Working At Height

Safety Training

Bharat Safety Training

Working at Height
 Work at any height where there is a risk of a fall liable to
cause personal injury:
 Steel workers, scaffolders, roofers, engineers, welders,
maintenance staff, painters, window-cleaners
 Main risks:
• worker falling
• object falling
 Accidents:
• death
• neck or spinal injury
• broken bones
Definitions
 Fall - a fall by a person from one level to
another.

 Falling object – an unsecured object (e.g. a

spanner) falling from height can cause serious
injuries if controls are not implemented to
eliminate or minimise the associated risks.

 Fall hazard means a circumstance that

exposes a worker in a workplace to a risk of a
fall that is reasonably likely to cause injury to
the worker or other person.
Falls from Height

 Fall Hazards
• Working next to an unprotected
edge
• Working on fragile material above
a drop
• Using access equipment
• Using ladders
• Standing on objects to reach high
levels
Moving, Flying or Falling Objects
 Flying objects
 Ejected parts or materials
 Thrown objects

 Falling objects
 Loads falling from height
 Objects dislodged from height
 Effect of weather conditions
 Unstable objects
Risk Factors – Vertical Distance
 Falls from any height can cause injury
 Vertical distance is only one factor
 Falls from a height of less than 2 metres can cause death or
major injury!
Risk Factors – Roof Work
Fragile roofs:
 Roof structure not designed to carry loads
 Cement, asbestos, glass, reinforced
plastics, etc.
 Signs
 Roof ladders and crawling boards

 Sloping roofs:
 Pitch greater than 10
 Injury made worse by acceleration down
roof
Risk Factors
 Deterioration of materials
 Unprotected edges
 Unstable access equipment
 Weather
 Falling materials
• crumbling brickwork, loose tiles
• bad storage of materials on scaffolding
• gaps in platform surfaces
• open, unprotected edges
• incorrect methods of getting materials
to and from roof
Control Measures
 Control measures will depend on:
• Nature and duration of task
• Competence
• Training
• Planning and supervision
• Suitability of equipment,
maintenance
• Working platforms
• PPE, e.g. harnesses and helmets
• Fall-arrest systems
• Weather
• Health of workers
• Compliance with regulations
What is a risk assessment?

A risk assessment process aims to remove fall hazards or

reduce the level of their risk by adding precautions to keep
you and others safe.

The process is:

•Identify fall hazards.
•Evaluate the risk associated with any
hazards.
•Determine appropriate ways to eliminate
or control the hazard.
By controlling the risks, you have created a safer work
environment for you and others.
Risk Prevention Hierarchy

Hierarchy:
 Avoid work at height
 Prevent falls
 Minimise the distance and consequences
Avoiding Work at Height

 Modify the work process

− e.g. work from ground level
 Modify a design
− e.g. change design of structure so that steel is
erected at ground level and craned into place
 May not be possible to achieve
Preventing Falls
 Providing a safe working platform
− e.g. scaffold with guardrails
 Properly installed personnel equipment
− e.g. rope-access equipment
− These systems involve the use of equipment that
allows a person to work supported in a harness under
tension in such a way that a fall is prevented.
 Example
A skilled contractor uses a travel restraint system when
performing work on a roof
Minimise Distance and Consequences of
a Fall
Minimise distance of fall by:
 Providing fall-arrest equipment
− e.g. harness and lanyard
 Minimize injury once a fall has occurred rather than avoiding it in the
first place. They should NOT be used unless:

 the operator is trained, has a high level of skill, and undertakes ongoing
training.
 systems undergo regular inspection.

 there is at least one other competent person present to perform a rescue

in case of a fall.

Minimise consequences of fall by:

 Providing a “soft landing”
− e.g. safety nets, air bags, etc.
Prevention of Falling Materials
Guardrails
 Fully enclose the unprotected edge
 Robust
 Securely fixed
 High enough
 No large gaps
 Toe-boards
 Toe-board fitted at edge
 Brick-guards
Preventing Falls and Falling Materials
 Planning and supervision
 Selection and use of correct access equipment
 Correct provision and handling of tools and materials
(especially getting them up and down from work
locations)
 Adequate information, instruction and training
 Regularinspection of the workplace, work equipment and
work methods
 Avoiding work in bad weather
Training
 Training depends on nature of work
 To include:
− Awareness of hazards, e.g. fragile materials

 Additional training for some equipment

− Erecting/modifying scaffold
− Driving MEWPS
Head Protection

 Working at height:
• Mandatory wearing of hard hats
• Do not protect against all falling objects
• Additional control measure
Ladders
 Short-duration work
 Hazards:
 Falls from height:
– Falling off the ladder
– The ladder toppling sideways
– The ladder base slipping out
from the wall
 Objects falling from height
 Contact with live overheads
Ladder Controls
 Sited away from live overheads
 Solid, flat base
 Hands on stiles, never on rungs
 Correct angle (1:4 rule – 75o)
 Top of the ladder against solid
support
 Ladder secured at the top, or:
– guy ropes attached or,
– ladder should be “footed”
Ladder Controls

