IID), San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA), Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation demanding that IID conduct updated environmental and safety review on changes to the design of the proposed All-American Canal (AAC) lining project since it was approved 12 years ago. The lawsuit was filed in the Imperial County Superior Court, Case No. ECU 03006.
Petitioners also intend on seeking an injunction to stop the construction of the canal until questions concerning the canals safety and environmental mitigation are resolved.
The lawsuit was filed after it was discovered that the projects construction drawings did not include previously agreed to safety and environmental features.
The canal lining project approved in 1994 proposes...
Ladders > Lawsuit Filed Against AAC Lining Project
Buying a Home - What is a Home Inspection?
Any Sally and Sam Homebuyer can look at a home and decide whether it is attractive. They might notice it is freshly painted in pleasing colors, has the requisite number of rooms, a cook's kitchen and is located in a location with top schools. But what about less obvious parts of the house?It takes special expertise to determine if the functional parts of a home are in good shape. If you attend an open house, how do you determine if there are plumbing problems, electrical problems, structural problems, drainage problems, the condition of heating and air conditioning equipment and the condition of literally hundreds of other items that could cause concern? Enter the home inspector.
A home inspector is trained to be a detective in regard to the construction and working parts of homes.
It is not an exact science.
The home inspector cannot tear into things, so they can't always see everything they'd like to. They do, however, come equipped with ladders, strong flashlights,...
Ladders > Buying a Home - What is a Home Inspection?
Superstition - A World of Make Believe?
Superstitions are part of our heritage, transporting us to a distant past that links with the roots of our culture. The ancient lores of our forefathers are still very much alive, many having remained unchanged for hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years.Rational thought and the advance of science together cast doubt on the real dangers involved yet many of us still feel we ought to be careful. There are hundreds of common daily activities which are linked to superstition, each culture having its variations. Even those of you who say "I'm not superstitious!" have probably at some point tried to avoid walking under a ladder, stepping on cracks, knocked on wood, blessed a person sneezing, or crossed your fingers. Just in case.Here are some of the more common superstitions and their meanings: 1.
It's bad luck to walk under a ladder. A leaning ladder forms a triangle with the wall and ground. Triangles represent the Holy Trinity, and violating the Trinity by breaking it (walking...
Superstition - A World of Make Believe?
Ladders > Superstition - A World of Make Believe?
Lawsuit Filed Against AAC Lining Project
EL CENTRO, Calif. (ContentDesk) April 21, 2006 -- Imperial Valley farmers, Mike Abatti and Jim Abatti, and environmental group POWER filed a lawsuit today against the Imperial Irrigation District (IID), San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA), Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation demanding that IID conduct updated environmental and safety review on changes to the design of the proposed All-American Canal (AAC) lining project since it was approved 12 years ago. The lawsuit was filed in the Imperial County Superior Court, Case No. ECU 03006.
Petitioners also intend on seeking an injunction to stop the construction of the canal until questions concerning the canals safety and environmental mitigation are resolved.
The lawsuit was filed after it was discovered that the projects construction drawings did not include previously agreed to safety and environmental features.
The canal lining project approved in 1994 proposes...
Ladders > Lawsuit Filed Against AAC Lining Project
How To Measure and Install Blinds like a Pro
How do I measure for Blinds to ensure that they fit great?
Its easy if you will follow a few general guidelines, take your time, and use a quality 1" wide Tape measure.
We build to the nearest 1/8" so the better you measure, the better your blinds will look.
Inside Window Case Mounts (Inside Mount)
1. Measure the width inside the window opening in 3 locations - at the top, middle and bottom. The top measurement is critical because the headrail must fit and you will want the Valance to fully cover the mounting brackets! Record the actual dimension of the shortest width to the nearest one eighth of an inch.
Tip... If the window doesn't taper in more than 3/8", you can simply provide the width where you intend to mount the support brackets.
2. Measure the height inside the window opening at left, right and center. Record the actual dimension of the longest height to the nearest one eighth of an inch.
How To Measure and Install Blinds like a Pro
Ladders > How To Measure and Install Blinds like a Pro
Ladders
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