Head for heights
 
When we talk about “working from height” in the signage sector, our minds may be drawn to images of expert installers dangling from ropes on high-rise buildings and oversized cherry-pickers transporting parts of the sign hundreds of metre above the ground.

While these are certainly examples of working from height, the fact is that any sort of job that requires signs being installed at height, even just a few metres off the ground, must be scrutinised for health and safety measures.

Will specialist staff be required to install the sign? Does the street below need to be closed while work is taking place? Will machinery lift workers high enough or will they need to hang from ropes to secure the sign in place? These are just some of the things sign-makers and installers should be asking when taking on this sort of work.

Safety first

Given the huge array of skills required to carry out installation at such heights, many sign companies opt to work with specialist sign installers. GESS can install all types of signage from street level through to extreme high levels and has worked on a whole range of projects at some of the most iconic locations across the UK.

Frankie Higgs, managing director, begins by mapping out some of the main dangers that are associated with working from height in the signage market and sign-makers should be aware of before considering taking on the job themselves.
 
“The most obvious danger when working off the ground is falling from a height and causing your staff injury or worse,” Higgs says, adding: “Similar warnings come when working with equipment at height and the possibility of dropping this into people passing below.

“Then there is the improper use of equipment, which could endanger the lives of the staff working at height and anyone on the ground, as well as poor edge protection and lack of specialist training for this line of work.

“Finally, you may have all the training and qualifications you need to install signage in high places but encounter poor weather on the day. You need to ensure your staff know what to do in this situation in order to carry out the job safely and correctly.”

So, how can you avoid these dangers and limit risks? Higgs says sign-makers and installers need to ensure staff have the correct training on a regular basis to keep them up to speed with the latest technologies and techniques. He also says the use of the appropriate safety and fall restraint equipment is a must, as are regular kit inspections.

Then there are considerations for specific jobs and locations. First, sign-makers and installers will need to carry out Risk Assessment Method Statement (RAMS) for each project they are working on to properly assess any risks at that location. This could then lead to putting in place other safety measures, such as setting up exclusion zones below the install so that passers-by are kept out the way of potential dangers.

“GESS puts safety at the front of everything we do and every project we carry out,” Higgs says, adding: “We carry out site specific RAMS, regular kit inspections, correct training, management training, site surveys and health and safety reviews for all installs.

“Going further, we also regularly check the weather to ensure we can carry on working in what can often be tough conditions. Then, it is also important to do regular toolbox checks to see if you have the right kit for each job, as well as ensure you are storing the equipment correctly to avoid any unnecessary damage.”

Offering an insight into a typical project for GESS, Higgs points to a recent link-up with Omni Colour and HS2. GESS was able to install banners signage on each side of Cody Dock Bridge in London, among other locations, using cranes and large access machines.

Assess the risks

For those looking to take on the work themselves, Nationwide Platforms has a range of specialist equipment suited to sign installation. Matt Parfitt, head of sales for strategic and South East, repeats calls for caution when working from height, referring to industry data that shows 23 people lost their lives falling from mobile elevated work platforms (MEWP) in 2022.

“Should the operator not clip on, the dangers of a fall from height are greatly increased, very real and can be fatal, especially when the MEWP is mobile, ground conditions are changeable and/or is the wrong type of platform for the task,” Parfitt explains, adding: “Electrocution, overturns, dropped objects and entrapment are also major risks of working at height.”

To avoid such incidents, Parfitt echoes the advice of GESS by stating a risk assessment should be carried out to ensure the task can be undertaken safely, adding that PPE should also be worn.

“The operator should be secured to the platform with a full body harness and a fall restraint lanyard while operating a MEWP,” Parfitt says, adding: “An exclusion zone should be created around the machine that is suitably cordoned off to keep others in the vicinity of the work are safe, taking into account not only the base dimensions of the MEWP, but also its maximum outreach.

“Bounce and deflection incidents can propel objects far beyond any exclusion zone so it’s important that both tools and related materials, including signage, are properly secured.”
 
Nationwide Platforms has over 14,000 MEWPs available to hire, with over 380 different variations. As a result of this, Parfitt says it is imperative that the right platform for the task is chosen, through advice from experts, and that the operator is fully trained on the use of the MEWP they are being asked to operate.

“Whether its ensuring operator MEWP familiarity or choosing the right tool for the task and the environment, the team at Nationwide Platforms can support you with making the right choice,” Parfitt says.
 
“MEWP best practice and innovation is an essential part of our business. We’re committed to delivering new technologies and MEWP innovations to our customers which enhance their safety, productivity and security when working at height.

“Each individual work at height task and project presents a unique set of conditions and complexities requiring rigorously safe, regulatory compliant and robust solutions. Our dedicated research and development department, BlueSky Solutions, are on hand to not only deliver industry leading material handling attachments and enhanced safety features, but to also create tailor made solutions for your specific work at height issue.”

With this, Parfitt also highlights how Nationwide Platforms has a network of International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) training centres with 29 locations around the country. In 2022, its 19 experienced instructors put over 21,000 people through training courses.

Importance of training

Also weighing in with advice for working from height is industry trade association ISA-UK. Chief executive Craig Brown says ISA-UK works closely with many trade associations and affiliate businesses across the UK and is happy to act as a resource to share contacts for those in the industry looking for help and guidance.

Brown says individual jobs are assessed on their own merits but as a starting point, the ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ advice direct from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website is a sound basis to start from.

Included in the ‘Do’s’ section are key points such as carry out as much work as possible from the ground, ensure workers can get safely to and from where they work at height, and make sure equipment is suitable, stable and strong enough for the job, maintained and checked regularly.

Other stand-out pointers here include taking precautions when working on or near fragile surfaces, providing protection from falling objects, and consider emergency evacuation and rescue procedures.

In terms of what not to do, the HSE states installer should not overload ladders and consider the equipment or materials workers are carrying before working at height. Workers should also not overreach on ladders or stepladders, nor rest a ladder against weak upper surfaces such as glazing or plastic gutters.

Other advice from the HSE included avoid using ladders or stepladders for strenuous or heavy tasks, and only use them for light work of short duration up to 30 minutes at a time. In addition, staff who are not competent and do not have the relevant skills, knowledge and experience to do the job should not be allowed to work at height.

Brown takes this advice a step further, saying: “I will add one other area that is often overlooked and that lots of clients don’t understand (as all they want is their signage in place), and that is weather conditions. Heavy rain, wind, extreme heat or cold can all play significant factor in the safety of the fitting crew and those around them.”

In terms of training, Brown echoes the advice of the HSE, and indeed those featured in this piece, by saying this is of paramount importance in any sort of signage work, but perhaps more so when working from height.

“The idea of training is to make those doing the job skilled enough to use the equipment correctly and perform the task to an adequate level,” Brown says, adding: “This includes thinking about your safety and the safety of those around you.

“Negating training increases the risks and when working at height – and don’t forget working from height is as soon as you step up from the ground – a fall or failure to use equipment properly can often see life changing injuries or worse to those involved in the incident.   

“Learning to use the access equipment that’s available properly is a must and there are listed companies throughout the UK that offer formal training to a certified level including ladder training, IPAF and PASMA accreditation. Take time to talk to your local training provider and make sure they understand your teams needs and the outcome you are looking to achieve.”

It is pretty clear the primary takeaway from this feature is ensuring the safety of your staff and the general public. By putting in place rigorous measures and making sure workers are fully trained in this line of work, you will significantly cut the risk of injury and ensure each installation is safe and successful.


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