Are You Acrophobic?

Are you afraid of heights? Do you panic when you realize you’re high off the ground? Do you dread the thought of attending a meeting on a high floor of an office building or do you find it difficult managing or working at height? Do you close your eyes when scenic car rides involve higher altitudes? Does simply standing on a ladder reinforce the knowledge that you’re scared of heights? You may have acrophobia, or fear of heights, an anxiety disorder affecting some 5% of the population.

The definition of acrophobia is, simply put, a phobia of heights. Those who suffer from acrophobia—the word comes from the Greek word for heights, which is “acron,” and the Greek word for fear, which is “phobos”—typically don’t enjoy outings to amusement parks if these involve Ferris wheels and roller coasters. Because of their phobia of heights, people with acrophobia may also be reluctant to stand on high hills and some can find it stressful to be on an escalator or a glass elevator. Individuals who are afraid of heights may even avoid driving over bridges as this can bring on dizziness. This phobia of heights can trigger unpleasant symptoms that result in persons with acrophobia avoiding the possibility of higher altitude situations altogether.

Working at height remains one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries. Common cases include falls from ladders and through fragile surfaces. ‘Work at height’ means work in any place where, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury.

Overcoming the Fear of Heights

In construction and manufacturing companies, it is normal for employees to work with a ladder, on cranes, and on a skyscraper. People who have fear of heights don’t have the chance to work in these companies. Otherwise, they may suffer from unwanted scenarios. But companies always take safety seriously. Employers always have a precautions for work at height. 

You must make sure work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people with the skills, knowledge and experience to do the job. You must use the right type of equipment for working at height.

Take a sensible approach when considering precautions. Low-risk, relatively straightforward tasks will require less effort when it comes to planning and there may be some low-risk situations where common sense tells you no particular precautions are necessary.

Dos and Don’ts of Working at Height

Consider these safe steps for working at height. 

Do….

• As much work as possible from the ground
• ensure workers can get safely to and from where they work at height
• ensure equipment is suitable, stable and strong enough for the job, maintained and checked regularly
• take precautions when working on or near fragile surfaces
• provide protection from falling objects
• consider emergency evacuation and rescue procedures

Don’t…

• overload ladders – consider the equipment or materials workers are carrying before working at height. Check the pictogram or label on the ladder for information
• overreach on ladders or stepladders
• rest a ladder against weak upper surfaces, eg glazing or plastic gutters
• use ladders or step ladders for strenuous or heavy tasks, only use them for light work of short duration (a maximum of 30 minutes at a time)
• let anyone who is not competent (who doesn’t have the skills, knowledge and experience to do the job) work at height