Fall Prevention Plan (FPP)

Fall Prevention Plan (applies to Singapore context)  

Background:

WSH(Work at Height) Regulations applies to all factories and all workplaces effective from 01May2015.

I often get asked by SMEs, Contractors and Service Providers why they did not have a Fall Prevention Plan (FPP) when their clients / customer ask them.

Here are my answers to them:

1.     What is a Fall Prevention Plan (FPP)?  

     A documented site-specific plan prepared for the purpose of eliminating or reducing the risk of falls by ensuring that all reasonable fall prevention measures and methods have been implemented, prior to the commencement of work.

2.     Which workplaces are required to have a FPP ?   

·    Worksite

·    Shipyard

·    Factory-petroleum / products, petrochemicals / products

·    Premises – bulk storage toxic / flammable liquid, storage capacity 5,000 or more cu.metres

·    Factory-pharmaceutical products / their intermediates,

·    Factory-semiconductor wafers

·    Workplaces not in above categories but with 50 or more persons employed.

 

3.     Who is responsible for the establishment & implementation of a FPP?    

WSH law : WSH(Work-at-Height) Regulations 5.(1) states that :

“It shall be the duty of the occupier of every workplace specified in the Schedule, and in which work at height is carried out to establish and implement a fall prevention plan.”

 

4.     We don’t have work-at-height activities in our workplace, do I need a FPP? 

No. 

 

5.     Who is responsible for the training of workers working-at-height (WAH)?

WSH(Work-at-Height) Regulations (6) states that :

“It shall be the duty of the responsible person of any person who carries out or is to carry out any work at height to ensure that the person shall work at height in a workplace only after he has first received adequate safety and health training to familiarize himself with the hazards associated with work at height and the precautions to be observed.”

  

6.     Who is the responsible person? 

In relation to a person who carries out or is to carry out any work at height, means :

·    His employer, or

·    Principal (under whose direction he carries out or is to carry out any such work)

Responsible Person = Occupier, SMEs, Contractors, Service Providers, etc.