 Top of the ladder should extend above working platform

 Only one person on ladder at any one time
 Nothing should be carried while climbing
 Wooden ladders should not be painted
Stepladders

 Intended for short-duration, light work

 Precautions:
− Daily inspections before use
− Fully open
− Locking devices in place
− Firm, level ground
− Don’t work off top 2 steps
− Avoid over-reaching
− Avoid side-on working
Basic Components of
Independent Tied Scaffolds
Standards – Uprights or vertical tubes

Ledgers – Horizontal tubes

Transoms – Short horizontal tubes spanning
across ledgers
Bracing – Diagonal tubes
Base plates – Underneath the standards
Sole boards – Timber under base plates
Work platform – Fully boarded
Guardrails – Enclose work platform
Toe-boards – Provide lip to platform
Key Scaffold Hazards
 Falls from scaffold during erection
 Falls from work platform
 Falling objects
 Collapse
Causes of Scaffold Collapse
 Overloaded work platform
 Soft ground
 Scaffold not tied in
 Insufficient bracing
 Standards not upright
 Standards bent or damaged
 High winds
 Incorrect couplers
 Scaffold struck by mobile plant
 Scaffold erected by incompetent workers
 Scaffold not inspected prior to use
Inspection Systems – Scaffolds
Often a legal requirement to inspect
− When first erected
− After substantial alterations
− After incident affecting stability
 Such as?
− Periodically
Inspection Systems - Scaffolds

Points to consider:
 Condition of tubes (especially standards)
 Tying and bracing
 Condition of the work platform
 Edge protection
 Ground conditions
 Safe access
 Safe working load
Mobile Tower Scaffolds

 Hazards
• Falls from the work platform
• Objects falling
• Collapse of the structure
• Overturn (toppling)
• Unintended movement of the
wheels
• Contact with live overheads
Mobile Tower Scaffold - Precautions
• Guardrails
• Not overloaded
• Wheels locked
• Firm, level ground
• People, materials off mobile
tower when moved
• Avoid overheads
• Outriggers used
• No climbing outside of tower
• Training
Mobile Elevated Work Platforms
(MEWPS)
 Hazards
 Falls
 Objects falling
 Collapse
 Overturn (toppling)
 Contact with live
overheads
 Unauthorised use
MEWPS - Precautions
• Firm, stable ground
• Clearance of obstructions and
overheads
• Barriers to exclude vehicles, etc.
• Guardrails
• Controls inside the cradle
• Not driven with the cradle raised
• Not be overloaded
• Correct use of outriggers
• Inspected
• Trained, authorised staff
Edge-Protection Systems

 Barrier fixed to existing

structure
 Temporary often constructed
of scaffold
Edge-Protection Systems
 Can be a permanent solution
 Must be robust enough to withstand person
falling against it
What is Fall Protection?

A series of reasonable steps taken to

cause elimination or control of the
injurious effects of an unintentional
fall while accessing or working at
height
Planning for Fall Protection
 Best practice dictates that fall protection becomes
an integral part of the work planning process, from
constructability, to systems installation, to use and
maintenance
 The workplace cannot be truly safe unless fall
protection is incorporated into every phase of the
process
 Planning will keep workers safe and minimize fall
exposures
Personal Fall Arrest Systems

Should only be used when other fall

prevention means can not be used
or are not feasible.
Personal Fall Arrest Systems
 Used to protect an employee from hitting a lower
level once they have fallen.
 Components include:
 An anchorage point
 Body harness
 Deceleration devices
 Connectors – lanyards, rope grabs, anchorage
connectors
Personal Fall Arrest Systems
 When using personal fall arrest systems:
 Ifyou fall, the impact force to the body has to be less
than 1800 pounds (815 kg), achieved by using shock
absorbing lanyards and a harness
 Minimize fall distance, the maximum free fall
distance can only be 6 feet
 There can not be any structures below your fall
distance
 Maximum weight of an individual w/tools is 310
pounds (140 kg)
Fall Distances
 Free Fall Distance
 The vertical displacement of the fall arrest
attachment point on the employee's harness between
onset of the fall and just before the system begins to
apply force to arrest the fall.
 Deceleration Distance
 The distance between the location of an body harness
attachment point at the moment of activation of the
deceleration device during a fall, and the location of
that attachment point after the employee comes to a
full stop.
Minimizing Free Fall Distance

Extended
6’ Lanyard Length Lanyard Length
Plus maximum
2’ extension
3.5’ Deceleration Device (usually within
inches)

Tie to anchor Or use a

above the D-ring retractable

Using an anchorage above the D-ring and a standard lanyard may still
allow an employee to fall a distance that may be difficult to rescue
from. Using a retractable minimizes forces on the body, and may make
rescue easier (and therefore more timely)
Calculating Total Fall Distance
Watch Swing Falls

 This worker is tied

off using a
retractable Swing Fall
lifeline.
 There is a major
swing fall
potential if he fell
to either side.
Personal Fall Arrest Systems
 Anchorage
 Body Caribiners
 Connector Harnesses

