Accidents in Waste Handling

Introduction
The UK produces in the order of 400 millions tonnes of waste each year, of which only about a quarter comes from domestic households.  The handling and processing of this waste is, consequently, a large industry.

HSE statistics reveal that the number of fatal accidents in the waste management sector is over 16 times the national average, while accident rates in this sector are over four times the national average.

Table 1: Typical accident rates in the waste industry (2010/2011) Source HSE statistics

Industry	Accident rates per 100,000 workers
	Fatalities	Major Injury	Over Three-day	All Injuries
Waste	10	438	1954	2447
All Industries	0.6	99	363	462

Causes of accidents

There are several main categories for accidents in the industries associated with waste handling:
•      Manual handling injuries (41 %)
•      Slips, trips and falls (26 %)
•      Struck by objects (16 %)
•      Falls, from vehicles (6 %)
•      Transport related accidents (4 %)
•      Machinery related injuries (3 %)

For manual handling injuries, typical causative factors include:

•      Lifting or performing a movement with too much force
•      Lifting or performing a movement in an awkward position, or
•      Repeating the lift/movement too often

With respect to slips, trips and falls, typical causative factors include:

•      Storing materials or other unnecessary items on walkways and in work areas.
•      Creating and/or using wet, muddy, sloping or otherwise irregular walkways and work surfaces.
•      Constructing and or using improper walkways, stairs or landings or damaging these  surfaces
•      Creating and/or using uneven terrain in and around work areas
•      Working from elevated work surfaces and ladders
•      Using damaged or defective steps to enter vehicles

Workers may be struck by falling objects or, more commonly, by objects that have been thrown.

Machinery related accidents cover a very wide range of machine types and accident types.  Some of these are fatal; while others may lead to serious, severe injuries, including: amputations, crush injuries, severe cuts, etc.  There have been many reported cases (including prosecutions) arising from the use of conveyors.  Workers are injured as a result of poorly guarded conveyor systems, especially in cases where workers are attempting to remove an obstruction from the conveyor while it is still in operation.

Some categories of transport related accident are more common in the waste industry (especially kerbside collections) than elsewhere, such as:

•      Workers having their ankles and feet run over by forward-moving vehicles; either due to standing too close or due to slipping/tripping from kerbs whilst the vehicle is moving past.

•      Workers being injured whilst trying to get onto or off moving vehicles.

•      Reversing vehicles being guided by two ‘banksmen’ and striking one whilst the driver was watching the other for instructions.

•      Banksmen failing to stop reversing vehicles with either verbal or hand signals and either being struck themselves or resulting in others being struck.

•      Workers not expecting vehicles to move, and being struck, such as when the driver was not aware of the worker behind the vehicle.

Avoiding accidents

Many of the steps that may be employed to avoid accidents and injuries are simple, relatively low cost measures.  Avoiding manual handling injuries can be achieved through:

•      Providing appropriate mechanical assistance and equipment (such as carts, trolleys, adjustable work stations for the operators and appropriate tools).

•      Providing this equipment in convenient locations.

•      Training workers in appropriate manual handling techniques and the avoidance of ergonomic risks, etc.

•      Undertaking suitable and sufficient assessments of the risks for the manual handling operations undertaken and introducing suitable measures to avoid and/or control the risks arising.

•      Reviewing the size, shape and weight of materials to be moved, especially those that are handled regularly.

•      Reviewing the design of vehicles, such as (retro) fitting tail gates lifts and scissor lifts, etc.

In line with many other industry sectors, slips and trips can be avoided or controlled by fairly measures, including:

•      Ensuring good standards of housekeeping in work areas – avoid the build up of litter, debris and other general detritus.

•      Ensuring that adequate lighting is provided to all work areas.

•      Ensuring that suitable safety footwear is provided to workers and that it is worn as appropriate.

•      Providing suitable, robust handrails, to steps and stairs, etc.

