Working at Height: Understanding the Components of a Fall Protection System

Image Source: Skypro Height Safety

In 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States recorded, as many as 605 workers died and an estimated 212,760 workers suffered serious injuries due to falling at the same level or falling to a lower level. The construction sector accounts for the highest death rate from falls.

Falls are still a threat to most workers working at heights. Falls can cause workers to experience fractures, head injuries, suspension trauma syndrome, trauma at heights, and even death. The average worker who falls from a height is caused by:

• Negligence of workers not using personal protective equipment
• Lack of adequate safety to prevent falls
• The personal protective equipment used is not suitable for use
• Improper use of personal protective equipment

Definition of Working at Height

 Working at height is an activity or work activity carried out by workers at work on land or water surfaces where there is a difference in height and has the potential to fall which causes the workforce or other people to fall. being at work is injured or dies or causes property damage.

Many countries have not specified the minimum distance between heights in order to be categorized as working at height. However, many companies and workers who use the standard work above 1.8 meters or 2 meters are categorized as working at height.

Time It Takes When Falling From a Height

You may not have enough time to hold onto something secure when you lose your balance or when you're about to fall, but you can minimize your risk of falling by preventing it. Preparing bars/obstacles (handrails, guardrails) in the work area and/or using appropriate fall protection equipment (full body harness, shock absorber, and lifeline) are some preventive measures that can protect you from possible falls.

Working at Height: Understanding the Components of a Fall Protection System

In 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States recorded, as many as 605 workers died and an estimated 212,760 workers suffered serious injuries due to falling at the same level or falling to a lower level. The construction sector accounts for the highest death rate from falls.

Falls are still a threat to most workers working at heights. Falls can cause workers to experience fractures, head injuries, suspension trauma syndrome, trauma at heights, and even death. The average worker who falls from a height is caused by:

Negligence of workers not using personal protective equipment

Lack of adequate safety to prevent falls

The personal protective equipment used is not suitable for use

Improper use of personal protective equipment

 

Definition of Working at Height

working at height is an activity or work activity carried out by workers at the workplace on the surface of the land or waters where there is a difference in height and has the potential to fall which causes the worker or other people in the workplace to be injured or die or cause property damage. .

Many countries have not specified the minimum distance between heights in order to be categorized as working at height. However, many companies and workers who use the standard work above 1.8 meters or 2 meters are categorized as working at height.

Time It Takes When Falling From a Height

You may not have enough time to hold onto something secure when you lose your balance or when you're about to fall, but you can minimize your risk of falling by preventing it. Preparing bars/obstacles (handrails, guardrails) in the work area and/or using appropriate fall protection equipment (full body harness, shock absorber, and lifeline) are some preventive measures that can protect you from possible falls.

Fall Protection System Components

Image Source: Civil Engineering Portal

1. Safety Belt

The function of the safety belt is actually the same as a full-body harness, but the difference is that the use of this fall protection device is only attached to the worker's waist and the lanyard is attached to the anchor. Safety belts should not be used for jobs that allow workers to fall from a height.

Because if a worker falls, he can still suffer injuries to his waist or spine, even though the worker who falls doesn't hit the ground or is in a hanging position. Be sure to install a safety fence if you still want to use a safety belt when working at heights.

Full Body Harness

The use of a full-body harness is useful to reduce the risk of fatal injury from falling from a height. The full-body harness is designed to protect all parts of the worker's body such as the shoulders, upper thighs, chest, and pelvis, making it safer when working at heights. The use of a full-body harness is equipped with a D-Ring which is located at the back and can be attached to a lanyard, lifeline, and other components that are compatible with the body harness.

Shock Absorber

Shock absorbers (shock absorbers) are designed to absorb kinetic energy and reduce the pressure caused by falling. This fall arrest device has three important functions, including:

Reduces the maximum pressure force in holding the worker's body when falling

Reduce or prevent damage to components of fall arrest systems (fall arrest systems)

Reducing the pressure force on the anchor

Shock absorbers are usually manufactured separately or designed together with the lanyard. According to the CSA Z259.11 standard, the shock absorber can increase the length of the lanyard by up to 1.2 meters when receiving a load of 100 kg and falling from a height of 1.8 meters.

Lanyard

Is a short strap that generally serves to withstand shocks when workers fall freely. Workers can use a lanyard to limit shock during free fall with a maximum length of 1.2 meters. We recommend installing a lanyard/hook above or at least parallel to the chest, this is intended to reduce the vertical distance or the distance the worker's body falls. A lanyard is always positioned between the anchor point and the body harness 

Anchor point (anchor)

Prior to working at height, workers must ensure that the anchors connected to the lifeline and/or lanyards are strong, stable, and properly positioned. If the use of the anchor is intended as a protection/resistance of workers from the possibility of falling, the anchor must be able to withstand a load of at least 3.5 kN (363 kg) or equivalent to four times the weight of the worker. Meanwhile, if an anchor is used as a support when falling, the anchor must support at least 22 kN (2.5 tons).

Fall arrestor (rope grab)

This device is used when workers need to move or move vertically, usually long distances. If the worker moves up, the rope grab will also move up following the worker's movement, but if the worker suddenly falls, this device will mechanically grip the lifeline.

Lifeline

A lifeline is defined as a flexible safety rope made of fiber, wire, or webbing. This lifeline is usually linked to an anchor point. The lifeline must have a minimum tensile strength of 2.75 tonnes or the equivalent of a rope diameter of 60 mm. This device can be mounted vertically or horizontally, depending on needs. Make sure the lifeline is securely attached to the anchor point and has not suffered any damage.

