Temporary Access Safety Awareness

Temporary access includes all non-permanent means of reaching work areas such as scaffolds, MEWPs, ladders, and platforms.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require a hierarchy approach: avoid, prevent falls, then minimise consequences.
Collective protection such as guardrails and working platforms must always be considered before individual protection like harnesses.
The correct access equipment must be selected based on the task duration, height, frequency of access, and site conditions.
Mast climbing work platforms provide a safe, stable working platform for repetitive access at varying heights on facades.
Rope access is a specialist technique requiring IRATA or equivalent certification for both the technicians and their equipment.
Mobile elevating work platforms including scissor lifts and boom lifts must only be operated by trained, competent persons.
Podium steps and low-level platforms are suitable for short-duration tasks at low heights as alternatives to stepladders.
All temporary access equipment must be inspected before use, with formal inspections at required intervals and records maintained.
The rescue plan must be in place before any work at height begins, covering how a fallen or stranded worker will be recovered.

Select the right equipment	Choosing inappropriate access equipment is a leading cause of falls — the task dictates the correct solution, not convenience or cost.
Collective over individual	Guardrails protect everyone automatically; harnesses rely on individual behaviour — collective protection must always come first.
Rescue readiness	A worker suspended in a harness after a fall can die from suspension trauma within 15 minutes without a rehearsed rescue plan.

Do

Don't

Select access equipment based on the hierarchy of control in the Work at Height Regulations.
Use collective protection such as guardrails and platforms in preference to harnesses.
Match the access equipment to the task — height, duration, frequency, and load requirements.
Ensure all access equipment operators hold valid training and competency certifications.
Inspect temporary access equipment before each use and at the required formal intervals.
Prepare a rescue plan before starting any work at height and brief the team on it.
Use podium steps or low-level platforms for short tasks instead of stepladders where possible.
Ensure MEWP operators complete familiarisation training for the specific machine type.
Record all inspections and maintain access equipment registers on site.
Consider mast climbers for repetitive facade access instead of traditional scaffolding.

DON'T select access equipment based on what is cheapest or most convenient on site.
DON'T use harnesses as the primary control when guardrails or platforms could be installed.
DON'T use a ladder for a task that requires a stable working platform or MEWP.
DON'T operate MEWPs, mast climbers, or rope access without valid competency certification.
DON'T use access equipment that has not been inspected or has failed its inspection.
DON'T begin work at height without a rescue plan in place and understood by the team.
DON'T use stepladders for prolonged or heavy work — choose a podium or platform instead.
DON'T operate a MEWP you have not been familiarised with, even if trained on other types.
DON'T lose or discard inspection records — they are legal documents required on site.
DON'T assume one access solution fits all tasks — reassess the requirement for each activity.

See also: Falls From Height Awareness | MEWP Pre-Use Checks

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