•      Reviewing the layout and design of the work area.

•      Ensuring that all floors are even and are maintained in good condition (through regular inspection and maintenance).

•      Ensuring that all floors are constructed from suitable materials and (where appropriate) are designed to be non-slippery when wet.

•      Cleaning up spillages promptly and ensuring that suitable materials are available and that suitable procedures are in place).

Falls from heights involving vehicles can be avoided and/or reduced by:

•      Training workers to be aware of the risks of falling from vehicles, even from simple operations such as getting into and out of cabs.

•      Working at the culture endemic in the waste industry of “it won’t happen to me”

•      Reviewing the design and layout of areas where waste materials are loaded and unloaded onto vehicles.

•      Avoiding working from heights (such as elevated surfaces and ladders) by reviewing the activities and modifying the operations and/or the work area as appropriate.

•      Reviewing the design of vehicles, such as (retro) fitting tail-gates lifts and scissor lifts, etc.

Many of the accidents involving machinery can often be avoided by:

•      Ensuring that all machinery is designed (and maintained) to be as safe as is practicable.

•      Ensuring that machine guards are available and are in place at all times.

•      Introducing regular inspections of machinery, looking for defects in the equipment and checking for any defective or missing guard or other safety features (such as interlock systems).

•      Instructing workers in the safe operation of the machinery and, especially, in the actions to be taken when clearing obstructions, etc. 

•      Ensuring that emergency stop controls are operational and are sited in suitable locations.

Many of the transport related accidents can be avoided by greater attention to the task in hand (such as by removing the culture of “it won’t happen to me” that exists within the waste and transport industry) and encouraging workers not to take shortcuts or to adopt sloppy practices.  Further training of both the banksmen and the drivers in accurate communication will also have a beneficial effect in preventing many vehicle related accidents and injuries.

It is relatively simple to prevent workers being struck by thrown objects: prohibit the throwing of objects.  If this is not a reasonably practicable solution, then organise the work area such that workers are not in the line of fire of thrown objects.

Summary

Many people are hurt and killed each year as a result of working in the waste industry.  Many of these accidents can be avoided by implementing a few relatively simple measures:

•      Undertaking suitable and sufficient assessments of the risks arising from operations and implementing (and enforcing the use of) suitable control measures

•      Further training (including risk awareness training as well job specific training).

•      Changing the culture of “it won’t happen to me” to a more positive and proactive culture.

•      Improving and monitoring housekeeping standards.

•      Improving and monitoring the use and condition of machine guards and other safety features.

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Clearing Snow and Ice at Work

This is another Guest Blog, this time by Jamie (from the office).

For the Game of Thrones fans: Winter is Coming! Waith it comes the early morning frosts, soon to be followed by snow, and ice in the coming weeks. We have a guide on how to protect yourself, and your staff from slips and falls due to snow and ice on pavements.

It is a popular misconception that it is against the law to clear snow and ice from pavements.

Put simply, there is nothing stopping you from clearing ice and snow from your property, or from public pavements and areas outside your property. Heads of establishments are responsible for ensuring that the means of access to their establishment is safe for both employees and visitors and that adequate arrangements are made to ensure that the risks from snow and ice are minimised. The true position is that a company may be held liable for ‘failing to act reasonably’ in order to prevent accidents caused by snow and ice.

Be careful not to make the situation worse, and to clear snow and ice sensibly, especially from around steps, and steep slopes.

Here are a few simple tips towards clearing snow and ice safely:

• Clear snow and ice from roads and pathways on our premises.
• Avoid making pathways more dangerous by allowing them to refreeze.
• Clear snow and ice from steep slopes and steps.
• Prioritise important and well used routes over lesser used routes.
• Clear a route 1m wide on pathways.
• Apply grit or salt to keep roads and pathways from freezing.
• Checks made at appropriate intervals to ensure that roads and pathways remain clear where temperatures remain below freezing.
• Consider the needs of employees and visitors, in particular disabled and elderly visitors.
• Ensure that adequate equipment is available to clear snow and ice.

