WORKING AT HEIGHTS

SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENT (SWMS) GROUP

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPLETING A SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENT (SWMS)

• Regular inspections and observations must be conducted by the person in charge of the workplace to ensure the SWMS is
being complied with.

• Employee and subcontractor toolbox talks must be undertaken to identify, control and communicate site hazards.

• Work must cease immediately if an incident or near miss occurs. The SWMS must be amended in consultation with
relevant persons to ensure the incident will not re-occur.

• The SWMS must be easily accessible for inspection or review and must be retained until work has been completed.

All persons involved in working at height tasks must have the SWMS communicated to them prior to work commencement.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED WHEN WORKING AT HEIGHTS

HEAD PROTECTION FOOT PROTECTION HAND PROTECTION HI VISIBILITY HARNESS EQUIPMENT

Ensure all PPE meets relevant Australian Standards. Regular inspection to ensure suitability and good working order to be
carried out by the workplace manager.

WORKER COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT IS ESSENTIAL WHEN WORKING AT HEIGHTS

Prior to work commencing, ensure correct competency of worker as recommended:

• Must be fit and healthy with no recent track record of symptoms that could affect the safety of the worker.

• Must have completed a Working At Heights Competency Training Course by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO)
within the last 3 years.

• Must have completed an Industry OH&S Induction Course (Red Card or White Card) by a Registered Training
Organisation (RTO).

• Must have sufficient competence to use the fall protection systems provided through a combination of experience and
training or be under the control of a suitably competent operator.
DISCLAIMER

All product specifications and technical descriptions, recommendations and other information provided in this manual, are given as general guidance and advice, and are to be read in conjunction with Sayfa
Group installation instructions and any other data available and applicable to each particular standard product or system. Use of such data is however the user’s sole responsibility, taking into account the
intended application and actual conditions existing on the particular worksite. Consequent selection of the right product for any particular use, remains the user’s ultimate responsibility. Sayfa Group is therefore
not obligated or liable for any direct or indirect, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses in connection with, or by reason of the suitability and use of or otherwise, any product or system for any
purpose. Implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, are specifically excluded.

All Sayfa Group products must be installed and used by competent personnel trained in the selection, safe use and maintenance of fall arrest systems and equipment by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
Installation not in accordance with Sayfa Group requirements or the use of non Sayfa Group components will void all certification and warranties.

Suitability of support structure and design layout of system is the responsibility of the installer and should be verified by a structural engineer or a site specific live load test done to ensure conformance.
Maintenance and usage of the system in accordance with Sayfa Group requirements is the responsibility of the owner or manager of the workplace.

Sayfa Group maintains a policy of continuous improvement and development, and therefore reserves the right to modify, amend or otherwise alter product and system designs and specifications, models and part
numbers, colours and pricing etc without prior notice. Errors and omissions are excepted, and Sayfa Group accepts no liability for incorrect information, errors or omissions.

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 WORKING AT HEIGHTS
SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENT (SWMS) GROUP

RISK ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST WHEN WORKING AT HEIGHTS

TASK HAZARD & RISK CONTROL MEASURES

OUTDOOR WORK -- Exposure to UV rays -- Provide appropriate UV protection to include sun-screen,
causing sunburn & skin sunglasses and wide brimmed hats
disorder
ACCESSING ELEVATED -- Slips and trips causing -- Do not work alone
AREAS VIA LADDER, STEPS injury -- Only trained/competent personnel to work at heights
OR STAIRWAY -- Fall from height causing -- Barricade a No Go Zone below the access point preventing
SUCH AS: severe injury or death unauthorised access within the work area
-- ROOFS -- Falling objects possibly -- Do not access in inclement weather conditions
-- PLATFORMS injuring persons below -- Use ladders for access only and not to work off
-- TOWERS -- Portable ladders over 6.0M should not be used
-- STRUCTURES -- Portable ladders must be restrained to prevent ladder slip
-- ETC or movement
-- Ladders must extend above the exit landing by at least
1.0M
-- Fixed ladders above 3.0M should include fall protection
-- When climbing ladders, 3 points of contact must be
maintained at all times
-- All tools and accessories to be securely tethered to
workmen
MANUAL HANDLING OF -- Slips and trips causing -- Do not work alone
EQUIPMENT injury -- Only trained/competent personnel to work at heights
-- Fall from height causing -- Barricade a No Go Zone below the area of manual handling
severe injury or death preventing unauthorised access
-- Falling objects possibly -- Avoid manual handling of equipment in inclement weather
injuring persons below -- Workmen to be fully protected from accessing beyond the
fall edge
-- Avoid man handling of equipment by hoisting
-- Crane lift or use mechanical hoisting device preferentially
USE OF FALL ARREST -- Fall from height causing -- Do not work alone
HARNESS GEAR & severe injury or death -- Only trained/competent personnel to use fall arrest
EQUIPMENT FOR SAFETY -- Suspension trauma as a systems
WHILST PERFORMING result of free fall causing -- Do not use if equipment is out of date or damaged
LIGHT TO MEDIUM blood flow restriction -- Always work in fall restraint where possible (no access
MAINTENANCE DUTIES -- Slips and trips causing beyond fall edge)
ABOVE 2.0M injury -- Rope line lanyard slack to be kept to a minimum
-- A rescue plan must be in place

