Managing Health & Safety Risks

摘要

Working at height is always hazardous and article No. 17 in this series described some of the potential issues1. When very tall buildings are being designed, constructed or modified, a number of standard hazards become exaggerated and require special attention. In terms of layout, access is inherently more restricted in high-rise than on large low-rise sites. Moreover, during the construction phase, egress routes planned for the completed structure may be absent (or blocked off). To compound the generic hazards, there will be potential confusion on location: floor levels may all look the same and there might be a lack of familiarity with routes. This generates dangers for workers and for any of the emergency services who may be called in (article No. 30 describes how common site fires can be and the need to progress fire precautions in line with building advancement2). To guard against these dangers, routing signs and guidance to exits must be clear and keep up with structural height progression. Site evacuation plans need to be kept under surveillance, regularly updated and workers briefed. The reverse is also true: emergency services will need up-to-date plans to find their way around.