Cut the risks of working near water
Cut the risks of working near water
It’s not just those in the construction industry that work near water, so if your teams are out and about this summer, follow a few simple steps to keep them safe. What are the hazards and what controls can be implemented to prevent an emergency?
Water risks
One of the main problems of working near water, be it rivers, lakes or the sea, is unfamiliarity. It may be that workers are unaware of currents and tides, the depth of the water and the temperature, all of which can increase the chance of a fatality if they fall in. Another issue is that they will be wearing some type of personal protective equipment, at a minimum safety boots and most likely overalls, high visibility jackets and hard hats. All this can get water-logged extremely quickly and prevent even the strongest swimmers from being able to get to safety on their own. The worker may also be incapacitated by striking an object as they fell in and could quickly succumb to fatigue. So, having measures in place to prevent a fall is essential.
Activities near water
Your workers may be asked to undertake grounds maintenance, surveys, flood protection works, data engineering, agricultural activities and fishing to name a few. The tasks may differ, but the hazards remain the same. It’s therefore up to you to assess the likelihood of the hazard being recognised and reduce the risk so far as is reasonably practicable. Use our working near water risk assessment to start you off (see The next step ).
Tip. Not only is there a risk of drowning, but many waterways have electricity pylons in the vicinity, so overhead power cable strikes should be considered in your risk assessment, particularly if working at height is involved.
How to manage
If people must work over or in the vicinity of water or any other liquid, there should be measures in place to prevent a fall into it, such as barriers, and if need be, effect a safe rescue using buoyancy aids.
Safe systems of work, training, emergency procedures and properly maintained equipment are necessary to be able to respond effectively in an emergency.
Tip. Don’t forget to consider health issues such as Weil’s disease in your risk assessment. Use our leptospirosis safety briefing to assist you (see The next step ).
Plan the work
Follow these steps whilst creating your plan:
if an area of water is nearby, assess its proximity to where the work will take place. Take particular note of any potential hazards, such as narrow banks and steep slopes
define routes and turning points for vehicles. Mark out the edges of any banks with brightly coloured tape. If there are other problem areas, e.g. ditches, these should to be highlighted
once a safe system of work is in place, staff need to be trained on it. Don’t make the common mistake of overlooking the need to brief any temporary staff. To make life easier, you can produce some easy to remember rules and issue a copy to each worker
tether equipment so that if dropped it is easier to retrieve
always have an emergency plan in place and if the risk is high provide safety equipment such as life belts.
If work is carried out by water, a specific assessment needs to be made of any risks as drowning is a very real threat. Plan the works according to specific hazards such as deep water and train all staff in the risks to avoid a tragedy. Ensure you have an emergency plan in place.