Foreword

Publishing information

This British Standard was published by BSI and came into effect on 31 May 2006. It was prepared by Technical Committee PH/5, Industrial safety belts and harnesses. A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

Information about this document

Falls from a height are one of the largest causes of death and injury in the workplace. There is therefore an increasing demand for people to receive training for work at height. This demand is driven partly by legislation, as the Work at Height Regulations 2005, Regulation 5, explicitly requires anyone working at height to be competent, and partly by an increasing trend within industry for a professional approach to be taken to work activities which are potentially dangerous.

There are many national, European and international standards which specify systems and equipment for work at height, and codes of practice for the use of such systems and equipment in the workplace. The present standard gives recommendations and guidance on how training and education should be delivered for the people who use such systems and equipment for work at height.

This British Standard covers training for work at height in an industrial context, including work at height in factories and in the construction, civil engineering and cleaning sectors.

This British Standard gives recommendations and guidance for training providers to enable them to ensure that training for work at height is delivered to a high standard, in a safe, controlled environment by competent and experienced staff. It also gives guidance on the information to be given to clients to enable them to select a course that is suitable for their needs.

The standard covers all types of training for work at height, whether delivered by an employer to their own staff or by an external provider to independent clients. The former includes “train-the-trainer” type situations in which an employer engages a training provider, or employs a trainer, to deliver training for a single specific task, or on a specific product, to some of their employees who then in turn provide training to other employees.

The standard does not give recommendations on course content. The Advisory Committee on Work at Height Training (ACWAHT) has published Work at height. Awareness syllabus [1]. This gives basic information on safe working practices for work at height which ACWAHT recommends should be covered in training courses.

The standard is intended to apply to course-based training and education. It is not intended to apply to the provision by an employer of ongoing experience-based training and education in the workplace, where the subject matter of the training being provided is the job itself, for example as provided by an apprenticeship. However, employers providing such training would probably benefit from the advice given in this standard as many of the principles do apply and offer good practice.

Use of this document

As a code of practice, this British Standard takes the form of guidance and recommendations. It should not be quoted as if it were a specification and particular care should be taken to ensure that claims of compliance are not misleading.

Any user claiming compliance with this British Standard is expected to be able to justify any course of action that deviates from its recommendations.

Presentational conventions

The provisions in this standard are presented in roman (i.e. upright) type. Its recommendations are expressed in sentences in which the principal auxiliary verb is “should”.

Commentary, explanation and general informative material is presented in smaller italic type, and does not constitute a normative element.

Contractual and legal considerations

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) commends the use of this British Standard to those who have duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This standard was drawn up with the participation of HSE representatives and it will be referred to in the relevant HSE publications.

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

In particular, attention is drawn to the legislation listed in Annex A.

BS 8454:2006

Code of practice for the delivery of training and education for work at height and rescue

Current

Published:

31 May 2006