Rope
Grabs

Beam
Wraps
Lanyards
Positioning
Anchorages
 Fall arrest anchor points must support 5000 lbs per
employee attached
 Fall restraint anchor points must support at least 1000 lbs
per employee attached
 Ask your supervisor, Senior Safety Officer, or the ESH–
Section safety representatives if you need assistance in
determining an adequate anchorage point
Work Positioning
 Positioning device system means a body belt or body
harness system rigged to allow an employee to be
supported on an elevated vertical surface, such as a wall,
and work with both hands free while leaning.
 Work positioning free call cannot exceed 24 inches
 Max fall arrest force is 900 pounds
 Lanyards and harnesses used, equipment must have a
minimum breaking strength of 5000 lbs.
Roof & Deck Anchors

Wood Roof
Permanent Anchor
Anchors

Metal Roof
Anchor
Use of Eye Bolts

 Rated for loading

parallel to the bolt
axis.
 Ifwall mounted, the
rating perpendicular Rated
to the axis must be
good for 5,000 lbs.
per employee
Needed
Girder Grip Anchorage Rings

 These attachments can

be mounted through bolt
holes on steel members.
 They are rated at 5,000
lbs. in all directions
Removable Concrete Anchors
 These attachments can be mounted in holes of concrete.
 They are rated at 5,000 lbs. in all directions
Anchorage Connectors
 Thesetype of connectors enable you to tie off to
various types of anchorage points
Horizontal Life Lines

 Provide maneuverability
 Must be designed, installed and used under the guidance of a
qualified person
 This could be interpreted as requiring the use of manufactured systems, which
is recommended
Aerial Work Platform Anchorages

 Usethe manufacture’s designated anchorage

points. Never use guardrails as anchorage
points.
Body Harness
 Need to be inspected before use by the worker, and
at least annually (documented) by a Competent
Person
 Harnesses should never be modified
 Do not write on or paint harnesses unless material is
approved for use
 Should be taken out of service immediately if
defective or exposed to an impact
 Harness Fitting

Chest strap tightened

at mid chest “D” ring between
shoulder blades

Proper snugness
shoulder to hips

Butt strap
Leg straps snug but
supports the load
not binding

 Harnesses must be sized for the worker. Workers

must weigh more than 130 lbs. and less than 300lbs.
Harness Pressure Points

Spread load
across butt strap
and belt strap if
on the harness

Excess pressure here can

cut blood flow to the legs
Some studies have indicated permanent damage to the lower extremities
when the worker hangs for more than twenty (20) minutes
Deceleration Devices
 Any mechanism with a maximum length of 3.5 feet,
such as a rope grab, rip stitch lanyard, tearing or
deforming lanyards, self-retracting lifelines, etc.
which serves to dissipate a substantial amount of
energy during a fall arrest, or otherwise limit the
energy imposed on an employee during fall arrest.
Lanyards
 A flexible line of rope, wire rope, or strap which generally
has a connector at each end for connecting the body belt
or body harness to a deceleration device, lifeline or
anchorage.
 Must not be tied back to themselves unless specifically
designed for such use
 Should have the appropriate clip for the intended
anchorage points
 Do not knot or wrap around sharp objects
Lanyards
 Various types of energy absorbing lanyards
Retractable Lifelines

 Deceleration devices containing a

drum-wound line which can be
slowly extracted from, or
retracted onto, the drum under
slight tension during normal
employee movement, and which,
after onset of a fall, automatically
locks the drum and arrests the fall.
 Do not use with energy absorbing
lanyards.
Lifelines
A component consisting of a flexible line for
connection to an anchorage at one end to hang
vertically or for connection to anchorages at
both ends to stretch horizontally and which
serves as a means for connecting other
components of a personal fall arrest system to
the anchorage.
Positioning Systems

 Positioning devices
provide hands-free work
 Additional fall
protection may be
required to move or
access
Restraint Devices

 Provide access but prevent the fall

 Limit anchorage requirement to 1000 lbs
 May be more suitable for loading areas, scaffold
erection and dismantling
 Should be installed and used under the supervision
of a Competent Person
Fall Restraint

Restraint Line

Edge
 Fall restraint assumes the employee cannot reach the
edge, they are basically on a short leash.
 If the employee can fall over the edge, then a personal fall
arrest system must be used.
 Use of Restraint Cables
Example of restraint cables used during deck
anchoring.

RESTRAINT CABLE
Planning For A Rescue
 Whenever working
with the potential
of hanging by a
harness, a rescue
plan must be in
effect.
A written Hazard
Analysis must be
done and
employees must be
trained on the plan.
Planning For A Rescue
 The rescue plan must be written in the hazard analysis
 The goal is to rescue the employee as soon as possible
and limit the hanging time to no more than fifteen
minutes.
 Plan for a worker that is unconscious.
 Ensure all the rescue equipment is available
 Call emergency services whenever someone has been in
a fall arrest situation
The End