Rubbish chutes are an important way to carry all kinds of waste from building sites to ground level – with colour-coded chutes allowing recyclable waste to be sorted and separated as you go along.
But using rubbish chutes safely requires some caution in itself, as you do not want to put workers at risk of falling from a roof or scaffold while reaching over to drop waste materials into the chute.
Side-loading chutes are one way to reduce this risk, as they allow items to be placed into the chute from the side, rather than reaching out over the top of the pipe; they can also allow objects to be put into the chute from any level on a multi-storey site.
Guardrails can provide edge protection either side of the chute, so individuals and any loose materials or tools cannot fall over the edge.
And if there are any further doubts, man anchors can tether individuals to within a safe perimeter, providing an extra fall prevention measure.
By combining these with safe access systems like safety ladders, you can protect your employees from the moment their foot leaves the ground, until the day’s work is done.