Working at height is one of the main causes of major injuries and fatalities in the construction industry; and common cases include falls from ladders, rooftops and fragile surfaces. HSE defines work at height as "work in any place where, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury".

To prevent any major or fatal injuries from happening when working at height, it's important that a risk assessment is put in place. A risk assessment is an examination of what in your workplace could cause harm, so you're able to put the right precautions in place to make sure that any work at height is properly planned, supervised and carried out in a safe manner. By law you're required to assess the risks in the workplace so that you can put a plan in place to control the risks. 

With that in mind. If you're starting to create a risk assessment, here are some steps you should follow in order to ensure your assessment is accurate and as thorough as possible:

Step 1: Identifying the Potential Hazards

This is arguably one of the most important steps for creating your your risk assessment. When identifying the hazards in your workplace, it's important to think about the activities, processes and/or substances that are used in your workplace that could injure or harm your employees' health. Here are some tips to help you identify potential hazards:

• Observe the workplace.
• Check manufacturers' instructions.
• Look through your accident book.
• Think about long-term hazards to health - for example: exposure to a high level of noise or harmful substances.
• Gather feedback from employees.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 state that the following need to be considered in your risk assessment: 

• The distance and effects of any potential falls.
• The duration and frequency of use of work equipment, and whether the work equipment is appropriate for the work that is about to be performed.
• Does the work equipment allow passage without risks.
• The need for easy and safe evacuation in case of an emergency .
• The working condition and the risks to people where work equipment is to be used.

Step 2:  Deciding who may be harmed and how

It's important when conducting a risk assessment that you think about which people are at risk, and how they might be harmed. For each hazard you need make sure it is clear which group of people might be harmed, as this will help you identify the best way of controlling the risks. It's important to make sure you consider every person in the work area:

• Employees.
• Visitors.
• Contractors.
• Maintenance workers.
• Members of the public.
• If you share a workplace with another business, consider how each of your work affects yours, and their workers.

Step 3: Evaluate the Risks

Having identified the potential hazards, you now have to identify the level of the risk and what precautions you need to put in place. You are not expected to eliminate all risks; but you need to make sure you're aware of them, and the things you must do to manage and prevent them. Your risk assessment should only include what you're expected to know - you are not responsible for anticipating unforeseeable risks. 

Look at what you're already doing, and what control measures you have in place - and evaluate if it's possible to get rid of the hazard? And if not; how can you control the risks to reduce the chances of it doing any harm.

Some practical steps you should consider when preventing the risks of hazards:

• Issue the correct personal protective equipment.
• Preventing access to the hazards.
• Ensuring that all workers are trained to ensure that they understand the hazards and the precautions to be taken.
• Trying a less risky option.
• Organising work to reduce any exposure to the hazard.
• Providing welfare facilities such as first aid and washing facilities.

Step 4: Record Your Findings 

When you're recording your findings it's important that you keep it simple and that it's easy to read. An accurate risk assessment should show the following:

• A proper check has been made.
• You have shown who might be affected.
• You have dealt with the hazards and have taken in account who might of been affected.
• The precautions are sensible and that the remaining risk is low.
• You have involved all your employees during this process. 

To prevent any confusion, it's important that you use a new risk assessment sheet for each work place and assessment you complete. You must ensure that you have dated the risk assessment; that you have recorded details of the person who took the assessment, and that you have recorded any action due-dates and completion dates.

Step 5: Review & Update Your Assessment

Workplaces are always changing and bringing in new equipment, substances and procedures that could possibly lead to new hazards. So, it's important that you review what your risk assessments every 6-12 months.  It's important to check the following:

• Any significant changes at your workplace?
• Are there any improvements you need to make?
• Have your workers noticed a problem?
• Have you learnt anything from recent accidents?

When working with height it's always important that the correct safety measures are put in place. That's why we supply a comprehensive range of Height Safety Equipment that are designed to ensure the maximum level of protection, while also providing an assuring level of comfort too. To view our range of height safety equipment, please click here.

Does your job require you to lift heavy objects such as loading and off-loading vehicles, removing tree stumps or perhaps tensioning wire fences? Or maybe you're looking for for 4x4 off road use? If so, we have the perfect jack for you! 

