Overcoming the problems with working at height

[JD6400]

What access gear do others use when working at height , and how high would you deem it safe to still work from a ladder ?
Also whats the worst case of daft and dangerous behaviour that you have come across by other people working at height .:38:

 

[ipf]

Many moons ago a fellow contractor called me and asked if I could give him an hand and bring my mobile tower with me. ok says I.

So gets to site it was at Kent International airport before it was that, and he was in a storage building. Job turned out to be this and that, but it appeared Siemans had installed a new fangled, CCTV system, and in them days CCTV was new fangled, and one of the cameras had failed, and was being replaced.

Any way this building must have been 20-25 metres easy and his 6x4 mobile was fully built, and never even reached half way, he had the 10mt working height platform one.

So I get I need yours Malc to extend into the apex for siemans ............so off loaded mine and off we go so now we are putting mine on top of his .................we are half way doing this and I'm now getting Squeaky B time. Builds it and there we are I reckon we are 19mts on this thing, and 19 metres is a long way, and every movement she is swaying as if in a gale. I gets down and up turns Siemans, who takes one look at this and pales, your joking we get.

After much discussions, and a few more your joking, over steps mate, "his offered us a score to change the broken camera", "as he I say". So now i'm thinking your joking ................so off we go pushing this monster over to the broken camera,Siemans gets the unit and up goes my mate ................down comes my mate and walks over to the van, where he gets out a 7 tread step ladder.

"Malc just a gnats too short, give us an hand" Up we go, this bitch is swaying like a drunk on Saturday. with us lugging up a wooden step ladder. Finally on top of this thing, and breathing is swaying this tower, mate opens up ladder and up he goes, so we are now on top of a double extened tower, me holding on for grim death, my mate is another 8-9 feet up on a step ladder, changing a camera.

We have now got us a crowd, Siemans is having a smoke and a couple of the lads are shouting up, how long lads there's an artic in any minute, I'm sort of bricking it my mate is tugging at this broken camera, and of course we are swaying back and forth.....................finally new fitted and down we come, I have never felt so relieved. Mate have a ciggie, over comes siemans, "lads this shroud needs to go over the connections" not sure if Siemans ever heard more profound language but suffice to say it never got it, and my mate never did give me half of that score

Donkeys years ago, when I was about 17, i was working with my old fella at a rugby stadium removing a big, old, round, metal reflected light fitting from half way up the spion kop. With help from a member of the groundstaff, a player, big lad who shall remain unnamed, we got the ladder up into position. The old man went up, at least 40ft, I footed on the terracing. He disconnected and after about 10mins, with ladder boucing back and forth, managed to loosen the rusty old chain fixings. He swung the weight and shouted to keep clear below. Our helper shouted ''Drop it mate, I'll catch it'' to which echoed from above ''**** off you daft ****''. It came down and took a big chunk of concrete off the terracing. Needless to say, if our helper, with his massive hands, had made an attempt at that partcular 'bomb' there would have been a spare seat on the plane for the up and comming tour of Australia and NZ.
We probably charged half a day's labour for the work. I dare not think how much today, not least with all the H+S requirements.

 

[Des 56]

Just read Malcolms epic climb and it reminded me of this one I have seen posted on this forum in the past

Now this is what I call working at heights,not your H+S death defying 3 rung ladder act :snore: , but real life safety climbing without the H+S freaks hanging on to our coat tails
Now I would love to shin up this turkey
massive climb up antenna station - YouTube

 

[Spazz]

NO THANK YOU!!!

I felt sick just watching them

 

[JD6400]

NO THANK YOU!!!

I felt sick just watching them

The same here !

I can not even imagine how they could do it ?

 

[Engineer54]

Just read Malcolms epic climb and it reminded me of this one I have seen posted on this forum in the past

Now this is what I call working at heights,not your H+S death defying 3 rung ladder act :snore: , but real life safety climbing without the H+S freaks hanging on to our coat tails
Now I would love to shin up this turkey
massive climb up antenna station - YouTube

That's because they'd never go up that mast to do any assessment, and nor would i... lol!!!

Just think how much that thing must sway in any kind of wind!! It's only held in place by guide wires... No wonder the second guy had to hang on to the technicians tool bag to stop it swinging around. Your not just climbing those things you need a pretty good balance while your climbing too!! lol!! Rather them then me!!!

