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Posted By Robert S Woods
The HSC has decided not to retain the two metre rule for the construction industry. Can anyone explain (to a non construction type) the rule and how the changes will affect the industry.
Bob
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Posted By Martyn Hendrie
For responsible employers there will be very little change as the existing Construction(Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations already have a 'general' duty to prevent falls.
What is being removed is in effect the statutory risk assessment that requires guard rails and toe boards to be fitted when the fall distance is in excess of 2m.
The fear was that an unscrupulous employer may, with no 2m rule in place, draft a risk assessment that guard rails are not required in a situation where a person could fall more that 2m.
i.e. can construction be trusted without some prescriptive requirement.
Hope that helps
Martyn
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Posted By Delwynne
My understanding was that following the initial consultation the HSC/E was now considering retaining the 2m height rule for the construction industry by means of a construction specific ACOP?
This arose following the industries concerns that 1) as stated above unscrupulous people could abuse the system which may result in more accidents and 2) working practices could be imposed on contractors by persons not familiar with a construction environment which may seem sensible in preventing falls from less than 2m but create substantial risks in other ways such as safe access/egress routes etc.
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Posted By Pete Driver
Where have you got your information from Bob, I can't see any change in the HSE website referenc Working at Height
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Posted By Richard Webber
Robert,
I too have read in the press that the HSC have decided not to retain the existing 2 metre rule, currently contained within the Construction Health Safety and Welfare Regulations, when the new Work at Height Regs come into force.
This will mean that Construction management/workforce will have to get their heads around the concept of risk assessment for all work at all heights and then chose suitable access equipment.
In practice this will not make much difference to many Construction operations as we will continue to use scaffolding and mobile towers, MEWPS, Nets, Inflatables and other fall prevention/fall arrest systems as we do now.
Our use of ladders and stepladders will however be severely curtailed as their use will be difficult to justify in a risk assessment. To access lesser heights in corridors and small rooms we will need to employ the new breed of small lightweight access 'pulpits' etc which provide guard rails and toe-boards and a 600mm by 600mm working platform, which of course ladders and steps do not.
I look forward to some lively discussion with M+E contractors, Painters, Masticers etc.
Richard
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Posted By Pete Driver
So it is in the press, but not on the HSE website?
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Posted By steve e ashton for report: look at shp website http://www.shpmags.com/a...ame=news&article_id=1140I suggest this is recognition that falls over two metres outside the construction sector are no less risky than falls over two metres within the construction industry, and that fall under two metres - even in the construction sector - can kill. Steve
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Posted By Pete Driver
I find this quite interesting, first there appears to be no press release on the HSC/HSE websites and secondly ...
'IOSH, however, was pleased with the decision. In its response to the consultation on the issue the Institution said it believed the rule to be "at variance with the UK’s risk-based, goal-setting ethos and risk management principles" and that it would lead to "inconsistent standards of height safety management between construction and other industries". The response also said the argument of those in favour of the rule that it provides a clear trigger for appropriate precautions to be taken and cuts out the bureaucracy of risk assessments is "spurious".'
Could we ask, who in IOSH was pleased?
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Posted By Peter John Orridge
Everyone seems to be looking at the construction industry and saying they need the 2 metre rule to or they'll fail to take reasoable fall prevention measures.
While construction contractors understand the risks associated with working at heights other trades / occupations lack this experience.
I believe the 2 metre rule is needed across all industries.
Peter J. Orridge
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Posted By Stuart Nagle
Sorry people.
HSE are scaping the 2 metre rule for the construction industry and will indtroduce 'wording' to ensure that work at height safety is applied to all such tasks.
See SHP latest edition.
Stuart
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