Falls Prevention Working on Roofs

• Falls Prevention Working on Roofs ( )
  Document Type: Guidance Note
  Keycode: web only
  Industry: Farming 
  Division Author: Manufacturing & Agriculture
  Publication Date: 06 June 2005
  Date First Published: 01 September 2004
  Summary: This guidance provides information for farmers to control the risk of falling from roofs.

Preamble
This guide is developed by WorkSafe in consultation with the Victorian Farmers Federation and the Australian Workers' Union.

Purpose of this Guide
This guide is designed to assist farmers to control the risk of falling from roofs.

Risk of Falling
Tasks that may expose people to the risk of falling from height include working on gutters, removing overhanging tree limbs and working on the roof itself.

Solutions
The most effective solution to reduce the risk of injury is not to have to work at height. This can be achieved by:

• Installing gutters that do not need cleaning.
• Installing a barrier that prevents the accumulation of dirt and leaves in gutters.
• Removing items, such as balls, from ground level with an extended grabber.
• Using an extended pole saw to trim branches rather than accessing overhanging tree limbs from the roof.

If it is not practicable to do tasks from the ground, then the following safety precautions should be observed:

• For major roof work (e.g. if you need to carry up heavy materials or equipment such as when installing an air conditioner), use a stable access platform (such as a scaffold access tower which includes a temporary stairway).
• If work is required to be performed on the roof provide edge protection to prevent people falling from the roof.
• Do not walk across asbestos or other fragile parts of the roof.
• Power tools requiring a two handed operation, such as circular saws or chain saws, should not be used by persons standing on a ladder.
• Persons operating such power tools from the roof area should be provided with a designed harness and anchorage system. When using a harness system, ensure employees are not working in isolation and that prompt emergency rescue procedures are implemented.
• Undertaking light duty tasks, such as cleaning gutters, from a secured ladder.
• Use of roof ladders on very steep pitched roofs should be used in conjunction with a fall arrest device.
• Any ladder used to access the roof should be of robust design and construction and set up in a safe manner. It should be set up on a surface that is solid and stable, and set up to prevent the ladder from slipping. Slipping of ladders can be prevented by placing single and extension ladders at a slope of 4 to 1, and setting up stepladders in the fully opened position. Single and extension ladders should be secured at both the top and bottom.
• Check/confirm that the roof is structurally sound and can hold the weight of workers and equipment.
• Skylights should be clearly identified, visible and have a mesh installed underneath to eliminate the chance of falling through.
• Make sure that anyone working on the roof is wearing suitable non-slip footwear.
• Do not work in bad weather, or in conditions of excessive glare.
• Take additional precautions if the roof work is in close proximity to any electrical sources. For example, people should not handle or use ladders where it is possible for the person or the ladder to make contact with powerlines. Metal or metal reinforced ladders should not be used when working on live electrical installations.
• Make sure the roof area is kept clear of any debris, materials and equipment.

For farm roofing construction projects, more detailed guidance can be found in the WorkSafe publications Prevention of Falls in General Construction (Code of Practice No. 28, 2004), and Prevention of Falls in Housing Construction (Code of Practice No. 29, 2004). These can be found on the WorkSafe website www.worksafe.vic.gov.au

Legal requirements
The Occupational Health and Safety (Prevention of Falls) Regulations 2003 require employers (including farmers) to:

• identify any task that an employee or contractor is required to undertake involving a fall hazard (a fall of more than 2 metres).
• assess the risk of a fall taking into account the nature and duration of the task, the physical surroundings in which the task is to be performed and the conditions during which the task is to be performed.
• eliminate the risk or if that is not practicable reduce the risk so far as is practicable by arranging for the task to be undertaken:
  • from the ground or from a solid construction
  • if that is not practicable, using a passive fall prevention device eg temporary work platform, roof safety mesh or guard-railing
  • if that is not practicable, using a work positioning system eg industrial rope access, travel restraint or drainers hoist
  • if that is not practicable, using a fall injury prevention system eg safety net, catch platform or harness system
  • if that is not practicable, using a fixed or portable ladder or implementing an administrative control eg work procedures
• make sure that any solution (risk control) that is used or is available for use to control the risk of a fall is properly maintained.
• provide any employees or contractors who are required to undertake any task identified as involving a fall hazard with such information, instruction and training as is necessary to enable them to perform their work in a safe manner.

Acts and Regulations

• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
• Occupational Health and Safety (Prevention of Falls) Regulations 2003

Acts and regulations are available from Information Victoria on 1300 366 356 or order online at www.bookshop.vic.gov.au.

View the legislation at Victorian Law Today at www.legislation.vic.gov.au.

Standards Australia

• AS 1657 - 1992 Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders -- design, construction and installation
• AS/NZS 1891.4:2000 Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices -- Selection, use and maintenance
• AS/NZS 4576:1995 Guidelines for Scaffolding
• AS/NZS 1892.5:2000 Portable ladders -- Selection, safe use and care
• AS/NZS 2210.1:1994 Occupational protective footwear -- Guide to selection, care and use

Copies of standards can be obtained by contacting Standards Australia on 1300 654 646 or by visiting the web site at www.standards.com.au