| 1 | Working at heightHSE: Work at height | The operative on the ladder, and anyone below. Falls from ladders, stepladders, platforms, roofs and mezzanines, and objects falling onto people below. Falls from height are the most common cause of death at work. | 5 | 3 | 15 | • Work at height is avoided where it can be, for example by using long handled tools or lowering the work• The right equipment is chosen for the job: a podium or platform for longer work, a ladder or stepladder only for short, light tasks• Ladders and stepladders are used only for light work of up to about 30 minutes, on firm level ground, with three points of contact and without overreaching• Ladders and stepladders are checked before use and taken out of use if damaged, and the record of checks is kept• Ladders are footed, tied or fitted with a stability device where they could slip• The area below is kept clear or cordoned, and tools are carried in a belt or bag so nothing is dropped• Staff who work at height have been trained and know when to stop and ask for a different method• Fragile roofs and roof lights are identified and no one goes on them without a proper method and equipment• Leaning ladders are set at 75 degrees, one out for four up, extend at least a metre above the landing point and are never used on a surface that could move• Any job over 30 minutes in one place, or that needs both hands and force, is done from the podium step or the tower, which are on the vanand 7 more | 5 | 1 | 5 | None |
| 2 | Electrical equipment and installationsHSE: Electrical safety at work | Operatives carrying and positioning ladders outdoors near overhead lines, and working on light fittings. Electric shock and burns from damaged leads, plugs and equipment, faulty installations or water near electrics. Fire from overloaded sockets and faulty equipment. | 5 | 2 | 10 | • Staff look at plugs, leads and equipment before use and report anything damaged, which is then taken out of use• Only a competent electrician does repairs or alterations; staff do not open equipment or replace fuses without training• The route and the work area are checked for overhead lines before a ladder is raised outdoors; ladders are carried horizontally by two people• Light fittings are isolated and proved dead before work starts; only the qualified electrician does electrical workand 1 more | 5 | 1 | 5 | • Set up a schedule of inspection and testing for portable electrical equipment based on how it is used, and keep the record.• Book an inspection of the fixed electrical installation by a competent electrician.• Fit RCD protection for equipment used outdoors or near water.• Remove daisy chained and overloaded extension leads and add sockets where they are needed.• Move electrical equipment away from sinks and wet areas.and 2 more |
| 3 | Manual handling of loadsHSE: Manual handling at work | Operatives loading, unloading and carrying ladders, which weigh up to 20 kg. Back injury, strains and hernias from lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling loads that are heavy, awkward, or handled often. Musculoskeletal injuries build up over time as well as happening in one lift. | 3 | 3 | 9 | • Trolleys, sack trucks or other lifting aids are provided and used for heavy or repeated loads• Heavy loads are split into smaller ones or lifted by two people• Staff who lift regularly have been shown how to lift safely and how to assess a load before they pick it up• Routes for carrying are short, clear and level, with doors held open where needed• Ladders are loaded and unloaded from the van roof rack by two people using the rollerand 2 more | 2 | 2 | 4 | • Look at whether each regular lift can be avoided: deliveries to the point of use, smaller packs, or equipment moved by the supplier.• Rearrange storage so heavy items sit between knee and shoulder height.• Check who is doing the lifting and take heavy loads away from anyone with a health reason not to lift. |
| 4 | Storage and falling objectsHSE: Workplace health, safety and welfare | Anyone below the work: tools, gutter debris, light fittings. Injuries from items falling off shelves and racking, overloaded or damaged racking collapsing, and stacked stock toppling. | 3 | 3 | 9 | • Heavy items are stored low, light items high, and nothing overhangs the shelf edge• Tools are carried in a belt and buckets are lowered on a line, not thrown or dropped• The area below outdoor work is cordoned with cones and tape, and a second operative keeps people out of it | 3 | 1 | 3 | • Secure racking, display its load limits and set up damage reporting.• Set up regular inspection of racking and shelving.• Provide a step stool for high shelves and ban the use of chairs and boxes.• Set rules for stacking height and stability.and 1 more |
| 5 | Lone workingHSE: Lone working | Operatives on jobs where only one person attends. Injury or illness with no one to help, and higher risk of violence, when staff work alone: out of hours cleaning, home visits, driving, opening and closing, working in a store room. | 5 | 2 | 10 | • Tasks with a higher risk, such as work at height or handling aggressive people, are not done alone• Lone workers check in at agreed times, and someone knows where they are and what to do if they do not check in• Lone workers carry a charged phone and know who to call, and a personal alarm or lone worker device is provided where the risk is higher• No work from a leaning ladder is done alone; a lone operative is limited to stepladder work indoorsand 1 more | 4 | 1 | 4 | • Train lone workers in the task, emergency procedures and first aid.• Ask lone workers about any condition that could make working alone unsafe and adjust the work.• Set the rule that lone workers do not challenge intruders and can secure the premises. |