Preventing and arresting falls — Working at Height Practice

Sample questions

1. 01Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, which provision says collective protection measures take priority over personal protection measures when work equipment is selected?

   • ARegulation 10(3), on throwing from height
   • BRegulation 13, on checking places of work
   • CRegulation 11, on marking out danger areas
   • DRegulation 7(1)(a), on choosing equipment

   Why: Reg 7(1)(a) is the selection rule: collective protection measures, such as guard-rails, take priority over personal protection measures, such as harnesses. Reg 13 is tempting because it is about edge protection too, but it requires parapets and permanent rails to be checked before use; it does not rank equipment. Regs 10 and 11 deal with falling objects and danger areas.

2. 02On a construction job you measure a temporary guard-rail. The top rail is 1100 mm above the edge. The clear gap between the top rail and the intermediate rail is 400 mm, and the clear gap between the intermediate rail and the top of the toe-board is 490 mm. What is the position?

   • AIt fails, because the lower clear gap is over 470 mm
   • BIt passes, as only the gap under the top rail counts
   • CIt fails, because the top rail must be exactly 950 mm
   • DIt passes, because the top rail is well above 950 mm

   Why: Schedule 2 says no gap between an intermediate guard-rail and the other protection may be more than 470 mm, and that includes the gap down to the toe-board. A 490 mm clear gap fails, however high the top rail is. A tall top rail is tempting as a pass, but meeting the 950 mm minimum does not cure an oversized gap, and 950 mm is a minimum, not an exact height.

3. 03Schedule 2 allows a standing gap, or lateral opening, in a run of guard-rail in only one case. Which?

   • AWhere the edge is less than 2 m above the ground
   • BWhere a warning sign is fixed across the opening
   • CWhere materials are landed through it every day
   • DAt a ladder or stair access point that needs it

   Why: Schedule 2 says there must be no lateral opening in the protection except at a point of access to a ladder or stairway where an opening is needed. Anything taken off for a task, such as landing materials, comes off only for as long and as far as needed, with compensatory measures, and goes back as soon as practicable. A sign is not protection, and there is no height below which the rule stops applying.