Neil Tomlinson looks at the progress being made by the
Access Industry Forum (AIF) to improve work at height safety
Since it launched back in 2004,
and increasingly in the last three
years, the Access Industry Forum
Neil Tomlinson looks at the progress being made by the
Access Industry Forum (AIF) to improve work at height safety
Since it launched back in 2004,
and increasingly in the last three
years, the Access Industry Forum
(AIF) â€" the forum representing the
principal trade associations and
federations involved in work at height â€"
has been helping to set the agenda in
this important industry sector. In
particular, the forum has acted as a
catalyst for discussion and debate by
encouraging the sharing of ideas and the
exchanging of information â€" not just
internally amongst its fellow members,
but externally with other trade
associations and professional bodies.
One very practical outcome of this
working together has been the
inception of the 'Holy Grail' initiative: No
more work at height accidents, ever!
Originally a panel discussion in the AIF
Knowledge Base at the Safety & Health
Expo, it is now a united and coordinated
effort between members of the Forum and
leading safety organisations to help reduce,
and ultimately eliminate, falls from height.
The group is actively developing a panindustry
reporting methodology for falls
from height that will provide sufficient
detail to help target information and
future campaigns at those specific areas
needing it most. It will inform the work at
height industry and other stakeholders by
highlighting particular issues and trends.
"Only in this way will we be able to
prioritise, direct and take the action
necessary to influence the figures," the
forum says.
Management training Through its Training & Guidance
Committee the AIF is advancing another
development â€" a 'Managing Work at
Height' training course and qualification.
The course will provide an overview and
appreciation of the key issues involved in
successfully managing and supervising
work at height. Upon completion,
delegates will be referred to a more
specific course â€" delivered by the relevant
AIF member organisation â€" matching
their individual needs and requirements
more precisely.
Content will include, amongst other
topics: understanding the roles of the
various stakeholders; relevant standards
and regulations; how to select and appoint
competent work at height contractors;
planning for the arrival of contractors on
site; completing risk assessments and
method statements; 'collective' versus
'personal' fall protection; working in the
vicinity of the public; frequency of
inspections; management reporting,
including incident reporting;
sustainability and examples of both good
and bad practice.
Insight and information The Access Industry Forum is also
promoting safety and competency through its
website which now hosts a complete series of
presentations, discussions and debates on a
variety of work at height issues. These
videos, free to view online, cover everything
from the impact of the new British
Standard BS8560 for work at height to the
implications of the Lofstedt Review and its
recommendation to review the Work at
Height Regulations by 2013, and the growth
of the US-style claim culture in the UK.
In all these videos, industry leaders,
practitioners and
commentators come together
to share their expertise, voice
their opinions and views â€"
sometimes contentious but
always informative â€" on a
wide range of topical issues.
They provide insights and
information for anyone
involved in the work at height
sector. So too do the forum's
video 'Toolbox Talks', which
represent a rich source of
guidance on everything from the use of
stepladders and step stools, to fall
protection advice when using mobile access
towers, and choosing the right MEWP for
the job. These are also free to view online.
The AIF represents the different sectors
of the work at height industry. As such,
the collective knowledge and expertise of
its member organisations is unrivalled,
which is why the forum was invited to
join an impressive line-up of speakers at a
recent inaugural, international conference
in Singapore called 'Scaling new heights in
fall protection'. The event was organised
by the International Society for Fall
Protection (ISFP) and the Access and
Scaffold Industry Association (ASIA),
with support from the Workplace Safety
and Health Council (WSCH) and the
Ministry of Manpower, Singapore, who
extended the invitation. A spokesperson
for the forum said: "We were delighted to
receive the invitation which reflects the
growing importance now being attached
to an international and collaborative
approach to safe working at height. Only
through communication and cooperation
will we find the Holy Grail: No more work
at height accidents, ever!"
Neil Tomlinson is director of the AIF
