AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT FOR WORKING AT HEIGHTS: WORKERS' PERCEPTION OF SAFETY ISSUES

Falls from height are a relevant occupational health and safety problem, given the significant impact they have on an injured worker, as well as on their families and the company to which they belong. Although most countries are trying to reduce the number of accidents due to this cause, the injuries resulting from these accidents are usually severe. The causes of falls from height are varied, including lack of control by the direct supervisor, irresponsibility of the worker or wrong handling. Also, they can be caused by auxiliary elements (platforms, ladders, machinery or others) required for the execution of a task, which needs to be assembled appropriately or safely. This article provides the context of using auxiliary equipment (fixed and mobile scaffolding and safety rail) for work at height. Then, a field information survey is carried out to describe the main problems regarding their use on-site. Finally, through the application of 44 semi-structured interviews with construction professionals and supplier companies in the Chilean market, different appraisals on the safety of working at heights and the use of auxiliary equipment are described. The results show that the relevant aspects in the use of auxiliary elements to prevent the risk of falls are related to the singularity of the projects under construction, the scarcity of regulations or their updates, in addition to the lack of technical information on-site that would allow the constant verification of auxiliary equipment, among others.