Retractable lifeline

The way a retractable lifeline works is almost the same as how a car seat belt works. When the worker performs a vertical or horizontal movement, the lifeline will extend or retract to its original condition automatically and will lock in the event of a sudden pull (the worker falls). The important thing that must be considered when using a retractable lifeline is to make sure the device is in an upright position with the worker's body to avoid the pendulum effect.

Understand the fall protection plan designed by the company.

• Understand the company's fall protection plan.
• Attend training to work at height, including use of fall protection equipment, work on scaffolding, lifts, or stairs.
• Make sure you have a work permit to work at height.
• Secure location for working at height.
• Use fall protection when working at height. Make sure you use proper fall protection and the equipment is in good condition.
• Check fall protection equipment before use.
• Hook the hook above your head or at least at chest level to reduce the amount of shock when you fall.
• When using scaffolding, make sure that the scaffolding is securely and firmly attached, the footing is stable, and the safety fence is installed. Ask the supervisor to check the feasibility of the scaffolding and install the building scaffolding OHS signs.
• Choose a standard ladder for working at heights, pay attention to the angle of inclination, and the position of the ladder must be stable, and make sure the ladder is in good condition.
• After the job is done, clean the work area and tidy up the equipment as before.
• Report to your supervisor if you find a potential fall hazard or accidental fall in the work area. Stop work when necessary until conditions are absolutely safe to resume work.

Working at Height – What is meant by Working at Height?

Working at height is defined by HSE as any work in any place where, if precautions are not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury.

Due to the increasing height and number of tall buildings, it is becoming ever more relevant to understand the details of working at height.

Particular steps can be taken to make the activity safer, and indeed legislation that stipulates what must happen when organized work at height.

This article briefly outlines the details of the legislation involved, some basic principles to be considered when planning work at heights, and the appropriate details on who can work at height.

 

Why being aware of the Legislation and Safety tips are important

 Falls from roofs and height, in general, are the most common cause of workplace death, according to the Health & Safety Executive.

The worrying aspect of this is that these deaths are primarily caused by a failure to assess organized fragile work surfaces properly.

Rotted chipboard, glass, roof lights, corroded metal sheets, and tiles are the most likely surfaces to be fragile, and mandating that these surfaces are properly dealt with will help save lives.

These risks are present outside of the construction industry too, with accidents from height frequently occurring in farm buildings, warehouses, or factories when cleaning or repair work is being performed.

Even outside of work, understanding the proper safety procedures is important so that you rganize risks to yourself should you decide to do any work around the home yourself.

 

Working at Height Legislation

The legislation that governs working at height is known as the Work at Height Regulations 2005. It defines working at height as someone who fulfils any one or more of the three following conditions:

•  You are working above ground/floor level
• You could fall from a ledge, through an opening, or a fragile structure
• You could fall from ground level through a hole opened into the floor

It also lays out five pieces of criteria that managers, supervisors, or anyone else who is in charge of organized work at height must ensure are met. The simple stipulations are as follows:

• The work is properly planned/Organize
• Any equipment that is used is properly inspected and maintained
• The people working at height are competently trained for those purposes
• The risks involving working at the height have been properly assessed, and the appropriate work and safety equipment is selected and used
• If working near fragile surfaces, the risks thereof are properly assessed and managed

 

Basic Working at Height Safety Advice

 In all honesty, the best way to avoid the risks of working at height is not to do work at height if you don’t have to.

When assessing the kind of work you are doing, see if there is any way it can be done without being at height; there is no sense in putting someone at risk if another way can be found to complete the task.

In these cases, assigning personal protection equipment will then deal with any risks of falling objects. Irrespective of height, safety helmets are to be worn.

If working at height isn’t something that can be avoided, then it is vital for you to use the right safety equipment (also legally required of you).

Doing the work from an area of the surface that has previously been declared safe is the ideal situation, but if not then the right type of equipment to minimize the length of and risks of a potential fall should be used.

This typically constitutes the use of Collective Protection Equipment. This means safety equipment that is designed not to require active input from workers for them to work at keeping people safe.

An example of this kind of equipment would be the simple guard rail, which stops you falling off a ledge from a misstep.

At even greater heights, it is usually required for workers to be fitted with harnesses to prevent falls; this is also true of any heights which, because of various features like weaker floors, have been assessed as particularly at risk.

 

Who can Work at Height?

 Only people who are deemed competent to work at height can do so.

For legislative purposes, these are those people who have sufficient knowledge, experience, and skills to perform the task that they are being sent up a height to do.

In addition to this, those persons (such as apprentices or new workers) who are being trained to work at height are considered competent if they are working under the supervision of someone who would fit the previous definition.

The level of knowledge is dynamic – meaning that it varies depending on a variety of factors including the risks, height, or duration of a task.

To work on a ladder for less than an hour, for example, would only require the worker to have been given appropriate instructions for their task. Their relevant training, in this case, would only constitute a demonstration of how to tie a ladder securely, and the proper way to climb it safely while carrying their tools up it.

More technically complicated tasks would include things such as setting up scaffolding. For things like this, the worker carrying out the job requires the proper kind of evidence of competency is required. i.e. Scaffold Inspection Training or Rooftop Awareness.

Working at Height Training schemes and accreditation for this kind of work can be found in various places, and serve as the primary method through which competency is demonstrated

Get Education and Training at Work at Heights in Companies that have Official Licenses Such as Skypro Height Safety and Alltech Industrial Abseilers