Falling accidents in connection with working at height are one of the most common causes of injury and death in Norwegian workplaces. That is why it is important that you, as the employer, take precautions to ensure your employees can perform their work safely.
Working at heights
The employer is responsible for planning and following up at work performed at height. This means the employer must
- analyse and plan jobs and assess whether certain aspects of the work entail risk and may lead to injury
- take steps to ensure the workers’ safety and reduce the risk of injury
- assess whether some of the work can be performed from the ground instead of at height
- use safety equipment, such as scaffolding, stair turrets, railings and lifts if the work still needs to be performed at height
What is work at height?
The term work at height refers to operations where the worker is at risk of falling down. Some examples of work at height include work performed
- on roofs, the sides of buildings and other parts of structures
- on scaffolding or ladders
- in lifts
- on floors/slabs with openings
- on poles, e.g. power pylons
Employer’s responsibility
The employer is responsible for making sure the work is well-planned and organised, that a risk assessment has been preformed, and that the work is led and performed by competent and qualified personnel.
The employer must analyse and assess all dangers and risks, and take steps to reduce risk.
A risk assessment must
- be specific to the actual work involved
- be specific to the conditions on site
- involve the employees
For work at height, the following additional requirements for risk assessments and measures apply:
- For planning and execution of work at height, the employer must assess the risk to ensure that the work is always performed safely.
- Challenging and high-risk work may require more extensive planning and measures than work associated with low risk.
- A task description must systematically describe all of the work to be done.
- Consider whether the work can be performed without having to work at height.
- If work at height is required, collective fall protection must be prioritised over personal fall protection (personal protective equipment - PPE).
- PPE should be the absolute last solution if collective protection is not possible.
Examples of collective fall protection include
- railings
- scaffolding
- lifts
Examples of personal protective equipment (PPE) include
- safety lines
- harnesses
- carabiners
The risk assessment must specifically consider the following:
- the height at which the work is to be performed, including the risk of persons or objects falling
- in terms of fall protection choices: the nature and duration of the work, the surface
- risk of landslides due to failing ground conditions, avalanches, landslides and heavy rainfall
- risk of structural weaknesses
- load on work equipment or work platforms
- ergonomic considerations
- access and evacuation routes
- traffic considerations
- weather conditions, and
- other risk factors in the specific work site
Section 17-6 of the Regulations concerning the Performance of Work: Planning work at height
The employer must ensure that the employees they assign to plan, facilitate and supervise work at height have
- the necessary experience
- an understanding of the work
- knowledge of the risks that may arise
- knowledge of how to prevent risk through the implementation of collective protective solutions
- knowledge of statutory requirements
- knowledge of recommendations in various standards, guides and methods in use in the field
- the authority and resources to implement all measures that need to be implemented before the work begins
The employees who are assigned to supervise the work must involve the workers in the planning and organisation of the work.
The employer must ensure that all employees assigned to perform work at height have
- the necessary experience
- an understanding of the work
- knowledge of the risks that may arise
- knowledge of how to prevent risk through the implementation of collective protective solutions
- knowledge of statutory requirements
- knowledge of recommendations in various standards, guides and methods in use in the field
- the proper work equipment, meant for the work to be performed
Employees have a duty to contribute to the employer’s planning and organisation of the work.
Construction client’s responsibility
While the employer is responsible for its employees, the construction client also has a responsibility to plan and facilitate for safe work at height.
Read more about the Construction Client’s duties in the Construction Client Regulations
How to prevent falls
A safe working environment requires that employees and employer work together to find good solutions. The employees’ opinions and suggestions must be heard and carefully considered before the employer makes a final decision.
Systematic approaches to the working environment are important for preventing accidents involving falls. Planning and analyses are important for identifying and assessing risk, so that you can implement measures to ensure the work is safe.
If the analysis and risk assessment shows that you can perform the work without anyone needing to work at height, you should avoid work at height.
If there is no alternative to work at height, the employer must plan and organise the work in a way that ensures safety. The planning must be done by trained and qualified personnel.
In connection with work at height, the employer must ensure:
- that collective fall protection is prioritised over personal fall protection
- that the work equipment is dimensioned for the work to be carried out and for predictable loads
- that scaffolding is stable and the supporting surface has sufficient load-carrying capacity to withstand the loads to which it is exposed
- that the work is carried out according to ergonomic principles from a suitable surface where this is possible
- that access routes are adapted according to how often the employees move around, how long the access routes are used and their height
- that access routes can be used for evacuation in an emergency
- that moving around between access routes and work platforms, scaffolding decks or gangways does not pose a further risk of falls
- that safety devices to prevent falling are fitted where this is necessary, and
- that equipment is secured to prevent objects from falling and posing a risk to other people.
Examples of measures that make workplaces safer:
- Perform as much of the work as possible on the ground.
- Put the access as close to the work area as possible.
- Make sure workers are able to get to and from the work area safely.
- Use stair turrets for access.
- Ensure that the equipment used for work at height is appropriate, has the necessary stability and strength, has been properly maintained and is inspected regularly.
- Ensure that the equipment is inspected before use. Any equipment that is not in good working order must not be used.
- Plan storage for the work area – the storage area is part of the work area.
- Use a lift/crane to transport/lift materials. Make sure the load is not too heavy or moved too far out.
- Take special care on or around weak or delicate surfaces or covers.
- Protect openings in walls or floors.
- Ensure good collective protection from falling objects.
- Good lighting makes the work easier and safer.
- A tidy work area improves safety.
- Assess procedures and measures for emergency evacuation and rescue operations.
