How Lighting Winch Systems Can Reduce the Risk of Working at Height

Working at height is a necessary part of many construction, maintenance, and site management tasks – but it comes with significant risks that must be managed through stringent safety measures and compliance with regulations.

In this article, we’ll outline the hazards associated with working at height, the Working at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR), and how lighting winch systems can not only reduce the likelihood of accidents or injury but also save you money in the long term.

Risks of Working at Height

Working at height refers to any work where, if precautions are not taken, someone could fall and injure themselves. According to the Health and Safety Executive, you are working at height if you work above ground / floor level or around an area with a fragile surface, opening, or hole.

There are numerous risks to consider when working at height, including:

• Falling from Height: The consequences of falling from height can range from minor wounds to life-changing injuries and even fatalities.
• Dropping Equipment: Dropping equipment can be just as serious as falling, potentially injuring those beneath where the work was taking place.
• Mistakes with Ladders: Negligent ladder use may result in slipping whilst climbing, falling with the ladder, or being left stranded at height.
• Poorly Stored Equipment: Leaving objects scattered around at height can cause other workers to trip and fall from the edge of the platform they are working on.
• Unguarded Openings: Any unguarded openings or edges while working at height are a fall hazard for those working close by.
• Fragile Surfaces / Scaffolds: Working on an unstable surface, such as a roof or insecure scaffold, poses a risk of collapse.
• Inadequate Protective Equipment: Poor or insufficient protective equipment when working at height only increases the health and safety risks associated with falling.
• Lack of Experience: Not being aware of potential hazards and correct safety procedures when working at height may lead to fatal mistakes.

To minimise these risks, employers must take simple, practical measures in accordance with the Working at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR).

Working at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR)

The Working at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) describe how to reduce the risk of falling from height.

As an employer or site manager, it’s your legal responsibility to do everything you can to reduce the risk of an accident or injury. Under WAHR, you must:

• Avoid work at height, if it it’s at all reasonable to do so
• Do everything possible to prevent falls by ensuring the work area is safe & secure
• Minimise the distances & consequences of a potential fall using equipment or other preventative measures

Download a copy of the HSE’s simple step-by-step guide on how to control risks when working at height, including important information about:

• Who the regulations apply to
• How to comply
• How to decide if someone is “competent” to work at height
• What measures to take to help protect people
• The most common causes of accidents when working at height
• What to consider when planning work at height
• How to select the right equipment for the job
• How to ensure the equipment is in good condition
• The responsibility of employees, architects & building designers

How Lighting Winch Systems Eliminate the Need to Work at Height

While personal protective equipment, such as guardrails and harnesses, can help to limit the distance and severity of a fall – the most effective way to minimise risk is to avoid work at height altogether.

In many situations, this isn’t always possible. However, one solution is to bring high-level assets down to ground level via a winch system.

A winch system is particularly useful for lights and chandeliers, which require regular cleaning and maintenance. By enabling operators to securely lower and raise light fittings, lighting winch systems eliminate the need to work at height and any risks associated with it.

Similarly, they can also be used for other suspended items such as ceiling fans, CCTV, artwork, and more.

Key Safety & Operating Features

Lighting winch systems are electric or mechanically operated devices used to pay out or retract a wire rope. This allows the lowering and raising of a wide range of light fixtures in warehouses, retail outlets, theatres, and many other environments.

To protect staff and prevent damage, lighting winch systems are equipped with key safety and operating features. These include:

• Secondary Support Anchor – such as a mechanical lock or secondary rope for when the light is fully raised
• Single Rope / Multi-Rope System – to meet varying weight & balance requirements
• Worm Gearbox – to prevent the gearbox from running back if the motor fails
• Torque Limiters – to protect the rope if it snags or becomes entangled
• Slack Rope Switch – to monitor the tension of the hoist rope, deactivating if it slackens off
• Electromagnetic Brakes – engaged when there’s no power to the motor
• Limit Switch – limiting the light’s ultimate range of travel to avoid impact with the floor or ceiling
• Winch Inverter – enabling soft start/stop functionality to ensure a gradual, smooth acceleration up to full speed
• Electrical Contact Plates – to isolate the electric feed when the light is lowered
• Wireless Control Options – requiring only one operator to raise & lower the fitting

Other Benefits of Lighting Winch Systems

Alongside making maintenance and cleaning safer, lighting winch systems lower every light fitting at the flick of a switch. This is much more efficient than using a scaffold tower or Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP), which require equipment to be repositioned to access each light fitting.

This is ideal when quick turnaround is needed to keep disruption to a minimum, especially for businesses that rely on a constant flow of visitors to generate revenue and want to avoid excessive downtime. Lighting winch systems also help to save costs in the long run by removing the need for scaffolding and labour hire.

Another advantage of a lighting winch system is that some models can be completely hidden, with no mechanisms visible. This is especially beneficial in environments where appearance is of paramount importance, such as museums, galleries, theatres, heritage sites, and places of worship.

Why Choose Penny Engineering for Lighting Winch Systems?

At Penny Engineering, all our lighting winch systems are tested and certified under LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations), with available servicing packages to ensure compliance with annual inspection requirements.

We offer:

• Off-the-shelf & bespoke lighting winch systems
• LOLER-tested and certified products
• Professional design, manufacture & installation
• Service & maintenance support
• Expert user training

Click through to explore our winch systems and post-sales support, or get in touch to speak to a member of our team.