NR NR/L3/OCS/044/FS-38C ISSUE 3 PDF

INTRODUCTION

High safety standards are essential however long or short term the work is. The nature of the precautions needed may vary from one job to another, but not providing any safeguards is simply unacceptable.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE INDG 284).

The main principles that should be applied to establishing safe systems of work on roofs are:

• robust management planning and supervision;

• prioritised physical control measures (e.g. fall prevention before fall arrest);

• physical controls in order of consideration should be:

o fixed Guardrail;

o nets;

o personal Fall Restraint Equipment;

o personal Fall Arrest Equipment.

In reality a combination of these supervisory and physical control measures may be used, but physical controls must be considered in the above order when carrying out a risk assessment. However, robust management and supervision of work at height is not an option.

The General Management of Risk for Work at Height

Questions to be considered when planning work on station roof should include but not be limited to:

• Is the work itself even necessary?

• Is work at height absolutely necessary?

• Can the work be carried out a less hazardous way?

• A risk assessment should be carried out for all work at height.

• Any method statement for roof work must be formally accepted by a Network Rail representative (normally the Contract Administrator / Manager) – or a person with designated authority. The Contract Administrator / Manager may consult with an appropriate safety and technical manager.

• A task-specific Permit to Work for ‘High Level' work will be required for all work on station roofs. This application must be obtained locally from the station concerned before work commences.

Broadly, a risk assessment should, as a minimum, cover the following areas of activity:

• Access – including transport of any equipment and materials to the work-site / significant hazards that may be encountered by employees on the way to the worksite.

• Work-site set-up – including hazards to employees and third parties, including the availability of suitable guard-rails / platforms.

• Weather – additional hazards created by inclement weather conditions such as high winds, hail and sub-zero temperatures.

• The task – hazards encountered during the work and engendered by the work (affecting employees and third parties). e.g. Protection of others who may be hit by falling objects. Risk monitoring during tasks.

• Emergency arrangements – this includes planning for emergencies and how to deal with any incidents or accidents (rescue scenarios).

• Finishing work and clearing the work-site – e.g. if the work is suspended, is the site going to be hazardous to others?

• Egress – hazards during the return of people, equipment and materials from the roof back to a place of safety.

Everyone involved in the work needs to be familiar with the safe method of work and understand their responsibilities. This would normally involve tool box talks carried out by the site supervisor. In other words, all work at height should be planned.

Method statements should be task and site specific, they should describe systematically and clearly the precautions and systems of work identified during risk assessment. See this document and Form FS-38D.

The method statement should also describe the arrangements for terminating the work and leaving the work-site in the event of an emergency. See Form FS-38D for suggested contents of a method statement.