If you want to learn everything about how work at height should be organized, you can look through a bunch of sites that contain a lot of useful information, but it is presented, as a rule, in purely legislative language.
Often these are just excerpts from articles, which complicates the understanding for novice occupational safety specialists and just people trying to understand all the intricacies and nuances of how the organization of work at height is structured.
Therefore, in this article I will try to explain in simple and accessible language what working at height is, about the requirements, giving examples from personal experience.
Thanks to this note, you will learn when it is strictly forbidden to carry out this kind of event, and what documents must be drawn up, and I will also attach completed samples of them.
If I don’t succeed, and you still have questions after reading, I invite you to sort them out in the comments. I will be happy to answer, and this communication will be useful not only to you, but also to subsequent readers.
Oh, by the way, don’t forget to read the comments, there we will discuss additional questions not included in the articles 
Working at height in an enterprise
Working at height is a work activity during which an employee faces the risk of falling from a height of 1.8 meters.
You can find all the signs in paragraph 3 of Order of the Ministry of Labor 782n (previously there was Order of the Ministry of Labor No. 155n, which at the end of 2020 lost its force) or just look at them in the picture provided.e
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that working at height is an activity in which there is a high risk of exposure to hazardous factors. And in order to avoid high rates of injury at work, it is necessary to implement many additional measures that will ensure greater safety for your workers.
And this is not only the development of documents, but also the implementation of measures to perform safe work at height, which will be discussed in this article.
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Risk assessment when working at height
Starting from 2021, the employer is required to assess the risks of workers falling from height within the framework of the occupational safety management system (clause 4 of Rules No. 782n).
The risk assessment carried out should identify whether the risk of falling from a height is high or low (acceptable minimum risk). This affects the need to issue a work permit when carrying out work.
That is, it all comes down to the fact that the employer is obliged to reduce the risks associated with the possibility of employees falling.
What are the requirements for employees?
You understand perfectly well that there are certain requirements for dangerous work that must be observed, otherwise there may be unpleasant situations - from a fine to criminal liability.
That is why employees who have reached the age of majority, who have passed a preliminary or periodic medical examination and, of course, training in both occupational safety and work at height, can be admitted to the relevant activities. And now about everything in more detail...
Medical examination when performing work at height
Moving step by step and implementing systems for the safe performance of work at height at the enterprise, the first thing you must do is monitor the completion of medical examinations, as well as mandatory psychiatric examinations of employees and suspending them if there are contraindications.
The requirements in paragraph 1 of Appendix 2 of Order 302n for workers hired for such work are more stringent.
For example, a friend of mine was indignant when, during a preliminary medical examination, he received a restriction on working at heights. Yes, he started wearing glasses a couple of years ago and believes that they do not bother him at all. But he was not given such an important mark in the “Pass” conclusion. Low vision and working at height are incompatible concepts.
The expected reaction of the company’s management followed – refusal to hire him in this position. They offered a vacancy where there was no work at height, but the salary was correspondingly lower. He refused. True, my friend still couldn’t understand why it’s impossible to work at heights wearing glasses?
We open clause 1 of Appendix No. 2, order No. 302n, and in the section “Additional medical contraindications” it is written in black and white: “Diseases of the visual organs: visual acuity without correction is below 0.5 in one eye and 0.2 in the other.” And as a result, the employer is obliged to suspend or not allow the employee to work in accordance with Article 76 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation.
Contraindications must be confirmed by a medical report.
The employer must offer a transfer to another activity that is not contraindicated for health reasons, and the employee must confirm his consent in writing.
It is important to note that if you nevertheless decide to admit an employee with medical contraindications, you may be held liable in the form of a fine of up to 130,000 rubles.
The principle of conducting various types of medical examinations and what to do if an employee has not passed the medical examination is described in this section >>. I recommend reading it if you have not done medical examinations yet.
And don’t forget about the mandatory psychiatric examination of workers who will be involved in work at height. You can only admit adequate
Training in safe methods and techniques for working at heights
Before talking about how training to work at height should be done, you need to understand what these employees require. Because mistakes are often made at this stage, excluding one of the types of training.
So, according to clause 16 of Order of the Ministry of Labor of Russia No. 782n dated November 16, 2020, you can admit an employee by first training him:
- labor protection requirements;
- safe methods and techniques of implementation.
Moreover, the level of qualifications of workers must necessarily correspond to the work performed. For example, a welder has the right to perform only welding work at height, an electrician only has the right to perform electrical installation work. Having a height certificate does not give an employee the right to perform any work, but only the relevant types of work.
If you need to figure out how to organize occupational safety training at an enterprise, you can find out in this article.
Primary training in working at height must take place in a training center that has the following package of documents (if they are not available, the training will be considered invalid):
- License for educational activities.
- Teachers who are certified to conduct this training.
- Equipment for conducting practical classes.
