Physical Hazards Articles & Resources

Slips and trips are the most common cause of injury at work. On average, they cause 40 per cent of all reported major injuries and can also lead to other types of serious accidents. For example the risk of falling or falls from height is increased if the surface is slippery or wet . 

Slips and trips are also the most reported injury to members of the public.

Employers have a legal duty to ensure the health and safety of their employees, including steps to control slips and trip risks.

Read More

Working on a roof is dangerous, almost one in five deaths in construction relate to roof work. Not just homeowners or maintenance people who are cleaning and checking roofs. Professional roofers are also killed who have failed to adhere to roof safety procedures or not using the correct roof safety equipment. Such as working on a roof without scaffolding.

Before using a roof ladder, you should have considered whether there is any other practical way the job could be done without working at height. 

You should also have considered other safer methods of working at height that avoid roof ladders. Such as mobile elevated work platforms, articulated boom lifts (cherry pickers) and scaffolding.

If there is no practical way to do the job any other way than using a roof ladder then how do you use it safely?

Read More

The most frequently asked questions about working at height are listed below. If you want the answer just click on the question.

• What is the risk of working at height?
• What is working at height? What is classed as working at height? How high is working at height? What height is considered working at height?
• How long is working at height valid for? How long is working at height valid?How long is working at height good for?
• What is working at height regulations? What are the working at height regulations? What is the main legislation that covers working at height? What do the working at height regulations 2005 apply to?
• Do electricians work at height? Do plumbers work at height?
• Do’s and don’ts for working at height.
• Is working at height mandatory?
• What are the duties of employers regarding working at height? What do you need to complete before working at height?
• What is the maximum wind speed for working at height?
• When is a working at height permit required?

Ladders are a safe, practical and versatile solution for low risk and short duration work at height, but there are some rules and regulations about their use. The article discusses some often asked questions about ladder safety. What is the UK law on ladders, how do the work at height regulations apply to ladders, stepladders, step stools and mobile work platforms? Are there any ladder standards?

Read More

LOLER applies to the way lifting equipment is used in commerce and industry. If you are an employer or self-employed person and you provide lifting equipment for use at work; or have control of the use of lifting equipment, the regulations apply to you.

Read More

Listed below are the 10 most FAQ about manual handling. Click on the question for the answer.

• What is manual handling? What is meant by the term manual handling?
• What is manual handling operation regulations 1992? What is the legislation associated with manual handling?
• What does TILE or TILEO stand for in manual handling? What does ICC stand for in manual handling?
• Can manual handling be avoided completely?
• How does good communication reduce the risk of manual handling?
• What is an ergonomic approach to manual handling?
• How to get a manual handling certificate?
• How often should manual handling training be carried out?
• Is using a wheelbarrow or sack cart manual handling?
• How many manual handling operations per hour?

There are strict regulations on the amount of vibration that an employee can be exposed to in a single working day.

To help make this easier to understand, we have created a HAVS calculator that can be used to calculate the amount of vibration that a person will be exposed to, and determine whether this meets the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005.

To view this calculator, click here.

Working at height is a major cause of injury at work. For this reason, it is essential that all work at height is fully risk assessed. In this article, we answer key questions surrounding this, including:

• What is working at height?
• What are the Work at Height Regulations 2005?
• How do I complete a risk assessment for working at height?

To view this article, click here.

Before work at height is carried out, employers must carry out a risk assessment and determine what measures are needed to reduce the risks associated with the work.

In this article, we look at the hierarchy of control and how it can be applied to work at height. We also answer questions such as:

• What is the hierarchy of control?
• How does the hierarchy of control apply to work at height?
• How do I control work at height?

To view this article, click here.

There are a large number of risks associated with working at height, all of which need to be considered to prevent serious injury or fatalities. A key task to complete before working at height is to establish an emergency rescue plan that details what to do in the event that a person needs to be rescued from a height.

In this article, we have answered several key questions about emergency rescue plans for working at height, including:

• When is a working at height rescue plan necessary?
• What are the work at height requirements?
• What should be considered when preparing a rescue plan?

To view this article, click here.

There are several acronyms that are used when discussing how to plan a manual handling operation: TILE, TILEO and LITE. In this article, we will explore these acronyms and answer several questions, including:

• What is the meaning of TILE?
• What does TILEO stand for?
• What is LITE?

To view this article, click here.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are designed to protect workers from being injured when carrying out manual handling operations at work. They place several requirements on employers and employees that must be followed.

In this article, we explore these regulations and outline some of their key requirements to help organisations and workers comply with these regulations. To view the article, click here.