Posted By Mark Talbot Thought I would bounce a recent dilema off your collective bonces... I was asked if I would accept a set of steps being used on top of a temporary platform. Before you all shout: the platform would have been 3m x 2.5m, very sturdy, go all the way to false ceiling level, but the unit to be worked upon was still way out of reach among pipework, superstructure etc. My first instinct was to shudder, but a large sturdy platform, only a very slim chance of falling to injury [pipeworks, superstructure, etc., would prevent such].... I was challenged to say why I thought it inappropriate ... There were permanent fixtures in the way of using a telescopic work platform. The work did not go ahead, because I [and the facilities manager] could not feel comfortable about it. What would you have done? Have you seen it done before? I am not looking for the text book answers about risk assessments, just a bar-room chat about pros and cons, please. Of course, if there is a specific peice of regulation forbidding it, I would love to read it for future reference :-) Thanks, Mark

Posted By Nigel Singleton BSc I recently had a rather heated debate with a local EHO about stepping from a fully enclosed order picker cage onto permanent racking which was 4 pallets deep. The operator simply stepped through a gate with no gap between the racking and the truck and pulled the order towards him before stepping straight back into the truck. I perceived this as very low risk (no accidents or near misses in 20 years of doing this procedure with the same truck an racking. The EHO officer threatened immediate prohibition notices if the practice continued. I consulted the HSE specialist inspector on racking and order pickers and he agreed with the EHO, so obviously I and the firm in question backed down and found a solution using a pull stick (never mind the manual handling issue). If stepping onto permanent racking at height is not permissible, I don't think you have mush hope with steps on top as well. Hope this helps.