Training and the final exam on safe methods and techniques for performing work at height can only be carried out by a certification commission consisting of teachers and specialists who have undergone appropriate training and certification, that is, having group 3. This is also explained by Rostrud in its letter dated 03/07/2017 N PG/03559-03-3.
But an annual test of knowledge of safe methods and techniques for performing work at height can be carried out by an internal certification commission, whose members have groups 2 and 3 (clause 32 of Rules No. 782n).
It is prohibited to conduct training in working at height and practical classes remotely, by correspondence or in the form of self-study (clause 17 of the Rules for working at height).
Only real training is required and this is correct, because when working at heights there is the greatest risk of injury.
And according to categories and division of responsibilities, work at height is divided not only into four groups, but also by type of work.
That is, there are 2 types of certificates: one is categorized by group and type of work performed (Appendix No. 3), and the second - only by groups (Appendix No. 1). How do you decide what kind of identification employees need?
In my opinion, if the work is carried out only within the framework of the general technological process without issuing a work permit and the presence of additional dangers, then you can stop at Appendix No. 1. And if in the process of performing the work there may be different conditions and additional dangers arise, then it is better to use Appendix No. 3. Please note that the frequency of training varies and this is important.
| Requirement | Minimal risk of falling from height | High risk of falling from height or working with scaffolding |
| Periodic training | It is established by the employer and indicated in the OSMS (clause 22 of the Rules). Upon completion of training, exam (clause 24 of the Rules) | Groups 1 and 2 – once every 3 years; Group 3 – at least once every 5 years. Upon completion of training, exam (clause 24 of the Rules) |
| Periodic knowledge testing | At least once a year (clause 32 of the Rules) | Groups 1 and 2 - at least once a year (clause 32 of the Rules) |
| Internship | Required upon completion of training (clause 28 of the Rules) | Groups 1 and 2 – Required upon completion of training (clause 28 of the Rules) Group 3 – the need is fixed in the OSMS. |
| Requirements for an internship supervisor | Experience working at heights at least 1 year (clause 31 of the Rules) | Groups 1 and 2 – at least 1 year of experience working at heights, Group 2 (clause 31 of the Rules) |
If your employee has not worked for more than a year, then he needs to undergo training at the training center again (clause 16c of Rules No. 782n). But that’s not all, theory is good, but together with practical skills it’s better.
Therefore, before being allowed to work independently, based on the requirements of Resolution 1/29, the employee must undergo initial instruction, internship and knowledge testing. A person who has at least one year of practical experience working at heights can act as an internship mentor.
Moreover, you can assign no more than two workers at a time to the internship supervisor (clause 31 of the Rules for working at height).
When is work at height prohibited?
Until January 1, 2021, a number of restrictions were in effect, under which the responsible person, the manager, had to prohibit work at heights if any (clause 18 of Order of the Ministry of Labor No. 155n dated March 28, 2014). For example, working at heights with a wind speed of 15 m/s or more, since the higher you are from the ground, the more unpredictable these weather conditions are and are perceived completely differently.
Below is a list of restrictions under which it was prohibited to work at height in any case.
Now the employer has the right to allow workers to perform hazardous work under special climatic conditions, but only if measures have been taken to ensure the safety of work at height and they must be specified in clause 4 of the permit (clause 45 of the Rules for labor protection when working at height).
Any of the labor safety rules is written in blood, and if there is a restriction, it means that a number of measures must be taken to reduce the risk; if it is not possible to reduce it, then it is better to postpone work at height to another time.
Price
| Training program | Number of hours | Cost in person | Cost remotely | Validity | Certificate of completion |
| Occupational safety for members of commissions testing knowledge of occupational safety requirements | 72 | from 4,000 ₽ | from 2,500 ₽ | 3 years | standard certificate of advanced training |
List of main documents
If you are just building a system of safe work at height and do not want to incur a fine from the labor inspectorate, you need to not only properly organize the training of workers, but also complete all documents in accordance with the requirements of Order No. 782n.
To prepare for the inspection by the labor inspectorate, in addition to my article, you should use the GIT checklists, which you can download in this note >>. Please note that this note contains information about what administrative responsibilities an employer may have.
To organize work at height competently and safely, you must not only have all the necessary documents developed, but also put into action. That is, they should not just collect dust on a shelf awaiting the arrival of the inspector, protecting the employer from a fine, but actually work.
The documents are designed to prompt and focus the employee’s attention on safety. You must constantly monitor that the requirements of the developed “papers” are met, otherwise injuries will not escape.
So, I will present you with a list of necessary documents, and then I will analyze each in detail:
- Work order at height.
- List of works at height, approved by order.
- Work plan at height.
- Technological maps.
- Measures for evacuation and rescue of workers.
- Documents for recording the issuance of the permit.
To simplify the life of novice occupational safety specialists, and not only them, I suggest you use sample documents that you should have at your enterprise.