WORKING ON LOW -- Slips and trips causing -- Do not work alone

PITCHED AREAS (UNDER injury -- Only trained/competent personnel to work at heights
15˚) WITHIN 2.0M OF A -- Fall from height causing -- Barricade a No Go Zone below the working area to prevent
FALL EDGE FOR GENERAL severe injury or death unauthorised access within the work area
MAINTENANCE: -- Falling objects possibly -- Do not work at heights in inclement weather
-- GUTTER MAINTENANCE injuring persons below -- Provide suitable fall protection to prevent access beyond
-- ROOF MAINTENANCE the fall edge
-- SKYLIGHT CLEANING -- Skylights/brittle roofs to be barricaded or suitable
-- WINDOW CLEANING protective overlay provided
-- ROOF MOUNTED -- All tools and accessories to be securely tethered to
EQUIPMENT workmen
MAINTENANCE -- Equipment/materials that could be blown off roof to be
-- ETC securely tethered

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WORKING AT HEIGHTS
SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENT (SWMS) GROUP

TASK HAZARD & RISK CONTROL MEASURES

WORKING ON STEEPER -- Slide/roll at any point on -- Do not work alone
PITCHED ELEVATED AREAS elevated area resulting in -- Only trained/competent personnel to work at heights
IN EXCESS OF 15˚ FOR fall from height causing -- Barricade a No Go Zone below the working area to prevent
GENERAL MAINTENANCE: severe injury or death unauthorised access
-- GUTTER MAINTENANCE -- Slips and trips causing -- Do not work at heights in inclement weather
-- ROOF MAINTENANCE injury -- Provide suitable fall protection to prevent rolling or sliding
-- SKYLIGHT CLEANING -- Falling objects possibly off roof. If anchor/static line system is used, operator
-- WINDOW CLEANING injuring persons below must maintain 100% attachment ie. connected to the
-- ROOF MOUNTED system and working in restraint at all times
EQUIPMENT -- Skylights/brittle roofs to be barricaded or suitable
MAINTENANCE protective overlay provided
-- ETC -- All tools and accessories to be securely tethered to
workmen
-- Equipment/materials that could be blown off roof to be
securely tethered
WORKING ON AN -- Slips and trips causing -- Do not work alone
ELEVATED OBJECT INSIDE A injury -- Only trained/competent personnel to work at heights
BUILDING OR STRUCTURE: -- Fall from height causing -- Barricade a No Go Zone below the working area to prevent
-- LARGE VEHICLE severe injury or death unauthorised access
MAINTENANCE -- Collision with surrounding -- Provide suitable fall protection to ensure workmen are
-- TRAIN MAINTENANCE or objects below protected from colliding with surrounding or objects lower
-- AEROPLANE -- Falling objects possibly down
MAINTENANCE injuring persons below -- All tools and accessories to be securely tethered to
-- ETC workmen

NOTES:

DISCLAIMER
This Safe Work Method Statement is provided as a guide only and cannot be deemed to cover all risks associated with working at heights. A Safe Work Method Statement must be
job specific once a detailed Risk Assessment has been completed. This document must be compiled and authorised by the person in charge of the workplace and must be communi-
cated to all persons involved in the working at heights tasks.