Falls from vehicles

Introduction
Many people are injured as a result of falling from a vehicle. According to HSE statistics, about 2000 workers are seriously injured eachyear as a result of falling from a vehicle, with a handful of people suffering fatal injuries.  Most of the instances (about 90%) involve falls from below head height and the HSE have estimated that the economic and human cost of these incidents is in the order of £36.7 million.  There are two important messages:

• falls from vehicles can cause serious injuries
• simple, cost effective solutions are available to prevent these injuries

Falls from vehicles and Health and Safety Legislation
In common with most work activities, there is no specific law dealing with falls from vehicles.  However, as well as the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 (HASAW), there are two sets of regulations that are applicable to falls from vehicles:

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and
• Work at Heights Regulations 2005

Amongst other thing, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 creates a duty on employers to assess the risks arising from their operations and undertakings and requires them (in conjunction with the requirements of HASAW) to reduce these risks to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.  The Work at Heights Regulations 2005 creates some simple, but never-the-less important duties on employers.  In order to comply, the employer must ensure that:

• all work at height is avoided where reasonably practicable to do so
• all work at height is properly planned and organised
• workers involved in work at height are competent
• the risks arising from work at height have been properly assessed
• appropriate work equipment has been selected and is used as appropriate
• equipment is properly inspected, serviced and maintained

Falls from height does not have to means a fall from a great height (historically considered to be falls from over two metres).  The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury.

Hazards

Employers should consider their operations and determine where there are risks of falls (from height) from vehicles.  These may include:

• accessing and egressing the driver’s cab
• loading and unloading vehicles
• working on tail lifts
• working on trailers or vehicle platforms
• sheeting and unsheeting of loads
• working on top of tankers (dipping operations, etc.)

Control measures
Control measures are the things that we do to avoid or control hazards so that harm is not caused.

 

General issues and general control measures

Several simple steps can be taken to help to reduce the number of workplace accidents involving falls from vehicles and many of these are both cheap and easy to implement.  These include:

• restrict access to vehicle areas to authorised persons
• avoid the need to work at height when it is reasonably practicable to do so (by way of example, many tankers are now fitted with bottom loading systems, removing the need for the driver, or other person, to access the top of the tanker)
• provide a safe means of access to, and egress from, work areas (including vehicles)
• avoid the need for working at different heights (consideration may be given to a well constructed loading bay or platform, etc.)
• maintain good standards of housekeeping (in the vehicles and in the surrounding areas, such as loading bays, etc.)
• make appropriate arrangements for poor weather (poor lighting, rain, snow, ice, high winds, etc.)
• ensure that lighting in the general work area is suitable and adequate for the tasks to be done and consider the need for suitable emergency lighting
• ensure that workers wear appropriate footwear for the job
• carry out routine checks (such as visual inspections and tests) on equipment and workplaces
• Ensure that vehicles can be moved unexpectedly during loading, unloading, sheeting or unsheeting operations, measures may include:
• Immobilising vehicles
• Removing keys from vehicles
• Requiring drivers to leave the cab of the vehicle during operations
• Chocking the vehicle wheels
• etc

Controls for walking on vehicles
Many people are injured when they fall as a result of the load shifting underfoot when walking on the load or otherwise on the vehicle.  It is therefore recommended that measures to avoid the need to walk on the vehicle or on the load are introduced where it is reasonably practicable to do so.  Where it remains necessary, typical measures to control the risk of falling include:

• walking while facing the direction of travel
• keeping feet well apart and free to move
• consideration of the stability and grip of the surface being walked on and consideration of how this may change in different parts of the load or different parts of the vehicle
• avoid reliance on the support offered by ropes, sheets and by the load (these may move, rip or tear)
• consideration should be given to the use of suitable fall arrest or work restraint systems

