Posted By Eric Burt Has anyone had a chance to have a look at the proposed Work at Heights Regulations Consultation Document. I'm ploughing through it today - only 166 pages! Any thoughts......? Happy New Year Eric

Posted By Allan St.John Holt Eric, I think you ought to do us all a favour and provide a synopsis of the proposals! Save everyone a lot of reading. I think the big issue is whether we really need it? What does it offer that isn't already covered by Regulation? Risk assessment before every work at height situation? Yep, got that already. Safe system of work? Got that one as well. Don't do it that way if you don't have to? Gosh - we though of that one as well. Could be time somebody mentioned this? Happy New Year to all our readers, by the way! Allan

Posted By Karen Todd And don't forget to read through the proposals for the new Control of Vibration at Work Regulations at 180 pages too! Regards, Karen

Posted By Des Daly The scaffolding industry has followed this new piece of legislation with understandable interest. The proposed requirement to provide erection and dismantle plans ( not method statements) for complex scaffolding configurations seems to make good sense. The requirement to prevent scaffold board/decks being accidently dislodged during use favours system type scaffolds - but once again seems to make good sense. The requirement for 'collective' fall prevention above personal will most probably result in a rapid growth in the safety netting/ safety bag industries and more emphasis being placed on designers to consider collective protection during construction. But the greatest impact, I feel will be the requirement to risk assess the use of ladders for work. The risk assessment must consider the nature of the task and the duration of the work to be performed off of the ladder ( OK, we already have to carry out risk assessment but this is very task specific). It will no longer be acceptable to just pick up a ladder and 'monkey' a job. In only exeptional cases will the use of ladders as work platforms be allowed. So, the scaffolding and alloy tower hire industries will also benefit. I have heard from a good source that the industry most affected will be the entertainment ( rigging, stages grandstand seating etc.), however, the humble ladder - that has been used by Man for centuries for quick and easy access for work will go to the bottom of the pile when it comes to access solutions.

Posted By Philosophical It strikes me that the point has been missed with regard to the need for regulating temporary work at height, after all, isn't this one of the greatest causes of fatality and major injury at work in the UK. Perhaps it would be better vocalising questions over the need for the DSE or Manual Handling regs - after all, when did a display screen ever kill anyone, short of falling on their head! I think it also worth appreciating that at this stage it is only a consultative document and not the real thing, but having read the document I believe it will be invaluable, especially if the ACOP is reflected in a similar vain in managing this area of risk. Like some of the contributors I would like to argue that the Management regulations are sufficient in themselves to manage all risks, unfortunately for some specific ones they are not, hence the need for COSHH, Lead, Asbestos, Noise etc. etc. Need I go on?

Posted By Philosophical Eric, I think you missed my point - the fact is that with some hazards and the level of associated risk, there is probably a need to have definitive regulation, working at height being one of them. Again, do we need any of the subsidiary legislation, when clearly the requirement is fundamental to safety management as defined in the Health and Safety at Work Act. Perhaps it's an element of proportionality related to the hazard that should drive the need for legislation, hence my comments regarding MHOR and DSE.