Before using a working platform on a lift truck, it is important that employers and their managers make sure the safety requirements for such work are fully understood.
Work at Height Regulations 2005
Regulation 7(2)(b) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 mandates employers, as the Responsible Person, to select the most suitable work equipment for the task to be carried out, regardless of the duration.
However, it is completely foreseeable that some people will opt for the “easy” option and use, what often turns out to be, an unsafe method of access to work at height. This is more likely to happen if the work is quick or an “occasional task,” despite the procedure being completely unacceptable.
Therefore, occasional use of the “man-cage” in the UK was created, as in the UK workplaces, it is felt to be safer than improper use of ladders or climbing up racking or scaffolding.
Despite this restricted use being allowed in the UK, many EU countries DO NOT permit their use and prevent free movement of these non-integrated working platforms across EU borders and, they must not be CE marked.
Type of Platforms
Primarily, a lift truck is intended for lifting materials, not people. People MUST NEVER be lifted on the forks, on a pallet, or anything similar that is balanced on the forks of a lift truck.
There are two types of platforms available for lift trucks:
- Integrated working platforms are attachments with controls that can link to and isolate the truck controls. This means only a person in the platform can control the lift/platform height and truck movements.
- Non-integrated working platforms are attachments with no controls in the platform, so a person in the platform cannot control the lift height of the platform or move the lift truck. The truck operator controls all movements.
Safe Use
A non-integrated working platform may only be used in exceptional circumstances for “occasional unplanned use,” i.e.:
- A non-routine maintenance task, such as immediate replacement of a single light bulb, where it is impractical to hire purpose-built access equipment.
- Tasks that would otherwise be carried out using a less safe means of access, e.g. ladders. It is impractical to hire purpose-designed, people-lifting equipment due to the short duration and occasional nature of the task.
- Checking on high-level damage to racking suspected of causing an immediate risk or checking on the condition of damaged “fragile” roof lights.
Routine or planned tasks, particularly those associated with production or pre-planned activities, are not exceptional circumstances and CANNOT be examples of occasional unplanned use. Examples of this are stock checking, order picking, conducting any routine maintenance or transferring goods or people from one floor level to another.
If working at height is something your business is unsure about, we can offer training to assist. Please click here to view further details in our Health & Safety Training brochure.
Has this newsletter given you cause for concern? Need help with any health & safety related issues? Please do not hesitate to contact us.