 

[needasparks]

But would you really be that aware of the sway ? as nothing is around you to get the perspective.
Must say, i would rather try that than do a sky dive. No sorry i meant rather go down the pub.

 

[Engineer54]

But would you really be that aware of the sway ? as nothing is around you to get the perspective.
Must say, i would rather try that than do a sky dive. No sorry i meant rather go down the pub.

Errr... i think the mast it's self will be giving you all the perspective you need, to be telling you your swaying around in the wind. Did you not see the swaying yourself in the clip?? ...(i'm sure the numerous cable guides be creaking away like a good-un too!! lol!!!) It was what was making you wheezy as he was climbing...lol!!!

 

[alarm man]

A risk assessment also must include cost - as far as reasonably practicable.

If a customer is only paying you £300 to do a job which generates £100 profit for the company and a scissor lift costs £100 it is not as far as reasonably practicable to hire one in
However if it costs £25 per day and you say I need to make at least £150 on every job - apart from you not making that in the first place that is not considered as an excuse!

.

just so im reading that quote right,if the job isnt priced for safe access you dont need to use it,if it is priced for you use it

 

[Spazz]

No, its more of a situation where something happens and you have already given a quote of £300.

For example:
You are doing a house rewire - the areal falls off as a result of your actions and you only have a budget of £100 left - a ladder will be ok with that as long as there is no external factors and the risk assessment does not throw up anything.

You might get away with the customer only wants to pay x amount and that does not allow you to hire equipment - but you have to prove that the other route that you are taking does not impose any additional risk to the contractor

Another example is:
You are painting the outside of the house - house is to big to use a roller on a pole and the space on the floor is to small or unstable to put scaffolding up or get a telescopic arm with a cage (for you to stand in) so the only other option is a ladder.

Then you have to do a risk assessment on the use of a ladder - making sure its stable, cant tip (using rope to secure it a set distance from the wall and rope at the top to secure it to the wall at the top), possible harnesses if you have them available, ladder slip mats, etc, etc, etc

 

[Spazz]

Its all down to doing all as far as reasonably practicable

Quoting less because you dont want to take into account Safety is not doing all as far as reasonably practicable

 

[needasparks]

Its all down to doing all as far as reasonably practicable

Quoting less because you dont want to take into account Safety is not doing all as far as reasonably practicable

But its the only way i can outprice the Electrical Trainee. they do 4weeks H&S and one week electrical. simples.

 

[alarm man]

No, its more of a situation where something happens and you have already given a quote of £300.

For example:
You are doing a house rewire - the areal falls off as a result of your actions and you only have a budget of £100 left - a ladder will be ok with that as long as there is no external factors and the risk assessment does not throw up anything.

You might get away with the customer only wants to pay x amount and that does not allow you to hire equipment - but you have to prove that the other route that you are taking does not impose any additional risk to the contractor

im not sure about that nic,i work for a multi-national and will run that one by the h&s dept next week,forget the aerial scene what your saying there is if something happens where the contractor or individual has to right a mistake the risk assesment is based on the job profit not the specific risk which has been adjusted from say a picker to ladders because of a loss on the job if the initial ra is a picker you cant then do anothe ra to ladders because you going to lose profit,to me you make a mistake you put that right following your ra's regardless,if you make a mistake and you loose money on a job then thats the way it is

 

[alarm man]

But its the only way i can outprice the Electrical Trainee. they do 4weeks H&S and one week electrical. simples.

agree,with the solar game and the fascia game ive seen companies doing it right with ra's scaffold etc,you see others on ladders or standing on roofs with nothing but a decent grip on their trainers,people tend to go with the lower quotes so companies who quote safely loose out and the standards drop

 

[Des 56]

Quote from guy in video clip
"Well that just proved that system doesn't work" said in that cute geordie accent
Safety adviser falls from ladder - YouTube

Tied to the wall(Yeh I know,H+S freaking once again) then demonstrating what I believe was a safety harness, for a safe ladder use demo

I hold my own H+S in such importance that it frightens me to think, if I was starting out in the world of work,my safety no longer would rely on the best person to ensure it,"ME" instead of these office bound numpties who compile all this nonsense

They take away personal responsibility and replace it with over zealous claptrap, that uses the lowest common denominator to make these assessments

There, thats my view gently aired

 

[Spazz]

alarm

Im using it as an example - profit does come into it partly


bottom line you have to do everything as far as reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of yourself and those working for you

Using profit alone is not a good reason at all!

And using I had to charge that to get the job is not either!