SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Access and Rescue

Most places where you need to work at height or confined space have an access issue – otherwise they would just be a normal working space – right?

Think
If you are going to work in this space regularly, perhaps using a single place for a period of time, if you need a to able to recover a person and maybe support their weight whilst working… then you may need specialist equipment.

Fall arrest block (potentially with recovery mechanism) may be required.

• These stop you hitting the floor, (and with recovery mechanism, allow you to be rescued) but require a high anchor point.

Tripods can span a hole, offering a high anchor point, and the facility to add fall arrest blocks and winches for people and equipment to be raised or lowered.

• These are governed by the hole size and can become unstable when resultant forces move outside of the footprint – when people get out of the hole, they can easily topple the tripod over.

Davits are an arm over a hole or open edge, allowing much greater movement, minimal manual handling once in use and greater stability

• The foot (or floor socket) can be fixed or moveable (with attachments to weights or vehicles) and allow for lifting and lowering a person or load, similar to a tripod, but it cannot topple over.

Rescue

Full stretchers and rescue triangles for recovering casualties.

Think
The person must be able to support themselves (hands and feet) – with a back up to recover them if an incident, such as a fall occurs.
If being lowered (or raised) – you must have a means of recovery (a back up) if the first system fails.

Helmets, Connectors and Accessories

Helmets

You need to consider what you are using them for (apart from just protecting your head!)
Materials, features, comfort, padding, adjustability, impact protection type (top and side) and whether it has a chin strap

Connectors

These broadly fall into 3 categories

Karabiners – the type you see climbers use

• clip or snap gate, suitable to carry some equipment
• screwgate, basic, threaded connector
• twistlock, quicker to use – dual action to prevent accidental opening
• trilock, quicker to use – triple action, even more difficult to open accidentally

Hooks – often used at the termination of a wire or lanyard to clip on to connection point on a harness or structure/object.

• Scaffold hook (double action), often used with fall arrest lanyards
• Snap hook (double action)

Mallions (or simply connectors) – these use a screwgate and have no moving parts.

• not as quick to use as other types but are stronger (and are strong in all directions)
• essential if there is the possibility to cross-load the connector.
• these come in various shapes including delta, oval, pear, square and a few others!

Storage – bags, holdall and boxes (enough said!)

Kits

• Task – Equipment to access the task, to do a job and are kept together for ease of use, storage and checking.
• Rescue – These are often a pack of dedicated rescue equipment, often security sealed, ready to go.

Both need to be checked, maintained and practiced with (especially the rescue kit) as this will be used the least, often in stressful situations.

Leading Edge (Task & some rescue)

Kit to allow safe working close to an open edge where a physical barrier isn’t possible. An adjustable work restraint system, anchor system and emergency lower if required.

Controlled Decent Device (Rescue)

Heard the term “fire and forget” (military term), well these are similar.

• Set up
• Attach the casualty
• Lift (rotate the wheel) the casualty
• Remove any restrictions
• Lower (either under control), or if safe to do so ‘hands off’, it lowers at a predetermined speed, try to stop (before the ground!) – but not critical

Very easy to use and set up. Once taught, it is easily remembered.

Lifeline (Task)

An out of the bag kit to provide flexible work restraint between 2 strong points

Rapid (Rescue)

A self and colleague rescue backpack, worn semi permanently attached to your harness.

Twin line – raise and lower system (Task and Rescue)

Access systems to allow safe movement and recovery at height

Equipment Haul (Bespoke Task)

Lifting and lowering equipment in difficult situations

Confined Space Entry and Rescue

Most places where you need to work at height or in a confined space have an access issue – otherwise they would just be a normal working space – right?

Think
Confined spaces need specialist equipment

Access

Fall arrest block, tripods or davits for entry See access and entry

Rescue

Half stretchers and rescue triangles for recovering casualties.

Entry

• Gas monitors to detect the flammable and toxic gases, as well as the levels of oxygen
• Breathing apparatus to enter and work in a confined space with a known non breathable atmosphere
• Emergency escape breathing apparatus to be put on in an emergency – giving up to 15 minutes of air to escape.

Think
Confined spaces are incredibly dangerous places where things can go wrong very quickly. Ensuring you have the right training, procedures and equipment can reduce that risk significantly.

Tool Tethers and Lanyards

Basically stopping people or equipment from dropping to the ground.

Personal lanyards – usually made of webbing, connect a harness to an object with a connector, these can be

• fixed or adjustable in length
• be shortened by clipping back (reduce fall distance)
• kept neat and tidy by being elasticated (reduce trip / snag hazard)

Tool Tethers – made of webbing or wire, connected to the tool and an anchor point

4 components

• Tool connector
  • this could be a metal ring, gripper, pouch to attach the tool or webbing strap choked and/or taped to the tool securely.
• Tether
  • this is the flexible, probably elastic webbing or retractable wire to allow freedom of movement to use the tool (via the tool connector) whilst still being still attached to the anchor point.
• Attachment connector
  • this could be a clamp, screwgate connector or clip in plastic or metal and connected to the tether. These could connect directly to an attachment point on a personal harness or clothing
• Anchor point
  • these connect the anchor connector to another item in place of the personal body harness
    • Moveable / mobile
      • Gloves with rated attachment points (e.g. for screwdrivers)
      • Tool belt with fixed loops or in combination with retractable wire tethers
    • Semi static / temporary fix
      • Storage or tool bags which rely on weight (or may be secured) to resist a tethered falling object
    • Static / fixed
      • Tool stations, a purpose made, secure anchor point fixed (for the duration of the task) at work sites such on MEWPS or scaffold where the task is lengthy at a single location