Controls for accessing and egressing the cab
Tail lifts can be an invaluable aid to loading and unloading vehicles and can negate the need for fork lift trucks in certain instances and can significantly reduce the risks from manual handling.  There are a range of measures that may be used to reduce the risks associated with working on tail lifts.  These include:

• ensure that workers are aware of the hazards associated with general access to and egress from the cab and the types of injuries that they sustain and the potential effects of these injuries on the workers (generally drivers).
• Instruct drivers to:
• use the steps provided
• use the grab handles to assist access/egress and not the steering wheel
• when leaving the vehicle, visually check the ground for obstructions
• when leaving the vehicle, use the steps and grab the handle provided and exit the cab backwards

Controls for working on tail lifts
Tail lifts can be an invaluable aid to loading and unloading vehicles and can negate the need for fork lift trucks in certain instances and can significantly reduce the risks from manual handling.  There are a range of measures that may be used to reduce the risks associated with working on tail lifts.  These include:

• ensure that workers are aware of the hazards associated with working on and from tail lifts
• ensure that the tail lift is suitable for the vehicle and for the loads to be handled
• ensure that the tail lift is serviced and maintained in accordance with the manufacturers’ recommendations
• ensure that statutory examination is carried out (as required under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998)
• where appropriate, provide edge protection to the tail lift

Controls for working on vehicle platforms and trailers

Tail lifts can be an invaluable aid to loading and unloading vehicles and can negate the need for fork lift trucks in certain instances and can significantly reduce the risks from manual handling.  There are a range of measures that may be used to reduce the risks associated with working on tail lifts.  These include:

• avoid the need to work on vehicle platforms and trailers where it is reasonably practicable to do so
• ensure that workers are aware of the hazards associated with working on vehicle platforms and on trailers
• providing suitable hand holds and steps to allow easy access to, and egress from, the platform or trailer
• providing trip guards along the platform or trailer edge
• ensure that the platform or trailer is kept clear of trip hazards, such as rubbish, ropes, chains, packaging materials, dunnage, etc.
• ensure that the floor of the platform or trailer is secure and in good condition, without tripping hazards
• ensure that the operator wears appropriate footwear and other personal protective equipment
• ensure that lighting is adequate, including in potentially shaded areas
• prohibiting the practices of jumping down from a vehicle or load or of jumping between vehicles

Controls for sheeting operations

There are a range of measures that may be used to reduce the risks associated with sheeting operations.  Some of the methods (which may be used singly or in combination) are outlined below:

• ensure that workers are aware of the hazards associated with sheeting and unsheeting operations, especially in poor weather
• consider whether the load needs to be sheeted (avoid the hazardous operation)
• create a documented safe system of work for sheeting and unsheeting operations and train workers in this system
• arrange for automatic sheeting systems to be fitted to vehicles
• consider safe means of access, such as:
• use of work platforms
• use of suitable fixed gantries
• provide and use suitable fall arrest or work restraint systems
• where reasonably practicable, avoid climbing upon the load
• where reasonably practicable, avoid the use of ladders and consider safer and more robust access systems

Special factors
Consideration should be given to loads or conditions that have special factors associated with them that may increase the level of risk.  Such factors may include:

• bad weather
• loads that have leaked
• unstable loads or loads that have slipped or moved in transit
• loads or goods known to be slippery (such as oil, silicone based materials, waxes, etc.)
• loads involving the transport of live animals (faeces, urine, etc.)
• refrigerated transport
• etc.

Summary
In some cases, the amount that needs to be done to control the risks of injury and death from falls from vehicles can be costly, such as building new loading bays or replacing tankers with new, bottom loading systems.  However, in most cases the costs are low, as what is often needed is more attention to the tasks undertaken and greater enforcement of the control measures that the company believes are already in place.  Training is an important part of the process as this will raise the awareness to dangers in the tasks undertaken and the consequences on the well being of those involved if things go wrong.  Regular active monitoring is important to ensure that the workplace environment is right and that the appropriate workplace practices are being adhered to.