Order on the appointment of a person responsible for safe work at height
As in any area of labor protection, wherever you touch, an order is needed everywhere to appoint responsible persons. Height is no exception. Moreover, compared to other areas in occupational safety, much more points need to be taken into account. You need to focus on:
- responsible for safety;
- issuing a permit;
- drawing up a work production plan (WPP) at height;
- inspection, maintenance of personal protective equipment (PPE), supervision of proper operation.
It’s easier to write all this in one order - it’s both more convenient and logical. You can order orders for work at height by following the link.
The person responsible for safety must not only be appointed by order, but also perform his functions in fact: it is mandatory to inspect PPE and the place where the activity is performed.
A situation may occur, as in one familiar enterprise, where the work manager, without making sure of the reliability and integrity of the boards and scaffolding used, allowed two employees to work at a height of 13 meters to insulate a process pipeline.
As a result, the boards on which the workers were standing broke. Fortunately, it was not a group fatal accident, but all thanks to the protective equipment. The workers suffered internal injuries and fractures, but the main thing is that they survived!
By the way, according to statistics, falling from a height is the most common cause of accidents in Russia compared to other possible injury situations. That is why the implementation of these works requires such careful preparation and responsible attitude.
List of works at height
It is necessary to develop a list of work at heights, carried out with the issuance of a work permit, which will be carried out at your enterprise.
Previously, these were non-stationary workplaces that had a geographically changing work area with constant movement in space (subparagraph “a”, paragraph 17 of the Old Rules). For example, plastering facade walls, washing windows, painting work, and electrical installation work are classified as non-stationary workplaces.
From 2021, the list includes hazardous work that must be carried out only with a work permit, that is, under stricter control (clause 7 of the New Labor Regulations for Work at Heights). This document is drawn up before the start of work. Such a list is developed individually for your specifics and approved by the head of the organization. You can download the list of work performed at height according to the work permit by clicking on the link.
Work permit when performing work at height
The Ministry of Labor introduced an additional document when performing hazardous work in order to provide more detailed instructions on the production procedure:
- consistently set task;
- who should be involved among the employees;
- the person responsible for ensuring security is indicated.
All these points are prescribed in the work permit, and since the list needs to focus on hazardous work that requires the issuance of ND, it means that you need to understand what kind of work it is.
The rules for issuing a permit, its issuance and other questions that you may have have been discussed in detail in this article.
Work plan at height
A lot of activities should be carried out before starting work at height, because if you don’t formalize and organize everything correctly, extremely sad situations can arise, because there are cases when everything is done at random, and then unprepared and broken employees are taken away in an ambulance , enough. And here criminal liability already arises under Art. 143 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
The plan for working at height must include all the requirements contained in Section 3 of the Labor Safety Rules when working at height. The PPR is approved by an employee who has the 3rd group for safety of work at height (clause 15 of the Rules).
In addition, employees of group 3 are responsible for drawing up an action plan for evacuation and rescue in the event of an emergency (clause 15b of the Labor Safety Rules when performing work at height).
Technological map for work
If the risk of falling from a height for workers is minimal, then the safety measures taken must be set out in technological maps, which are mandatory for registration (clause 8 of the Rules on labor protection at height).
You can find out what must be included in the text of the technological map from Section 3 of the Labor Safety Rules when performing work at height.
The preparation of the TC is carried out by the official who is responsible for safety when performing work at height (clause 46 of Rules No. 782n).
Instructions for using personal protective equipment
Workers must be provided with PPE; not everything must be issued, but specifically for each type of hazard. You can see what to provide employees with in clause 116 of the Labor Safety Rules when working at height or in Appendix No. 10.
Under no circumstances should you be allowed to perform work without personal protective equipment. The worker must not only understand how to use it correctly, but also fasten it, hang it and place it in a certain position without the possibility of displacement during execution.
In principle, the standard instructions are suitable, but you will have to modify them to suit the specifics of your enterprise.
Instructions for labor protection when performing work at height
Instructions for labor protection when working at height include basic requirements and are being developed to ensure the safety and health of workers.
Typically, a standard instruction on labor protection at height is used, a sample of which you can download by clicking on the link (most labor protection specialists do this), supplementing it with your vision from the height of your experience.
All employees must be familiar with these labor safety instructions and sign them. And when conducting initial and repeated briefings, it must be used, and a copy must be kept at the employee’s workplace so that he can refresh his knowledge if necessary.
Main conclusions
In this article, we examined almost all the main points of safe working conditions when working at height, starting with the requirements for workers and ending with the full package of documents that the enterprise must have. The examples provided will help you understand the procedure for issuing orders and instructions and timely protect your company from fines.
It is necessary to organize and carry out work at height, observing all the rules and remembering that, based on Order of the Ministry of Labor No. 782n, risk reduction must be put in first place.
Loss of vigilance can be equal to the cost of human life and an article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, so you need to prepare thoroughly, both in terms of learning how to perform it safely and in terms of preparing documents. Every nuance is important here.
If you still have questions after reading the article, write them in the comments, I will be sure to answer everyone. I can also prepare all the necessary documents for you, please contact me in a personal message.
I wish you efficient and safe work!
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