This High Lift Jack is an incredibly versatile hand operated jack that can be used in a huge variety of applications, and can be used both indoors and outdoors. Our high lift jacks have a maximum load capacity of 3.5 tonnes when at 12", after this height the load capacity of the jack decreases. The jack is suitable for lifting, pulling and pushing, and will support the load in either direction. there is a safety shear pin that'll prevent any overloading, ensuring that there is no risk to your health and safety. With each handle stroke the jack will lift 3/4". Our high lift jacks are really simple to use and the low price makes it an ideal tool for any workshop or 4x4. 

If you're still unsure whether this high lift jack is right for you, here are just some of the many great reviews that people have left after purchasing one of our high lift jacks:

If want some more information, or you wish to purchase a high lift jack from us, please click here. If you have any questions or you're experiencing any problems, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We immensely enjoy attending trade shows / exhibitions and getting our superb range of products in front of potential new customers. In that respect, May is set to be a very good month because the SLG team will be attending not one but TWO big events. Details below - we hope to see you there!

PLASA Focus Leeds 2017

What is it? Organised by PLASA ('the worldwide voice of entertainment technologies'), the PLASA Focus show is a must-visit event for anyone in the live entertainment industry. Many big names will be exhibiting all kinds of new and exciting product ranges.

When is it? Tuesday 9th & Wednesday 10th May, 2017

Where is it? The Royal Armouries in Leeds

Our Stand: Find us on Stand R-A19, where we will be showing off an assortment of high-calibre event rigging products.

Official Website: leeds.plasafocus.com

The ARB Show

What is it? The ARB Show is hosted by the Arboricultural Assocation. This year's event will include demonstrations, Q&A sessions, and talks on a variety of topics, along with numerous exhibition stalls including our own.

When is it? Friday 12th & Saturday 13th May, 2017

Where is it? Westonbirt Arboretum in Tetbury, Gloucestershire

Our Stand: You will find the SafetyLiftinGear team on Stand B1, where we will be displaying our range of rope access / arborist equipment.

Official Website: www.trees.org.uk/The-ARB-Show

Forklifts are a highly popular solution for performing heavy lifting and manoeuvring applications, providing an efficient alternative to manual lifting. In many cases, however, your lifting operation may require a greater level of accuracy and adaptability, which is not always within the standard capabilities of your forklift. 

In order to extend the variety of practical operations that you are able to perform using your forklift, we supply a great selection of forklift accessories, forklift attachments, and forklift fork extensions here at SafetyLiftinGear. These are available both to purchase or hire, making them an ideal long-term solution for extending the use of your forklift, or a budget-friendly solution for a short-term project. 

Here are just a few of the forklift accessories available from our website and depots: 

Forklift Tipping Skip

This accessory is ideal for holding, moving and disposing material in a confined area, thanks to the '4 way entry' base. Watch the video above to see the attachment in action!

Mounted Hooks and Jibs

If you would like to use your lift for unpalletised goods, we have a great variety of hooks and jibs which have been specifically designed for use with forks. We can even provide extendable jibs, which are ideal for moving long, awkward loads from hard-to-reach areas.

Fork Mounted Access Platforms

Our forklift accessories are not restricted to material handling, but can also be used to provide safe access to an elevated work area, as demonstrated in the images above.

Gas Bottle Cages

Moving gas containers can be a tricky and precarious task, which is why we supply forklift accessories which are carefully designed for lifting these items safely and securely, without using manual methods.

Automatic Bottom Empty Skips

These forklift accessories are a great solution for disposing of light to medium weight waste, allowing the items to be emptied without requiring additional action from the lift operator.

To see our full range of forklift accessories and attachments, visit our site lifting and handling page!

We here at SafetyLiftinGear are very proud of our comprehensive range Site Lifting and Handling Equipment. It includes everything from vacuum lifters to scaffold hoists; and mechanical grabs! No matter what type of site lifting equipment you need, we are confident that you'll be able to find it in our range. 

As we mentioned, our mechanical grabs are ideal for lifting heavy loads, such as slabs, kerbs, concrete and boulders. They can be adjusted to suit any load and have been fully certified and tested. Our mechanical grabs are available to purchase, or if you just need it for a one-off job, you can hire one.

Here is a look at some of the mechanical grabs we supply here at SafetyLiftinGear.com:

 EXG 550kg Mechanical Slab & Kerb Grab
(Buy Here)

This slab & kerb grab is ideal for various concrete elements. This compact and lightweight mechanical grab can attached a loading crane or excavator by means of a drop chain or sling. The grab comes with two handles and is also suitable for a two man manual operation. It has gripping range of 0 - 400mm and has a working load limit of 600kg. For more information or you wish to purchase the Mechanical Slab & Kerb Grab, please click here. 

