Order No. 782n - Labour Protection Rules for Work at Height

Order of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation No. 782n of 16 November 2020

Unofficial summary, not a translation of the full text. This page states what the act regulates and whom it binds; it does not reproduce its provisions. Only the Russian original published in the official sources of the Russian Federation has legal force.

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What it regulates

The Rules set state labour protection requirements for work at height and govern how employers and workers act when such work is organised and performed. Work at height covers tasks carrying a risk of falling from 1.8 metres or more, and falls from lower levels over machinery, liquids, fine bulk materials or projecting objects. The employer assesses the fall risk inside its labour protection management system, removes work at height where it can, and otherwise relies on guard rails, scaffolds, mobile platforms and fall arrest equipment.

Whom it binds

The Rules bind employers, whether legal entities or individuals, who have entered into employment relations with workers performing work at height, and they bind those workers. They also apply when facilities are designed, when processes are developed and when plans for assembly, dismantling and operation of equipment are prepared. Only workers aged eighteen and over holding a matching qualification may be admitted.

Key duties

• The employer shall assess the risk of falling and record every task it classifies as work at height in the local documents of its labour protection management system.
• Where work at height cannot be avoided, the employer shall cut the risk with guard rails of 1.1 metres or more, scaffolds, mobile platforms, cradles and protective equipment.
• Workers admitted to permit work at height shall be divided into three safety groups, each with its own training, examination and scope of responsibility.
• The employer shall approve a list of work at height performed under a permit and include in it all the high-risk work named in the Rules.
• The responsible manager shall brief the work party against signature in the permit, check its equipment and admit it at the worksite.
• The employer shall prepare an evacuation and rescue plan that frees a worker left suspended after a fall arrest within 10 minutes.
• Anchor devices, scaffolds, ladders and personal fall protection shall be checked before use and inspected on the manufacturer's schedule.

Relevance to permit-to-work

A permit to work is required for work at height with a high risk of falling, for work above 5 metres without staging and for work near unguarded drops of over 5 metres. The permit fixes the place, content and conditions of the work, its start and finish times, the work party and the responsible persons. The issuing authority appoints a responsible manager and performer, hands over two copies and logs the issue. A permit runs for up to 15 calendar days and may be extended once.