Working at height...

MagicalArmchair

MagicalArmchair

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I have the job of cleaning, compounding, polishing and waxing the topsides of Mirage... and she is a whole lot taller than Triola was.

I have some scaffold boards doubled up that I place on top of heavy duty trestles.

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Does anyone use a fall harness when working at height like this? I mean, I never have done in the past, and I have been working on boats all my life without 'falling off' stuff... however with age comes a bit more caution that I don't necessarily bounce...

My idea is to use a rope slung from bow to aft, and then clip on and slide along with something like this? Full Body Safety Harness Kit, Fall Arrest 5-Point Harness Set, Aerial Work Fall Protection Adjustable Belt with Hook, Universal Personal Protective Equipment (Small Buckle,3m): Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
 
With the UK H & S you should use scaffolding frames one layer above the working platform.

I did that when I long boarded my boat and sprayed the boat.

Not sure and safety harness and fall arrester would work from the height you would be working from.

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Note how my boards are notched to prevent the boards moving and falling off the staging.

I used steel lip channel for my boards

H & S is not a strict where I live compared to the UK
 
MagicalArmchair said:
I have the job of cleaning, compounding, polishing and waxing the topsides of Mirage... and she is a whole lot taller than Triola was.

I have some scaffold boards doubled up that I place on top of heavy duty trestles.

Does anyone use a fall harness when working at height like this? I mean, I never have done in the past, and I have been working on boats all my life without 'falling off' stuff... however with age comes a bit more caution that I don't necessarily bounce...
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I'd be cautious of working on scaffold boards like that; it would be very easy to slip off. I've fallen off a stepladder before when polishing the topsides, so I'm extra careful now. I use an alloy scaffold tower with toe-boards around the platform. It's very stable and it's on wheels so I just trundle it along, doing about a 2 metre section at a time. There's often a suitable tower lurking around in marinas which could be borrowed, or you can hire them fairly cheaply for a week.

tower.jpg
 
pvb said:
I'd be cautious of working on scaffold boards like that; it would be very easy to slip off. I've fallen off a stepladder before when polishing the topsides, so I'm extra careful now. I use an alloy scaffold tower with toe-boards around the platform. It's very stable and it's on wheels so I just trundle it along, doing about a 2 metre section at a time. There's often a suitable tower lurking around in marinas which could be borrowed, or you can hire them fairly cheaply for a week.

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I have tower envy! They are so expensive though. Would love one like that. Surprised marina's don't hire them out but maybe they want to avoid all the risk
 
Rails at waist and knee height are much better than fall arrest harnesses.
Mobile towers are good on concrete, not so good on gravel. You might also be adjusting the wheel heights every time you move it. Hire companies have exorbitant cleaning fees if you send it back dirty, but never deliver them clean to start with. If you are only wanting a 2m platform height there are some good mini versions out there. Much better and safer than trestles and planks.
UK H&S law doesn’t concern itself with private individuals.
If a marina or boatyard wanted to rent them out to people, they would be responsible for lots of H&S inspections and record keeping.
You can buy the lightweight scaffolding shown in post #2 in the uk, but hard to find it for rent as hire companies consider it for domestic use only. You might know a friendly builder or plasterer who can hire you theirs. It’s better than trestles.
 
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I do the WAH business every day (it's working over depths, though) .

Scaffolding boards set up like that will take a lot of time to erect and dismantle , and you would really need hand rails to comply. Boards on trestles 'walk' and wobble, so may in fact create their own greater risk. I would hesitate to use them. Using a fall harness for a 5ft drop means you would have to be on a very short leash.

The suggestion for a small tower is best, if the ground is reasonably level. Buy and sell after use - I bet someone will come up to you and ask to borrow it.

scaffolding tower | eBay

£50 - well worth it for the reduction in time, and increase in working comfort and security.
 
sarabande said:
The suggestion for a small tower is best, if the ground is reasonably level. Buy and sell after use - I bet someone will come up to you and ask to borrow it.

scaffolding tower | eBay

£50 - well worth it for the reduction in time, and increase in working comfort and security.
Click to expand...

I currently have my scaffolding tower at my marina and get phone calls very obtain asking to hire it to some one.

If I'm not using it I just allow them to use FOC.

You can use mine if you come and collect and return personally
 
The harness would be useless for the height you are working at. It would need to be secure to a high point well above your head height. You would likely strike the ground or injure yourself because of the incorrect use of harness as there is no de-acceleration / fall velocity limiting devices built into the harness or lanyard. The tower is the way to go.
 
HSE consider anything over 2m working at height so you don't need to be on top of theTour Eiffel to be at risk. The HASAWA legislation doesn't apply to DIY so you're not obliged to follow their guidelines.
 
But if people behave like muppets it will only be a matter of time before elfing safety starts to impose itself and yards may start to ban DIY work.. not that they have anything to gain by forcing customers to pay them:rolleyes:
 
ghostlymoron said:
HSE consider anything over 2m working at height so you don't need to be on top of theTour Eiffel to be at risk. The HASAWA legislation doesn't apply to DIY so you're not obliged to follow their guidelines.
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Has it changed recently? When I last did a WAH course, we were told that any height where you would hurt youself from would be considered dangerous, no minimum height specified.
 
Dan Tribe said:
Has it changed recently? When I last did a WAH course, we were told that any height where you would hurt youself from would be considered dangerous, no minimum height specified.
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I think from memory of NEBOSH training there is no specified limit. In this instance however it is as gohstlymoron states its diy and common sense applies
 
ghostlymoron said:
HSE consider anything over 2m working at height so you don't need to be on top of theTour Eiffel to be at risk. The HASAWA legislation doesn't apply to DIY so you're not obliged to follow their guidelines.
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That's wrong, you're out of date. Legislation will apply if DIY is done in a commercial boatyard to marina.
 
Rogershaw said:
Check your boat yard contract , my cubs boat yard as a clause in their contract that we all must comply with the local " Safety at work regulations" even throw we don't have to comply by law
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good point, the WAH regs don't directly apply to DIY work, but they do to the yard owners, who would be liable to an enforcing officer if they didn't have sufficient oversight of the H&S on their premises, hence clauses in contracts about following rules for diy owners.
work at height is actually any height above or below ground or a permanent floor level.
 
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