Contact us www.LRBconsulting.co.uk

 

 

 

A brief guide to Safety in the Warehouse

Many businesses have storage and warehouse facilities as an integral and important part of their operation.  These may be very busy places at all times (such as in a logistics operation) or they may be pretty quiet for many hours a day, but have periods of intense activity.  Warehouses are dangerous places and people do get hurt in them in several ways.  Many of the injuries suffered can be avoided by taking some simple steps; all derived from simple risk assessments. In this blog, I have asked two basic questions: "What types of accidents are associated with warehouse operations?" and "What can be done to avoid these accidents?" This blog does not seek to provide in depth answers, but to get the reader thinking. Contact me through the website for further information or assistance.

What types of accidents are associated with warehouse operations?

That depends on the operations carried out in the warehouse.  The main types of accidents in warehouses generally include:

• Slips, trips and falls (on the same level)
• Manual handling
• Falls from height
• Accidents involving vehicles moving in and around the warehouse
• Being struck by moving or falling objects

However, other types of accident will occur in warehouses depends on the type of operations being carried out, such as:

• Mechanical accidents involving the use of conveyor systems
• Exposure to chemicals (from poorly stored items)
• etc

What can be done to avoid these accidents?

Slips, trips and falls

• Ensuring good standards of housekeeping – keep walkways clean. Clear and unobstructed
• Ensure that spillages are cleaned up immediately that they occur or when they are noticed
• Ensure that banding tapes, packaging materials and polythene, etc are not allowed to collect on the floors
• Ensure that leaky roofs are repaired
• Ensure that all staff are provided with (and wear) appropriate safety footwear
• Ensure that the floors are maintained in good condition and that defects are repaired

Manual Handling

• Arrange work such that the needs for manual handling are reduced (such as by the use of fork lift trucks, (powered)-pallet trucks, dock lifts, etc)
• Ensure that the risks associated with all manual handling operations are assessed and minimised, giving consideration to:
• the task
• the load
• the working environment
• individual capability, and
• other factors
• Ensure that there are always a sufficient number of employees to deal safely with the loads that need to be handled
• Arrange suitable training in manual handling for all warehouse staff (including temporary and agency workers)

Work at Height

• Avoid the need to work at height were possible
• Avoid climbing on the top of loads where possible
• Provide suitable, practical protection to areas from which people may fall (such as loading bays, etc)
• Provide suitable means of access  for any elevated work area, such as racking locations, etc
• Arrange for all access equipment to be checked regularly by a competent person
• Instruct workers not to use inappropriate or defective access equipment (avoid the use of the forks on a fork lift truck or the use of a pallet on the truck, etc)
• Provide safe working platforms for accessing the back of vehicles (such as tankers or flat bed trucks) if accessed routinely

Vehicles

• Manage the vehicles accessing the site – where possible, provide delivery drivers with relevant health and safety information about your site (times for deliveries, one-way system information, etc) before they arrive
• Display suitable warning signs and notices
• Consider have safety information available in different languages if regularly dealing with drivers from different countries
• Provide clearly designated vehicle and pedestrian routes (where possible)
• Ensure that areas are adequately illuminated
• Provide warehouse staff with high visibility clothing
• Control the reversing of vehicles (consider the use of CCTV systems on your own vehicles)
• Provide workers with suitable and sufficient vehicle movement awareness training, banksman training, etc
• Implement suitable controls for vehicles on site – such as warning signs, site speed limits, mirrors on “blind” corners and bends, etc
• Ensure that all loads are safe before attempting to unload a vehicle
• Ensure that all loads are secure before allowing a vehicle to leave site
• Implement procedure to prevent vehicles from driving off prematurely (such as a key collection system or chocked wheel system).
• Ensure that the use of fork lift trucks is restricted to trained and authorised users
• Restrict access to the warehouse to authorised persons and display suitable notices to this effect

