yes, but it isn't written in stone. Those regulalations are vague and generalised. you are expected to interpret them to individual scenarios. they are not prescriptive in that they don't say 'you must use a ladder for this, you must use a step ladder for that', you must wear a helmet for this and a flourescent jacket for that.
Unfortunately the HSE will not set things in stone due to the litigious nature of society as they are the ones who will put you in the dock when things go wrong and they don't want to be implicated in any case they bring
your comment on flourescent jackets is exactly my point, by making a standard generic requirement you stop people from assessing risk and thinking for themselves. I expect my guys to look at the guidelines, look at the risk assessments and act accordingly, adapting to the scenarios as they need.
A site specific risk assessment should be appended to the generic documentation and everybody should be aware of any site specific requirements prior to work commencing. Some sites require the signing of the toolbox talk sheet to confirm that all trades involved are appropriately briefed
Fall arrest systems are, in my view, unsuitable for our type of work as the still allow a fall of such height that you will hit the scaffold on the way down. On occassions when we have needed a longer line to move freeley about the roof we have used climbing rope and a man on a belay line. Otherwise if a harness is needed it's attached to a short strop or rope to allow movement but to minimise the actual fall distance. A 3-5 meter arrest system is completely inappropriate to our work.
I cannot understand how you can totally dismiss the use of fall arrest systems as unsuitable for your type of work, from your comment I don't believe you have fully investigated what safety equipment is available
The vague regulations you refer to require that the maximum fall distance is limited to 2 metres and the maximum arrest load on the body is limited to 600Kg
the risk of suspension trauma is relieved if, as you should have as part of your risk assessment, you have a clearly thought out rescue plan in the event of an incident. Thanks for the link. It's a useful teaching aid for the guys as to what to do if they do find themselves hanging in the air!
I only used that link as an example, if you google "suspension trauma" there are many more documents on the subject
everyone will always have their own interpretation of the regs and one thing that annoys the cxxx out of me is when some office wallah writes a set of H&S policies that the guys are expected to ridgidly stick to when that person probably has no idea on what is involved in the job (drivers being suspended for refusing to drive high siders in the recent strong winds was a good example).
As I mentioned previously about H&S quals and no knowledge of the job, I took a guy out to site many years ago who decided that all the SMS's and RA's must be written by someone who as a minimum had an IOSH qual when my lads where kitting up to climb he then came to the conclusion he was not qualified for the work to be undertaken and amended his requirements
I firmly believe that a prescriptive and dictatorial health & safety policy restricts common sense and peoples ability to assess risk for themselves and as such actually increases the risk rather than reducing it. The health and safety policy should provide a framework for the guys to be able properly assess and mitigate risk.
Along with many you don't appear to understand the correct method to produce a risk assessment. You must identify the hazards then assess the risk associated with the hazards and finally identify what control measures can be used to reduce and mitigate the risk. While it would be nice to use dynamic risk assessments unfortunately they cannot be produced in a court of law if something goes pear shaped
regretably your comment on common sense is all too true, and thats because of the prescriptive way we seem to be expected to live these days.
As I say to my wife when our boy is climbing trees, well, if he falls off he'll only do it once! or should I make him wear a hard hat, harness, gloves and face protection?
While the nanny state rules then the way we run our life will be dictated by others
The problem you have is if your boy does fall is the social workers will be after you but I'm with you that they will never learn if they don't do it
