Rank: New forum user 
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I would be interested in your opinions and relevant H&S guidance/info
a company is proposing to refurbish a derelict tower block of flats,
16 floors, no working elevator, no provision for external elevator,
company expects 2 tradesmen and 1 labourer to begin the refit from the top down which means all tools and equipment must be carried up 32 flights of stairs and back down every day
all materials must be carried up 32 flights of stairs
and everything else associated with the task
What (if any) health and safety issues are raised, and is there any associated legislation, also what is the maximum carry load per man, to climb up 32 flights of stairs.
is there any legislation regarding distance to access in these circumstances, how many times can a man be expected to ascend and descend the stairs in one day
All help and advice gratefully accepted.
Thanks
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Have to ask why they are expected to carry tools up and down each day? You are meant to have a secure site so any concept of theft should be minimal. Surely if they are on a re-fit working down the building common sense says carry them to the first work floor and secure overnight then tranporting to each subsequent lower level as the task proceeds. In the UK there is no carry load per man - all are individuals, if you want some guidance look to the various US insurance company tables. Regarding "no provision for an external elevator" is this retricted by the planning consent or merely that when the job was quoted someone forgot to cost renting an elevator to the project?
Sounds as though the task has not been adequately designed
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Rank: Super forum user
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Have to ask why they are expected to carry tools up and down each day? You are meant to have a secure site so any concept of theft should be minimal. Surely if they are on a re-fit working down the building common sense says carry them to the first work floor and secure overnight then tranporting to each subsequent lower level as the task proceeds. In the UK there is no carry load per man - all are individuals, if you want some guidance look to the various US insurance company tables. Regarding "no provision for an external elevator" is this retricted by the planning consent or merely that when the job was quoted someone forgot to cost renting an elevator to the project?
Sounds as though the task has not been adequately designed
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Rank: Forum user 
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Regulation 4(1) of Manual Handling Operation Regulations sets out a hierarchy of measures to reduce the risks of manual handling.
"-avoid hazardous manual handling operations so far as is reasonably practicable;
-assess any hazardous manual handling operations that cannot be avoided;
-reduce the risk of injury so far as is reasonably practicable."
To me the method described above does not sound as though risk has been reduced as low as reasonably practicable.
The HSE guide below (Manual handling assessment charts (the MAC tool) may prove useful.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg383.pdf
Here's the full MHOR guidance:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l23.pdf
Also given that this is a refit the Construction Design and Mangement Regulations 2015 will also apply which will detail some specific requirements around how health and safety is managed. I'd be very surprised if a competent Principal Contractor would sanction the method described above.
Further detail on the requirements of CDM can be found here:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l153.pdf
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Rank: Super forum user
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JKB In response to your request for opinions:
1 An emphasis on legal compliance is not the only, or even the most fruitful, approach to what is a fairly common challenge offering scope for ergonomic analysis of safe manual handling of loads. 2 Neither human bodies nor relevant ergonomic principles have changed much since the building of the pyramids
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Rank: Super forum user
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And how much time has “the company” (are they the client or principle
contractor?) set aside each for set up and taking down? I can image at the end
of the day the last thing the guys will want to be doing is schlepping boxes of
tools down sixteen floors. That is when they will try and cut corners and they
will cause accidents. As others have said this has not be thought out properly.
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Rank: Forum user
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I would invite your contracts manager or director to join you on the first day on site and then see how they feel about this means of accessing the work area.
Could an electric hoist not be an option ?
The physical condition of the employees must also be taken into consideration to undertake this daily routine. The last thing you need is an unfit, out of condition employee collapsing. I would imagine this project has not been properly thought out with little or no regard given to H&S and wellbeing of the employees.
Then there is the removal of waste from the height to take into account.
Imho this project should be a none starter under these conditions and circumstances.
I would suspect that other shortcuts will also have been taken,Welfare etc.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Refurbishment implies later occupation, which surely implies a working lift at some point?
Applying the heirarchy of control = Step 1: fix the lift.
Yes, we can talk about manual handling aids, stair climbers, etc. but that does introduce practical fire safety issues in the event of emergency escape. Last thing I'd want to meet on my way down is a small army of labourers coming up with baths, toilets and sinks, sheets of plaster board, etc.
Good luck!
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