Falling Objects

• Ensure that all loads stored at height (such as on racking) are secure
• Avoid working under other people
• Assess the safety of loads before attempting to unload a vehicle
• Ensure that all racking systems are adequate for the loads that will be stored on them
• Display the safe loading limit of all racking systems
• Carryout regular inspections of the racking and of the goods stored on the racking
• Check the condition of wooden pallets and do not reused damaged pallets
• Arrange for loose items to be secured (such as by shrink wrapping) before storage

Mechanical Accidents

• Ensure that all plant and equipment provided for use in the warehouse (such as shrink wrapping equipment, conveyor systems, etc) is suitable for the task and is in good condition
• Arrange for all equipment to be checked and inspected regularly by a competent person to ensure that it remains in good condition, to ensure that all guards are in place and that all emergency stops and other safety features and controls work
• Restrict the use of plant and equipment to authorised persons only

Exposure to chemicals

• Ensure that all chemical packaging is in good condition
• Ensure that appropriate PPE is provided
• Ensure that suitable washing facilities and emergency arrangements are in place for washing and for emergency eye wash
• Ensure that safety data sheet are available for all substances used and/or stored on site
• Ensure that all chemical packaging display suitable warning symbols

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Contractor's death results in large fine for construction firm

Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of fatalities and major injuries in the construction sector. In the period 2011 to 2012, 49 workers lost their lives on construction sites in the UK, with falls from height being a major cause.  Following the death of a man  after falling through a roof while working on the construction of a shopping centre in North Wales, a building firm has been ordered to pay £450,000 in fines and £98,000 costs after being found found guilty of breaching Section 3(1) of the HSWA 1974.

The Crown Court in Mold (North Wales) heard that Watkin Jones & Son Ltd was the principal contractor during the building of the Menai Centre in Bangor and that Thomas Whitmarsh, (aged 21) was working for a company that was sub-contracted to carry out roofwork at the site.

In December 2009, Thomas Whitmarsh was fitting a rubber membrane to a flat concrete roof when he fell nearly six metres through an unguarded opening in the roof to the floor below, sustaining serious head injuries.  He then spent several months in hospital and was making a gradual recovery. Unfortunately, the brain injury he suffered exposed him to a much higher degree of infection and he later died after contracting acute meningitis. The court heard that there was more than an 80-per-cent chance that the injuries from the fall contributed to his death.



An HSE inspector commented that there had been adequate edge protection around the void, but that this had been removed and not put back in place until after the incident. He went on to comment that: 

“Poor coordination between the principal and the roofing contractors on this particular part of the site led to the edge protection being removed from around the roof opening without alternative safeguards in place.

Falls from height are an alarmingly common cause of death and serious injury in construction. All too often, straightforward practical precautions are not considered and workers are put needlessly at risk. Poor management of risk in this industry is unacceptable and HSE will take strong action when necessary.

This tragic case should remind all contractors that work at height must be managed effectively and adequate safeguards should be in place to prevent falls.”



 By way of mitigation, the firm said it takes health and safety seriously but accepts failings took place in relation to this incident. Following the incident, it modified its procedures to ensure that work is safely handed over to contractors.

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Health and Safety: Access and Egress

Access to, and egress from, the workplace are fundamental aspects to the safe working conditions that should prevail within any workplace.  In shared accommodation, the landlord (or the building or facilities manager) is responsible for the premises as a whole, but also has special responsibility for the common areas of the premises.  These can be thought of the parts of the premises not demised to (or directly under the control of) individual tenants.  With respect to access and egress, these may typically include: car parking areas, external areas (roads, paths, lighting, refuse storage areas, etc), entrance doors, reception areas, corridors, staircases and lifts.

