Working at heights is an activity that carries significant dangers and requires extreme caution. The risks are numerous and the consequences can be fatal. However, despite efforts to improve safety in the workplace, unforgivable mistakes are still made that endanger the lives of workers.
Here are 10 unforgivable mistakes that should never be made
1.Failure to carry out an adequate risk assessment. Before starting any work at height, it is essential to carry out a risk assessment to identify potential hazards and establish preventive measures.
2.Failure to use appropriate personal protective equipment. All workers working at heights must use appropriate personal protective equipment, including helmets, harnesses, boots with non-slip soles, safety glasses, gloves, among others.
3. Do not use collective protection equipment. It is important to install collective protection barriers, such as safety nets or railings, to prevent falls and other accidents.
4. Failure to follow established procedures. Work at heights must be carried out following an established and safe procedure, which includes the sequence of tasks, the tools to be used and prevention measures.
5. Failure to inspect equipment before use. Before using any equipment for working at height, a thorough inspection must be carried out to ensure that it is in good condition and that there is no risk of failure.
6. Lack of clear communication. It is important to have clear and constant communication between workers at height and other team members to avoid misunderstandings and errors.
7. Lack of proper planning. Each task at height needs to be planned in advance and ensured that adequate time, equipment and personnel are available to carry it out safely.
8. Lack of trained personnel. Work at height must be carried out by trained and experienced personnel who are familiar with the risks and necessary prevention measures.
9. Failure to monitor weather conditions. It is important to monitor weather conditions and stop working at height if there are strong winds, heavy rain or any other conditions that may affect safety.
10. Failing to heed warning signs. Warning signs are crucial when working at height and must be respected. If an area is marked as dangerous, you should avoid entering it.
11. Using equipment in poor condition: Using personal protective equipment (PPE) in poor condition is one of the main errors when working at height. Taking care of and periodically checking the equipment used is crucial to preventing accidents.
13. Do not close the carabineer safety lock: The carabineer is a connector that links different accessories or connects vertical work equipment to ropes or lifelines. It is a basic element when working at height, and must require two consecutive and voluntary movements to open. This prevents accidental openings, requiring the worker to open the carabineer voluntarily. However, it is equally important to check that the carabineer has been securely closed after connecting to the lifeline. Not doing so is one of the most avoidable and dangerous mistakes when working at height.
14. Lack of prevention training or a rescue plan: Training in risk prevention is essential to avoid accidents caused by falls from heights. This type of training prepares employees to avoid making mistakes when working at heights and to protect their health. In recent times, innovative tools such as Virtual Reality (VR) have been incorporated to enhance and add realism to this training.
In the workplace, it is common to work at heights, whether in construction, building maintenance or roof repairs. However, these tasks can be dangerous if not carried out with the appropriate safety measures.
Even with training, accidents do happen, and there needs to be a protocol in place for them. Determining a concrete rescue plan and keeping workers trained to implement it saves many lives. Is there anything worse than not knowing how to react to rescue a colleague who has suffered an accident?
Paying attention to these and other tips is important to reduce the number of errors when working at height and protect workers. The seriousness of accidents in this area requires us to keep all five senses focused on prevention.
