scope:

This standard applies to all "Work at Height" carried out by Network Rail employees. "Work at Height" is defined as any work activities where there is a need to control a risk of a person or object falling a distance liable to cause personal injury. This is regardless of the work equipment being used, the duration the person is at height or the height at which the work is being performed. It includes access to and egress from a place of work.

Examples of activities considered as being work at height are :-

• Climbing permanent structures such as gantries, communication masts or signal posts.

• Working close to an excavation, cable pit or foundation where it would be possible for a person or object to fall and cause injury.

• Working on scaffolding or from a mobile elevated work platform (MEWP).

• Working on the back of a flatbed road or rail vehicle. Arboriculture and vegetation work performed in trees and on steep embankments.

• Using cradles or ropes to gain access to parts of tunnels, bridges, etc.

• Work on Electrification and Plant assets, boosters etc.

• Using a ladder to gain access to a permanent or temporary structure.

Examples of activities not considered as being work at height:

• Using permanent stairs (if there is no structural or maintenance work being undertaken).

• Work in an office on an upper floor of a multi-story building where there is no risk of falling. (Activities within the building which do involve a risk of falling, e.g. changing a light bulb from a step-ladder, would be considered to be work at height.)

Purpose

This standard defines the processes to be followed within Network Rail to enable employees who design, plan, manage and carry out work at heights to do so safely, and within the requirements of the relevant legislation.

This standard adopts a risk-based approach to working at height activities in line with the principles of the legislation and industry best practice. Under this approach measures taken to protect the safety of persons are proportionate to the risks involved.