It is a basis requirement of the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 that employers and those in control, of premises provide and maintain a place of work that is safe and without risks to health, and provide and maintain means of access to, and egress from, it that are also safe and without risks to health.  Access and egress means the route through or means of entry to (or exit from) a workplace.  Egress routes also include means of emergency exit from workplaces.  Routes of access and egress can include: corridors, footpaths, pedestrian walkways, doorways, ladders, steps, etc.  The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 do not specifically mention access or egress from workplaces, although many of the provisions relate to the layout, construction and maintenance of the workplace fabric. The safety of access and egress routes is therefore implicit.

All roadways, paths, stairs, steps, etc. must be maintained in good condition and must not subject employees to risks to their health or safety.  They must be free from slipping and tripping hazards and suitable arrangements must be in place to prevent falls.  Further to this, the access and egress routes must be suitable illuminated and adequate arrangements made for emergency lighting.

Poor access/egress may lead to workplace accidents

It should be noted that about a third of all workplace accidents arise from slips, trips and falls.  Many of these accidents are due to poor housekeeping, but others arise from poor conditions, such as defects in the floor, poor lighting and spillages.  The Workplace, (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, require that every floor in a workplace shall be of a construction such that the floor is suitable for the purpose for which it is used.  They must also be of sound construction and should have adequate strength and stability taking account of the loads placed on them and the traffic passing over them. The surfaces of floors routes should be free from any hole, slope or uneven or slippery surface that could cause a person to slip, trip or fall or cause them to drop or lose control of anything being lifted or carried.  It follows then, that any holes, bumps or uneven areas resulting from damage or wear and tear, should be made good.

It is recommended that the condition of all walkways, roadways, staircases, steps, etc. is checked regularly, with suitable records kept.  Such checks should form part of the active monitoring regime of the occupier of the premises.  Checks should include visual examination of the ground for defects, wear and slipping and tripping hazards as well as checks on the operation and adequacy of the lighting and the condition of handrails, warning notices, etc.  All defects must be report and effective repairs undertaken by a competent person.

Main Entrances

The main routes into and out of the premises may take many forms, such as: ordinary swing doors, powered revolving doors, push revolving doors, automatic opening doors, etc. Where revolving or automatic doors are provided, alternatives means of access and egress should also be considered (for use in emergencies and in cases when these doors are out of service. Such doors are often accompanied by (lockable) ordinary doors, often along side the revolving or other door.

Doors

Doors and gates must be suitably constructed, and where necessary fitted with appropriate safety devices. In particular, sliding doors and gates must be fitted with devices to prevent them from leaving their tracks, upward opening doors and gates must be fitted with devices to prevent them from falling back, powered doors and gates must have suitable and effective means to prevent trapping type injuries and must be able to be operated manually unless they open automatically during a power failure, and doors and gates which are capable of being opened from either direction (swing doors, etc) must provide a clear view of both sides when closed.

Staircases, landings and corridors

Staircases should be in good condition, ideally with handrails on both sides of the staircase. The staircases, landings and corridors should be well lit, free from obstructions and slipping and tripping hazards. These areas should be checked regularly to ensure that they remain in good condition.

Where there are holes in the floor, suitable arrangements must be made taken against accidents (to prevent people from being injured as a consequence of the holes) until such time as they can be made good.  This may require the use of suitable barriers or of conspicuous markings and warning signs, or may be satisfied by the use of a temporary flooring, such as checker plate, laid over the defective section of flooring and adequately secured into position. 

Ramped pedestrian access

Ramped pedestrian access (especially when provided for disabled persons) should provide safe and secure access and egress. The ramp should not be too steep and consideration should be given to the provision of a handrail and to edge protection to stop users from falling off.

Lifts and lift motor rooms

Passenger lifts should be tested and inspected by a competent person at least once every six months although this frequency may be reduced to once in every twelve months for goods lifts that are not used to transport people (i.e. if their use is restricted to goods only), as required under the Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).

