WORKING ON RIVERBANKS Risk Assessment : ·
Risk to worker,
Drowning
or injury sustained due to uneven/unstable/slippery river bank, falling
timber, or
unbalanced by co-worker. Infectious
Disease (through cuts, Weils disease, d/s from STW outfalls, dead sheep) Trauma
from sharps, briars, blackthorns, agricultural refuse, barbed wire. Physical
strains from excessive lifting in a difficult environment. ·
Risk to co-workers,
Unbalancing
when manouevering in-stream and bankside debris. ·
Use of tools, (dealt
with under specific tool headings) CODE OF
SAFE PRACTICE Equipment: ·
(dealt with under specific tool
headings) Protective Clothing: ·
Waders or boots of suitable length
should be worn. These should have non-slip soles. ·
Protective Gloves and thornproof
clothing are advised to be worn. ·
Life jackets should be available. Site Assessment: ·
Prior to the commencement of work,
the site should be inspected and assessed for specific hazards, as set out in
general safety procedures. Safe System of Work: ·
No person shall work on their own. ·
A rope or lifeline must be within
easy reach of co-workers on the bank. ·
There must always be at least one
person on the bank who could provide assistance and raise the alarm in an
emergency. This person must be aware of
the Nat Grid ref of the site, and also the location of the nearest telephone. ·
There must be more than one strong
swimmer in the work party. ·
No one working on the bank may enter
an exclusion zone until the supervisor indicates that it is safe to do so. ·
When moving debris in co-ordination
with other workers, the person in the stream should give the directions. When more than one person involved is in
the river, the person in the deepest part should give the directions. No one should move until all are ready to do
so. ·
Any injury sustained whilst working
should be reported to the safety supervisor and logged on the record sheet. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright fishwatch 1998 |