With so many accidents and injuries happening in the building industry each year, it’s important to know how to prevent them before they happen. One of the most common risks involves falls from scaffolding, which have serious implications for the victim and their family – not to mention your business reputation if anyone is seriously injured or killed on site. Here are some tips on how to prevent falls and injury on scaffolding jobs north wales

Wear appropriate protective clothing

Wearing appropriate protective clothing is essential to preventing injury when working at height. PPE (personal protective equipment) includes items such as hard hats, overalls, goggles and gloves. Any workwear you buy should have a CE mark indicating it has met EU standards. Other pieces of personal safety equipment include harnesses, lanyards and restraint kits – these all help prevent falls when working at height.

Set up scaffolding safely

When setting up scaffolding, there are a number of safety precautions that need to be taken. Some steps you can take include making sure you have secured it properly so it doesn’t fall over in high winds or when people walk by. It is also important to make sure your scaffold platform is well-supported so it doesn’t sink into soft ground or sink unevenly if it’s on uneven ground.

Keep workspace tidy

It’s common for a scaffolding site to be filled with lots of tools, equipment, ladders and just generally lots of clutter. The last thing you want is for something like that to put you in danger so try and keep your workspace tidy as much as possible. By keeping things organised, it’ll make climbing up or down much easier too. As well as helping prevent falls or injuries, organisation will also help make sure everyone knows where everything is!

Understand your responsibilities

Falling from heights is a very serious problem, but one which many tradespeople might not fully understand. If you’re working at height as part of your work or trade, it’s your responsibility to understand what it takes to stay safe while doing so.

Document inspections

For jobs such as high-rise scaffold works, window cleaning or even routine maintenance, a high standard of safety is paramount. To ensure all health and safety standards are met before, during and after any building works take place, employers are legally required to perform checks on their scaffolding – either using a qualified person or an accredited inspection service. Many scaffolders use Health and Safety Tests.

Use guardrails correctly

Scaffold guardrails are meant for more than just decoration. Properly installed, they’re a vital safety component for any scaffold setup. Make sure your workers know how to set up scaffold guardrails properly so they’re prepared in case of an accident.

Avoid distractions

If you’re working on a building site, it’s vital that you focus all your attention on what you’re doing. Even small distractions can cause serious injuries – so make sure no one disturbs you while you work, keep your phone turned off, and if anyone approaches ask them to wait until you finish what you are doing.