Posted By Tom Lindley I am currently preparing a Standard for my company relating to Working at Height. Overall we do no have a problem ith HIGH falling risk. This is mainly due to selction of MEWPS and training. However I am anticipating non-routine access / work - coupled with observations I have made in construction ... which prompts the question of: a. Person using a MEWP as an access lift - to transfer to a safe place of work at height. b. Peron using a MEWP to gain height and then leave the MEWP - using a safety harness. I have seen this during steel fixing where person reach position through the "lattice effect" of steelwork. I have done some research and continue to do so. I have on order "operators guide" from IPAF and read in HSE Information Sheet MISC 614 "....people climbing out of the MEWP (this is not normally allowed) ..." "normally" suggest to me that the practice is known to occur ... but holds back on further information!) This is what I would wish to probe. There is a lot of information out there but would be interested in any member offering advice / directing me to further information. Until then I would take a precautionary view point until someone who can provide with further informed knowledge and experience on this. Regards - Tom

Posted By Ken Dickson Tom, You might wish to give a bit more thought to what the HSE actually mean by "this is not normally allowed".

Posted By Charley Farley-Trelawney I used to allow under strict control measures exiting from a scissor to a firm and safe place at height when there was no other means of access. A twin lanyard system was used and the scissor would need to be close enough to not allow anyone to fall through the gap. On exiting one lanyard was attached to the scissor and when on the roof the second tail would be firmly clipped to a man safe system; back to the scissor then to release the original and the worker remained quite safe. As I started saying, I have now ceased this practice and am looking at other methods that are safe to access an area that has no other means of internal access. CFT

Posted By David AB Thomas Refer to BS 8460:2005, Safe use of MEWPs, Code of practice, Annex B (Guidance on safe systems of work for exiting the work platform at height).

Posted By Tom Lindley Thanks all - a good discussion - and proves value of this forum. The Standard I am writing will cover this point carefully - to the higher standard of RP. Interesting the BS reference .... written in same year (before / after Regs?). Regards - Tom.

Posted By ddraigice I totally agree. The mere inkling that some of these can be used to climb out to another work place will give most (all?) people the idea that it can be done wherever and whenever and it is a fact of life that people don't like or forget to clip on so it should be discouraged.

Posted By Tom Lindley Of interest - I have contacted an organisation (unidentified) on this aspect. In a 2003 publication on Mast Climbing Work Platforms (MCWP)- it states in the example Safe Operating Procedures: "NOTE - Do not step across from one work platform to another unless you have been specifically instructed to do sop by the competent person (if required to do so then a full body harneds must be worn)". Within the publication, featuring a Tower Block with a pitched roof (like Canary Wharf)being replaced. It appears that roof is fully scaffolded and scaffold has a docking station for allowing the passage of the MCWP. The MCWP is acting as a lift and transferring person. Of interest? Looks very safe to me. I asked for information on MEWPs - sent by mistake MCWP information. Resarch continues. Continue any comments - they are of value.