Health and safety; working at height
What do the applicable laws and regulations say?
Working at height occurs in many occupations. For instance, construction workers and painters, but also electricians and roofers. Working at height logically also involves risks.
Legislation and regulations have therefore been drawn up in the Netherlands to reduce these risks and ensure safe working at height. In this article, we describe the main aspects of working safely at height according to Dutch health and safety legislation.
ARBO
Before we delve deeper into the regulations surrounding working at height, we will first provide more information on what exactly the ARBO is and contents.
ARBO is an abbreviation of "Working Conditions" and refers to all conditions under which work is performed. Working conditions include all factors that affect the safety, health and well-being of workers while at work.
Working conditions legislation regulates working conditions in the Netherlands and imposes requirements on employers to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for their employees. The aim of arbo is to prevent and reduce work-related health problems and accidents.
Working at height legislation and regulations
Dutch health and safety legislation requires employers to create a safe working environment for their employees. This also applies to working at height. Employees must be protected as much as possible against fall hazards and other risks posed by working at height. Legislation requires employers to take measures to prevent and reduce fall hazards. In addition, workers must be properly instructed on the risks and safety measures.
Risks of working at height
Workers working at height are at increased risk of falls and other accidents. The consequences of a fall from height can be serious, ranging from injury to even death. It is therefore very important to take safety measures and ensure a safe working environment.
Safety measures
To make working at height safe, there are several measures employers can take. One common measure is the use of fall protection, such as a harness and line or a safety net. Scaffolding, ladders and aerial work platforms can also be used to work safely at height. It is important that these devices are properly maintained and regularly inspected to ensure they remain safe.
Safety measures
Besides taking measures, it is also important to properly instruct and train workers. Workers should be aware of the risks of working at height and the measures taken to reduce these risks. In addition, workers should know how to use and maintain safety equipment.
Wijngaarden VeiligGoed offers support in delivering these trainings. For more information on this, please refer to the pages 'Educations' and 'Information posters'.
Monitoring and inspection
It is important to supervise workers working at height. Employers should ensure that workers use safety measures and maintain them properly. In addition, workers should be inspected regularly to ensure they are working safely.
Types of fall protection
To comply with health and safety legislation, various safety measures should be taken, as described earlier. These include the use of solid fall protection devices. There are several types of fall protection available for use in the workplace. We highlight some of them:
- Fall arrest devices;
- Fall protection systems;
- Safety nets;
- Personal protective equipment.
Fall arrest devices
Fall arrest devices is one of the most common fall arrest devices. A fall arrest device is used to protect workers from falling from height. These devices are usually attached to a harness and are designed to stop the movement of the worker when they take a fall. The device works by slowing the speed of the fall and providing an anchor point for the worker to land safely.
Fall protection systems
Fall protection systems are designed to protect workers from falling from height by creating a safety zone around the area where the worker is working. These systems consist of anchor points, lifelines and harnesses, and are ideal for workers working at height for longer periods of time, such as in roofing work.
Safety nets
Safety nets catch the worker if they fall. Safety nets are ideal for work at height where workers move over a larger area and where the use of other fall protection equipment is not practical.
Personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is designed to protect workers from workplace hazards, including fall hazards. Harnesses, helmets, safety shoes and gloves are some of the PPE that can be used to protect workers from fall hazards.
Wijngaarden VeiligGoed; supplier of PPE
Wijngaarden VeiligGoed is one of the largest suppliers in the field of PPE in the Netherlands. We have all the products you need to work safely at height. But we offer more than that; we are knowledgeable and know exactly which products you need in which situation. Contact us for no-obligation advice on how to deal with ARBO directives in the workplace.
Table of contents
More information
Our advisors are happy to help you or make an appointment if you wish.
Phone: +31 184 434 455
Mail: info@veiliggoed.nl