Working at Heights

Plan before going up

Any task above ground level starts with a plan. Our crews ask whether the work can be done from the ground or a safer position, what equipment is best, and what happens if something goes wrong. If fall protection is needed, it is selected and checked before the work starts.

Planning also covers who will be working below, what barricades are needed and how materials will be moved up and down.

Ladders

Ladders are common and often misused. Our crews choose the right ladder for the task, inspect it before use, set it up on stable footing and keep three points of contact. If the task needs both hands or a long reach, a different platform is chosen.

Damaged ladders are removed from service. Makeshift platforms such as stacked boxes or chairs are never accepted as a substitute.

Scaffolds and scissor lifts

Ceilings, ductwork, lighting and fire protection often require elevated work platforms. Scaffolds are set up and inspected by trained people. Scissor lifts are operated only by workers trained on them, and floors are checked for openings and loading before the equipment moves.

• Check the surface and clearances
• Inspect the equipment before each use
• Keep guardrails in place
• Watch for overhead services and other trades

Fall protection

Where a fall hazard cannot be removed, crews use guardrails, restraint or fall arrest systems suited to the task. Anchor points are planned, equipment is inspected, and workers are trained in how to use it. Rescue is considered in the plan, because hanging in a harness can be dangerous too.

Coordinating with other trades

Our electrical, mechanical and interior systems crews often work at the same ceiling level. Under one schedule, we sequence the work, share lifts and keep people from working directly above one another. Tools and materials are secured so nothing falls on the people below.