- Remember responsibilities vis-à-vis third parties.
Section 17-6 of the Regulations concerning the Performance of Work: Planning work at height
Equipment used during work at height, such as scaffolding or lifts, must be suitable for the work to be performed. The equipment must also be dimensioned for the load.
The employer must, based on a risk assessment implement suitable measures to reduce the risk to workers when they use this equipment.
In work areas with special risk factors, such as challenging weather conditions, traffic, live wires, etc., special safety measures must be implemented before equipment for use at height is installed and implemented.
Select the most suitable access route for work at height based on considerations including
- how often workers move
- the height of the access route
- how long the access route is in use
It must be possible to use the access route for evacuation in an emergency.
Statutory requirements
- The scaffolding must be certified by an accredited certification body or have a design certification issued by the Labour Inspection Authority (past scheme).
- Scaffold builders must be trained in the building of scaffolding. The training requirement varies depending on the height of the top scaffolding floor.
- Scaffolding users must be trained in the use of the specific type of scaffolding.
- Scaffolding not installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions in a standard configuration must be installed by qualified personnel trained in accordance with the provisions of Section 17-4 of the Regulations concerning the Performance of Work, regardless of the height of the top scaffolding floor.
- Foundation: The scaffolding must have a robust foundation. The ground under the scaffolding must be inspected regularly to make sure the soil has not sunk or settled.
- Scaffolding inspection: Before use, the scaffolding must be inspected by qualified personnel to verify that it is safe to use. As long as the scaffolding is in use, it must be inspected regularly, especially after adverse weather conditions or when other factors could have affected its stability and strength, or when the scaffolding has been out of use for one week or longer. The inspection must be documented with a specific report.
- Access: The scaffolding must have a safe access point.
- Markings: The scaffolding must be marked with a clearly visible sign that indicates whether the scaffolding is safe to use, or if use is prohibited.
- Anchoring: Scaffolding that is not designed to be free-standing or suspended needs sufficient anchoring. The anchor points must be dimensioned for the load on the scaffolding. Anchor points must be tested at loads 20 % higher than the anticipated load.
- Scaffolding floor: The scaffolding floor must be secured to ensure it does not rock and get displaced during normal use. It should also be closed to ensure dropped objects do not fall on others. The use of wooden crossbars is not recommended, due to the high risk of breakage due to rot, which can be difficult to identify.
- Railings: Scaffolding should normally be equipped with hand, knee and foot rails. If a foot rail is not sufficient to prevent objects from falling, the railing must be covered by nets or screens. The distance from the wall should be maximum 0.30 m.
- Training: All workers who will be installing, reconfiguring, disassembling or inspecting scaffolding over the height of 2 meters, must have received documented training. The employer must also ensure that the worker is trained on the use of fall protection equipment.
- Scaffolding should not be disassembled until everyone protected by the protective measure has completed their activities in the work area.
Read more about installing and using scaffolding (Norwegian)
- Temporary railings must be certified by an accredited certification body, or have a design certification issued by the Labour Inspection Authority (past scheme).
- When working on roofs or surfaces with a risk of falling to a lower level, railing/ledge protection must be used that satisfy class (A, B and C) according to standard NS-EN 13374 (standard.no), depending on the roof angles or surface slopes where the railing/ledge protection is intended to be used.
- Railings must have a height of minimum 1.0 m and must include hand, knee and foot rails. If system scaffolding is used, the railing height can be reduced to 0.96 metres.
- Railings must be sufficiently strong and closed to prevent persons and larger objects from falling.
- Where there is a risk of falling objects, the railing must have a foot rail with a height of minimum 0.10 metres.
- The foot rail must abut the floor, slab edge, cornice, rafter or gable. Other covers must be used if a foot rail does not provide sufficient protection.
- Ledge protections should not be disassembled until everyone protected by the protective measure has completed their activities in the work area.
Traditional facade scaffolding does not meet the requirements for ledge protection in accordance with NS-EN 13374 (standard.no).
When lifts are used, the operator must have received documented training. The training must provide knowledge of statutory requirements and the user manual’s requirements for safe use and operation.
The employer is also responsibile for making sure the person assigned to operate the lift has received equipment-specific training and sufficient time to familiarise themselves with the machine in question.
The employer must document technical inspections of the lift.
In some cases, lifts can be performed using equipment that is not certified for this type of operation. Such lifts are called “exceptional lifts”.
Exceptional lifts are only permitted if certified equipment is not available. This means exceptional lifts are rarely permitted.
Why do falling accidents happen?
There could be multiple factors leading to an occupational accident, and the cause could be complex.
In many of these accidents, however, some direct and underlying causes are common.
Common aspects of many accidents in connection with work at height include
- falls through openings in the floor
- falls from scaffolding with poor or missing fall protection (railings, foot rails)
- falls from a ladder when the work is performed on a ladder
Common causes in many accidents include
- absence of operative and competent supervision
- poor organisation, e.g. unclear lines of responsibility and poor communication
- poor or inadequate planning
- poor or inadequate risk management
- errors and improper conduct by workers, including due to
- improper training
- inexperience
- lack of compliance with procedures and routines
Some common mistakes in risk assessments include
- the risk assessment is too general
- the risk assessment is not specific to the actual work involved and the conditions on site
- the risk assessment does not involve the workers
In addition, localised risks and the condition/functionality of materials/equipment are common factors in falling accidents.
Effective accident prevention requires the implementation of a range of measures and systems, and that these work as intended and interconnect. The measures could be both organisational and physical, or a combination of both.
More information
Read more about market control of ladders and scaffolding (Norwegian)