NR NR/L3/OCS/044/MS-38 ISSUE 3 PDF

This procedure applies to all Managed Stations.

The roof safety brief applies to all employees, contractors, Network Rail maintenance staff and persons who are involved in arranging, planning, facilitating or carrying out work on station roofs including-suspended gantries and access routes.

PURPOSE

Working at height should be avoided where possible and Contract Administrators and Project Managers must be able to positively answer these questions before any proposal is considered:

• Is the work itself even necessary?

• Is work at height absolutely necessary?

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

The purpose of this procedure is to make sure that where absolutely necessary all access, egress and work activities on station roofs are carried out in a safe, controlled and reliable manner. The procedure does not cover specific activities will provide information on the accessible areas of the roof and the safety equipment available to prevent falls from height.

The guidance note within this procedure will accompany the local roof briefing and is for all employees or contractors who are involved in planning; facilitating or carrying out work on a station roof, concourse roof, train shed roof, roof-suspended gantries and any other roof under the control of the Station Manager. It excludes working from scaffolds or mobile elevating platforms and guidance for particular types of roof structure. For guidance on these, see: NR/L3/OCS/044-MS-07 Control of Work on Managed Stations.

This document is primarily designed to assist compliance with the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and attempts to address the management of an event of ‘low probability – high consequence' recently highlighted in the HSE Major Stations Inspection Report (April 2003).

For the purposes of minimising risk a ‘roof' in this procedure includes an exterior main roof of a station, an internal roof for offices or retail outlets, any gantries or ledges.