FTZ-MULTI Mechanical Grab with 420mm Grippers 
(Buy Here)

This mechanical grab is perfect for lifting prefabricated concrete products. It's fitted with short rubber grippers suitable for individual elements. It has a gripping range of 200 - 1500mm, working load limit of 1500kg and it weighs 110 kg. To find out more information, please click here. 

FSZ-UNI Mechanical Boulder Grab 
(Buy Here)

Looking for a crane attachment that will allow you to pick up boulders and stones with total ease? Then this mechanical grab is perfect for you! This grab can lift boulders and stones of all sizes. It has an automatic adjustable gripping range from 0 - 950mm and a working load limit of 1500kg. If you're interested in buying this mechanical boulder grab, please click here. 

To view more of our site lifting & handling equipment please click here. If you have any questions please do not be afraid to contact us by calling 0808 123 69 69 or by emailing sales@safetyliftingear.com - we'd be happy to help!

Here on our blog and on social media, we regularly discuss the importance of working safely when performing operations at height. This is something that we take incredibly seriously here at SafetyLiftinGear, and is why we supply a huge range of high-quality equipment which allows companies to uphold safe working standards whilst working in elevated areas of all natures.

When additional security and stability is needed, workers may need to use high level access equipment such as caged platforms and baskets to reach certain areas, in order to provide easy access while maintaining a reliable level of safety. These are available with a number of extended safety features, including overhead protection to shield individuals from possible hazards above them, along with a harness point which allows the worker to be attached to the equipment, acting as further protection against possible slips and falls.

For flexibility, some of these items can also be used with multiple attachment methods, facilitating their use with either a forklift or crane, depending on the requirements of the application.

Here's a closer look at some of the options available in our high level access equipment range:

Forklift Access Platforms

These platforms are designed to be used with forklift devices, in order to provide high level access while maintaining safety measures, with a variety of specifications and additional features available.

Man Baskets

These are ideal for efficient high level access, and come with lots of practical solutions to provide additional protection. These include overhead guards for the workers using the platform, and a solid wall surround to prevent items from being kicked outside the cage.

Stretcher Cages 

Evacuating casualties from elevated areas can be dangerous for both the victim and those attending to them, which is why we supply a cage that is designed to provide stretcher access. This allows the victim and attendant to be safely moved, and also provides a simple way to enter and exit the cage for maximum efficiency

See more of out site lifting equipment here, or browse our height safety range for harnesses, anchors and more!

When working in a warehouse environment, handling pallets becomes a common part of the work day. Whether you're working with delicate or more robust materials, having the appropriate pallet handling equipment is vital to ensuring workplace safety and efficiency. 

Hand operated and electric pallet handling equipment, also known as Pallet Trucks, are the easiest and quickest method of moving pallets. Capable of holding and lifting up to 5000kg, a pallet truck is suitable for almost every moving operation; which is why you will find them in most warehouses.

Here is a look at some of the pallet handling equipment we have to offer here at SafetyLiftinGear:

Premium Pallet Truck 2.5 Tonne  

With a 2 year warranty, this premium pallet truck is precisely the kind of pallet handling equipment you want in your workplace. Able to hold us to 2.5 tonne and with a 3 position control handle, this premium pallet truck has the benefits of being strong and easy to use. 

This pallet handling equipment can be found in many leading rental companies, proving that it is a perfect addition to any company. 

Find out more about this premium pallet truck here. 

1500kg Electric Powered Pallet Truck 540x1150mm 

If you find that electrical powered pallet handling equipment is better suited to you and your company, this 1500kg electric powered pallet truck 540x1150mm is ideal for you. Compact and light in design, this electric pallet handling equipment is ideal for low duty operations. It also includes a powered movement, a powered lift, and an emergency stop; all things which will ensure this electric pallet truck will operate smoothly and efficiently in any environment. 

Find out more about this Electric Powered Pallet Truck here. 

Pallet Truck with Load Indicator 2 Tonne

If manual, electrical and high lifting pallet trucks aren't what you're looking for, then maybe this weight load indicator pallet truck is what you need! With an integrated weighing system that reads in units of 5kg, this pallet handling equipment is perfectly suited for those who like to know exactly how much their pallets weigh. This pallet truck runs on x2 AA batteries, so can always be topped up whenever you need it. 

Find out more about this Pallet Truck with Load Indicator here.

If none of this pallet handling equipment is what you're looking for, then feel free to browse the rest of our pallet truck range!