Rank: New forum user 
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Hello,
I have a query regarding working at height while lone working I was hoping to get some opinions on. I'm the manager of a laboratory with a small team of people. As we have a small team and a relatively large laboratory (office area is isolated on next floor up), lone working situations are often encountered. For one particular machine it is necessary to go up a ladder, pull a lever, and then come back down. For this we use a mobile work platform (not sure if this is the correct terminology - its a fixed ladder on wheels with handrails on all sides). I've recently been reviewing our code of practice for lone working and its come to my attention that this practice may not be acceptable, particularly as section 4.1b of the Working at Height Regulations 2005 states working at height must be "appropriately supervised". I would deem this activity to be low risk, but it seems to me that that the regulations are clear that any working at height must be supervised in any scenario. I'm confused where we stand here.
Any advice or pointers would be greatly appreciated!
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Rank: Super forum user 
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When you say 'ladder', do you mean it just has rungs, or does it have steps like a staircase?
That makes a difference to how safe this equipment is and that in turn makes a difference to what would be considered appropriate supervision.
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Rank: New forum user
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Hi Kate, Thank you for the quick reply. It is a step ladder, similar to the tallest one here:
https://www.warehouse-ladders.co.uk/warehouse-step-ladders-classic-plus-colour-range-243
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Rank: Super forum user
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A picture is worth a thousand words :-)
Yes that does look low risk. That means that the level of supervision needn't be the highest (someone watching every time the job is done) but can be lower (someone making sure that people know how to do the task and checking in on them now and then to make sure they are still doing it correctly).
I think we had a thread debating the topic of supervision recently, I'll see if I can find it.
PS The thread I was thinking of was in the Member to Member forum and is entitled "Meaning of supervision".
Edited by user 01 September 2018 07:56:09(UTC)
| Reason: PS
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Rank: New forum user
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Thanks Kate I will have a read of the other thread.
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Rank: Forum user
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I agree, it does not seem to pose a high level of risk provided employees are using the steps properly etc. but since the first choice in the heirarchy of need for wah is "avoid", do you have an option to have the lever modified so it can be operated from the floor level?
Edited by user 02 September 2018 22:19:45(UTC)
| Reason: forgot to dot the i
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Rank: Super forum user
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We have a similar situation with our NMR machines: the sample had to be inserted at the top and you need to get up a set of mobile steps similar to the ones you have described. It is regarded as a low risk option. We did stop a pregnant lady from using this piece of equipment as she was getting a bit unstable bit apart for that the actual climbing up and down the steps is not really a significant issue. Of more concern is the possibility of someone falling and being left on the lab floor for some time. (NMR labs because of their magnetic fields tend not be used for anything else other than this equipment)
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Rank: New forum user
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How tall is the set of ladders? It's not really worthy of any risk outwith "Can you walk up a set of steps properly without falling?"
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