The International

Working at Height
Handbook

2009 Edition

W o r k ing at H e ig ht

Contents________________________________________________ Pages

INTRODUCTION______________________________________________ 5

1.0 DEFINITIONS / GLOSSARY_ ______________________________ 8 - 10

2.0




3.0

PrincipLEs of Working at Height__________________ 11 - 27

Hierarchy of Risk_ ___________________________________________________ 12
The Fall Cycle_______________________________________________________ 13
Fall Protection Overview______________________________________________ 14

Personal Fall Protection__________________________ 28 - 37

Work Restraint______________________________________________________ 28
Fall Arrest_ _________________________________________________________ 29
Work Positioning_ ___________________________________________________ 32
Rope Access_ ______________________________________________________ 34

4.0 Introduction to Working at Height PPE__________ 38 - 42

Management of PPE in Industry________________________________________ 38

Categories of PPE___________________________________________________ 40
Equipment Reference Guide___________________________________________ 41

5.0 SAFE USE OF EQUIPMENT______________________________ 43 - 85

Harnesses__________________________________________________________ 43
Karabiners__________________________________________________________ 49
Maillons____________________________________________________________ 56
Ropes_____________________________________________________________ 58
Lanyards and Energy Absorbers_______________________________________ 65
Fall Arrest Blocks____________________________________________________ 69
Mobile Fall Arresters_ ________________________________________________ 72
Webbing Slings_ ____________________________________________________ 75
Wire Rope Slings____________________________________________________ 78
Ascenders__________________________________________________________ 80
Descenders_________________________________________________________ 82
Helmets____________________________________________________________ 84

6.0 CLIMBING SYSTEMS____________________________________ 86 - 99

Lead Climbing_ _____________________________________________________ 86

Climbing Calls_______________________________________________________ 88
Climbing with Lanyards_______________________________________________ 89
Throwing Ropes_____________________________________________________ 92
Clip Sticks__________________________________________________________ 95
Using a Fixed Line___________________________________________________ 96
Retrieving Ropes from a Structure______________________________________ 97
Using Work Positioning Lanyards______________________________________ 98

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7.0 ANCHOR POINT SELECTION
AND GOOD RIGGING PRACTICE_______________________ 100 - 115

Selecting an Anchor Point____________________________________________100

Scaffolding_ _______________________________________________________102
Handrails__________________________________________________________102
Pipework__________________________________________________________103
Bolts_ ____________________________________________________________103
Slings_____________________________________________________________106
Angle Loading_____________________________________________________108
Y Anchors_ ______________________________________________________109
Vertical Lifelines_ ___________________________________________________112
Horizontal Lifelines__________________________________________________113

8.0 Knots________________________________________________ 116 - 122

Figure of 8 on a Bight_ ______________________________________________117
Figure of 9 on a Bight_ ______________________________________________118
Alpine Butterfly_____________________________________________________118
Double Figure of 8 on a Bight (Rabbit Knot)_____________________________119
Double Fishermans_________________________________________________120
Barrel Knot________________________________________________________121
Bowline___________________________________________________________121
Italian Hitch________________________________________________________122
Clove Hitch________________________________________________________122

9.0 RESCUE_______________________________________________ 123 - 135

Lowering Techniques________________________________________________125
Diagonal Guidelines_________________________________________________128
Stretchers_________________________________________________________129
Pulley Systems_____________________________________________________130

10.0 WORK AT HEIGHT SURVIVAL GUIDE___________________ 136 - 143

11.0 LEGISLATION & RISK ASSESSMENT___________________ 144 - 149
Legislation_________________________________________________________144
Risk Assessment___________________________________________________145

APPENDICES__________________________________________ 150 - 153

Equipment Standards_______________________________________________150
Weights and Measures______________________________________________151
Hand Signals for Crane Operations _ __________________________________152
Man-riding Tugger Signals_ __________________________________________153

TABLES________________________________________________ 154 - 160

Wire Rope Breaking Loads___________________________________________154
Safe Working Load Limits of Wire Rope Slings_ _________________________155
Safe Working Load Limits of Man-made Fibre Slings_____________________156
Safe Working Load Limits of Alloy Shackles ____________________________157
Safe Working Load Limits of Eyebolts _________________________________158
Safe Working Load Limits of Pairs of Eye bolts __________________________159
Safe Working Load Limits of Rigging Screws / Turnbuckles________________160

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21

FIXED LADDERS

Fall Protection
Primary : Hands and feet on ladder
Secondary : Installed vertical lifeline
or rail system, with mobile fall
arrester attached to sternal harness
attachment point
Note: ladder hoops are not effective
fall protection but are installed more
for confidence purposes
Fall Prevention
Climb carefully with three points of
climbing contact
Know how to use secondary system
equipment properly
Training
Awareness training, including correct
use of fall arrest equipment and
rescue procedures

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81

INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE CHECK LIST

ASCENDERS
Always read Manufacturers instructions

Inspection

Maintenance

Check:

Clean prior to inspection

ID number present . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lubricate after inspection

Store hung up in dry environment

Check device, free from:

Marking

Buckling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ascenders may be lightly engraved,

location of marking will vary
according to type

Wear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Corrosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Check condition of:

Nuts and bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Springs and rivets . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Check function of:

Opening, closing and locking
mechanisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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118

Figure of 9 ON A BIGHT
For forming a loop in end of rope. Approx. 75% efficient

Alpine Butterfly
A mid-rope knot, good for three way loading. Approx. 65% efficient

W ork i n g at H e i g h t
FIGURE 9.2
Where the casualty is
free-hanging, approach
to the casualty would
need to be by abseil
descent, this requires
specialist rope access
training.

127

FIGURE 9.2b
The rescuer
transfers the
casualtys weight
to the new system

FIGURE 9.2a
Rescuer descends
to the casualty and
attaches a new
system and back-up

FIGURE 9.2c
The rescuer
descends with
the casualty

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128
Attachment
detail

DIAGONAL GUIDELINES
In some cases a straight lower may
be impossible as obstacles on the
structure may prevent it. In these
cases diagonal guidelines may be
used.
The diagram shows a fully backed
up system, however in certain
rescue situations the extra time
involved in organising back-ups
may be deemed impractical where
time considerations are critical.

Main
Guideline
Mechanically
Tensioned

Guidelines may
also be tensioned
through any
Locking Descender
or Italian Hitch

FIGURE 9.3
Diagonal
guideline
rescue

Back-up
Guideline
Hand
Tensioned

Main Guideline
Backup Guideline
Main Control Line
Backup Control Line