Working at Height Incidents
Working at Height Incidents
Observed a hike in working at height incidents, and looking for some trends, and the useful material to share with the people working at heights. Be it in the form of a smart risk assessment with thoughtful controls or any other indicative data which can support discussing all aspects, work hazards, and the behavioural safety.
Re: Working at Height Incidents
I would be able to provide you with some leads where you consider working on:
Risk related to the scaffolding works may have been elevated currently at your workspace which may likely to be treated:
I would try to support by providing some pointers:
1. Elimination not attempted (job could’ve been done from grade/remote tool)
2. Wrong access choice (ladder used where platform/scaffold/MEWP needed)
3. Temporary edge protection missing/modified (open edges, unguarded penetrations)
4. Anchorage / tie-off problem (no anchor, wrong anchor, too low, sharp edge, swing-fall)
5. Dropped objects (no tethering, poor tool management, poor exclusion zone)
6. Rescue not credible (plan exists on paper only; no kit / no drill)
7. Permit/SIMOPS gap (conflicting work, changing conditions, rushed start)
Myself being an outsider, if you could consider these items now, and apply afresh now to the current working @ height jobs, there are strong chances that the trend would nose down. Try now to challenge the jobs involving that, let's possibly eliminate to the extent possible then move forward to the access choice etc. and so on.
All the best.
Risk related to the scaffolding works may have been elevated currently at your workspace which may likely to be treated:
I would try to support by providing some pointers:
1. Elimination not attempted (job could’ve been done from grade/remote tool)
2. Wrong access choice (ladder used where platform/scaffold/MEWP needed)
3. Temporary edge protection missing/modified (open edges, unguarded penetrations)
4. Anchorage / tie-off problem (no anchor, wrong anchor, too low, sharp edge, swing-fall)
5. Dropped objects (no tethering, poor tool management, poor exclusion zone)
6. Rescue not credible (plan exists on paper only; no kit / no drill)
7. Permit/SIMOPS gap (conflicting work, changing conditions, rushed start)
Myself being an outsider, if you could consider these items now, and apply afresh now to the current working @ height jobs, there are strong chances that the trend would nose down. Try now to challenge the jobs involving that, let's possibly eliminate to the extent possible then move forward to the access choice etc. and so on.
All the best.
Re: Working at Height Incidents
I would like to provide an input related to point 4 highlighted by ivani1.
We have recently experienced three cases where near-miss /incidents took place because of an incorrect anchor point.
On temporary basis, enhanced control has been implemented through site awareness workshops of running a campaign to check scaffolders anchors.
"Anchor before Scaffold", and that has provided insights where site audits were made to assist getting in data. There were cases where anchors were done to structures not able to carry any sort of load. Not anchoring at all was another category of findings.
We have recently experienced three cases where near-miss /incidents took place because of an incorrect anchor point.
On temporary basis, enhanced control has been implemented through site awareness workshops of running a campaign to check scaffolders anchors.
"Anchor before Scaffold", and that has provided insights where site audits were made to assist getting in data. There were cases where anchors were done to structures not able to carry any sort of load. Not anchoring at all was another category of findings.
Re: Working at Height Incidents
Practical approach.
Will take these all on board.
Will take these all on board.
ivani1 wrote: 05 Feb 2026, 17:53 I would be able to provide you with some leads where you consider working on:
Risk related to the scaffolding works may have been elevated currently at your workspace which may likely to be treated:
I would try to support by providing some pointers:
1. Elimination not attempted (job could’ve been done from grade/remote tool)
2. Wrong access choice (ladder used where platform/scaffold/MEWP needed)
3. Temporary edge protection missing/modified (open edges, unguarded penetrations)
4. Anchorage / tie-off problem (no anchor, wrong anchor, too low, sharp edge, swing-fall)
5. Dropped objects (no tethering, poor tool management, poor exclusion zone)
6. Rescue not credible (plan exists on paper only; no kit / no drill)
7. Permit/SIMOPS gap (conflicting work, changing conditions, rushed start)
Myself being an outsider, if you could consider these items now, and apply afresh now to the current working @ height jobs, there are strong chances that the trend would nose down. Try now to challenge the jobs involving that, let's possibly eliminate to the extent possible then move forward to the access choice etc. and so on.
All the best.