Suitable arrangements should be made for the servicing and maintenance of lifts and for the rescue of people trapped due to lift failure.  Lifts should be fitted with a suitable means of raising the alarm in the event of somebody being trapped. The alarm system should be tested regularly. Lift motor rooms should be clearly identified and should be kept locked and should only be accessed by competent persons (such as lift engineers). Hydraulic lifts should be bunded to contain any leakages of hydraulic oil and all lift motor equipment must be suitably guarded.

Spillages and leaks

Where a leak or spillage is likely to be a slipping hazard, immediate steps must be taken to fence it off, mop it up, or cover it with absorbent granules.  Warning signs should be displayed while the work is in progress and should be left in place until the floor area has dried and is no longer slippery.  In cases where spillages are foreseeable in the workplace, suitable arrangements must be made for clearing them up.  In most cases, this will involve some form of spillage response kit (stocked with suitable absorbent materials, appropriate PPE – such as gloves – warning signs, etc.)

Fixed vertical ladders, etc

Fixed vertical ladders are not usually acceptable as a means of access to a work area, although there are several obvious exceptions, including vertical ladders to elevated work platforms such as to tops of silos and access into vehicle inspection pits, etc.  In most cases, access is not required on a regular basis.

Fixed ladders should not be provided as a means of access in circumstances where it would be practical to install a staircase.  Access between floors should not normally be by way of ladders (or steep stairs), although these may be used where a conventional staircase cannot be accommodated, provided: they are only used by people who are capable of using them safely and any loads to be carried can be safely carried.  It should be noted that stairs are much safer than ladders; especially when loads are to be carried.

Where work areas are accessed via a fixed vertical ladder, it is recommended that a suitable self-closing gate is fitted at the top of the ladder to prevent people from accidentally falling down it. Fixed vertical ladders should also be subject to regular inspection and checks by a competent person.

Segregation of pedestrians from moving vehicles

All reasonably practicable steps should be taken to prevent pedestrians being injured by moving vehicles.  All access routes that are used by both pedestrians and vehicles should be wide enough to enable any vehicle likely to use the route to pass pedestrians safely.   Within buildings, lines should be drawn on the floor to indicate routes followed by vehicles (such as lift trucks).  In areas where routes naturally become narrower and/or more congested (such as doorways, gates, tunnels, bridges and other enclosed routes) the vehicles should be separated from the pedestrians by a suitable kerb or barrier. In factory and warehouse situations, it I recommended that separate routes through should be provided and that pedestrians should be guided to use the correct route by clear marking (and encouraged by active management). Such pedestrian routes should be kept unobstructed.

At points where pedestrian and vehicle routes cross, appropriate crossing points should be provided and should be used by the pedestrians.  Barriers or rails should be provided to prevent pedestrians crossing at particularly dangerous points and to guide them to designated safe crossing places.  At particularly dangerous crossing places, or where the volumes of traffic are particularly heavy, consideration should be given to the provision of suitable bridges or subways.

External areas and building façade

The external areas of the premises should be inspected regularly, including checks on the condition of the building façade and all structure attached to the building, such as lights, aerials, CCTV cameras, flagpoles, etc. Similarly, checks should be carried out for all external areas, including car parking areas, roads and footpaths, fencing, lighting, etc. Any defects should be addressed and made safe.

Fire escape routes

Fire escape routes must be kept clear and in a good state of repair. In some instances, these may include external metal staircases and even over the roof escape routes that pass into or through other premises. Such routes should be physically inspected on a regular basis to ensure that they have not been compromised.

Active monitoring of premises

It is recommended that the premises are monitored regularly to ensure that all access routes and equipment are in good condition and are free from obstructions and tripping hazards. This is best achieved by a physical tour of the premises addressing issues at the time (where possible) and feeding requesting and information back to tenants and other occupiers as appropriate. Appropriate steps must be taken to resolve issues that could not be put right during the inspection of the premises. 

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