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Working at height
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Systematic approach to working at height
Tarmac Central > Gawsworth, Cheshire > 01260 223477
Tarmac’s Area 3 Concrete (at Gawsworth, near Macclesfield) has applied special diligence in their approach
to working at height. This included:
• risk assessments by management
• drawing up of safe systems of work
• where a work platform is required, ladders are never used.
Key factors of note include:
• summary assessment of all Topmix personnel who were regularly involved in working at heights –
primarily fixed plant maintenance personnel
• tailored training course for maintenance crews. Attendees needed to be in reasonable health, not
suffering from vertigo, and have good binocular vision.
The EPIC-approved training course covered:
• competent use and inspection of safety harnesses
• safe use of ladders
• safe erecting, use, moving and dismantling of mobile access/scaffold towers
• safe set-up and operation of mobile elevating working platforms.
Inspections and audits focus particularly on standards of handrails and toe-boards, as well as access
equipment. Records and reports are produced monthly.
Preventing unauthorised ladder access
Tarmac Northern > Concrete & Mortar Yorkshire > 01423 796800
For sites still using vertical access ladders, an example of effective
prevention of unauthorised access has been demonstrated by Tarmac
Northern’s Concrete & Mortar Yorkshire.
• where there is no access to the rear of the ladder, a sheet steel door,
vertical hinged, is closed across the face of the ladder and padlocked
• where there is access to the rear, a sheet steel housing is attached to the
rear of the ladder, in addition to the steel door at the front.