FALL PROTECTION SAFETY HARNESS
FALL PROTECTION SYSTEM, FALL ARREST, LANYARDS, FULL-BODY HARNESS, ANCHORAGE POINTS, LIFELINES, SAFETY NETS, SELF-RETRACTING LIFELINES, AND HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL LIFELINES
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| Safety harness fall protection |
FALL PROTECTION
FALL PROTECTION SYSTEM, FALL ARREST, LANYARDS,
FULL-BODY HARNESS, ANCHORAGE POINTS, LIFELINES, SAFETY NETS, SELF-RETRACTING
LIFELINES, AND HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL LIFELINES
The risk
assessment has demonstrated that work can, so far as is reasonably practicable,
be performed safely while using the system of risk assessment.
1.
Ensure the user and a sufficient number of available persons have
received adequate training, including rescue provision at work at height.
2.
Ensure the fall protection system is securely attached with anchored.
3.
The various components of the fall protection system are of sufficient
strength to support all known loads and have been inspected by a competent
person or third-party inspection.
4.
Ensure suitable and sufficient steps have been taken, as far as is
practicable, that in the event of a fall, injury from the fall protection
system is minimized.
FALL PROTECTION INCLUDES:
Working Positioning
Work
positioning is a technique for supporting a person/worker while working using
PPE in tension to prevent a fall from height. The advantage of work positioning
is that the user is free to use his hands. A work positioning system usually
consists of components attached to a vertical life safety rope and includes a
full-body harness, descent controllers, and initial real and positioning
lanyards used to support or suspend a worker at a work position at the height.
The work positioning system can be
used:
· The system includes a suitable backup
system for preventing or arresting a fall, as per the hierarchy of Rope Access
systems at the height.
· Where the system includes a line as a
backup system, the user is connected to it with a fall protection system.
Personal Suspension Equipment
Personal
suspension equipment is defined as equipment used by an individual for
suspended access purposes of equipment at work at height. Inspected by a
competent person before each use. Ensure it shall only be used by personnel/worker
who has received specific training in its use and who have formally
demonstrated their competence. Workers in a boatswain’s chair shall wear a full-body
harness connected to a separate fall arrest system.
FALL ARREST
Personal fall
arrest is the most common form of personal fall protection as it is relatively
simple to operate, requiring only minimal equipment and limited training for
the work at height. Fall arrest is a technique that makes use of PPE to stop a
falling person under safe conditions at the height. A fall arrest equipment
shall be marked with:
· The manufacturer name, equipment
designation and serial number, and test date.
· Supplied with written instructions for
the use made available to all users.
· Tested to approve International
Standards, with records of tests available.
FALL ARREST INCLUDES:
· Safety Nets
· Lanyards
· Full-Body Harness
· Anchorage Points
· Horizontal and Vertical Lifelines
· Self-Retracting Lifelines
· Safety Nets
Purpose of
the protecting people from injury after falling from heights by limiting the
distance they fall and deflect to dissipate the impact energy. This also helps
in arresting the falling or flying objects for the safety of people beyond or
below the net for protection. Safety nets are used for protection in
construction, building maintenance, or other industries.
Types of Safety nets available:
· Personnel nets: 100mm mesh size -
intended to catch a person falling from a height.
· Material or debris protection nets:
12mm -19mm mesh size - intended to minimize the risk of personnel below the
falling object.
1.
Ensure
that fall prevention measures are not reasonably practicable to implement.
2.
Ensure
regularly inspected and replaced in case of any wear and tear of safety net.
3.
Erected
as close as reasonably practicable to the working level.
4.
Erection
of Safety nets shall be carried out by competent persons/ workers and shall
ensure that any supporting framework can withstand impact or shock loadings of
safety net.
5.
Ensure
it shall be securely attached to the support framework with tie cords, hooks
rings, or thimbles spaced according to the net manufacturer’s recommendation of
secure of person.
6.
It
shall extend outward from the outermost projection of the work surface as
mentioned.
7.
It
shall be drop-tested at the job site after initial installation, before being
used as a fall protection system, after any fall, whenever relocated, after
major repair, and at six months intervals if left in one place:
· Ensure the drop test shall consist of
a 180kg bag of sand 750mm ± 50mm in diameter dropped into the net from the
highest walking/working surface at which personnel is exposed to work hazards,
but not less than 1 meter above that level for a safe system.
· When the drop-test is not practicable,
it shall certify that the net and net installation complies with the provisions
of this section by preparing a certification record before the net is used as a
fall protection system provision.
· Ensure the most recent certification
record for each net and net installation shall be made available at the Jobsite
for inspection of the safety net.
8.
Ensure
the maximum size of each safety net mesh opening shall not exceed 230cm2 nor be
longer than 150mm on any side, and the opening measured Centre-to-Centre of
mesh ropes or webbing, shall not be longer than 150mm.
LANYARDS:
The lanyards are
designed to connect the person working at height to an anchorage point so that
in the unfortunate event of a fall the lanyard will catch the fall and absorb
the forces created by the fall from the work at height.
There are two types of lanyards single
lanyards and twin/ double lanyards
1.
The
lanyard shall be long enough to allow full reach to the work. Should it become
necessary to move beyond the reach of one lanyard, two/twin lanyards shall be
worn, one of which shall be tied off to a secure anchorage point at all times.
It shall be ensured that at all times the personnel working at height shall be
connected to the anchorage point.
2.
The
lanyards shall be anchored to a structural member or other supports which shall
withstand the impact of the fall, and not allow the free fall more than 1.8
meters (6 feet), nor allow contact with any lower level of the anchor point.
3.
Ensure
additional lanyards shall be supplied for use as replacements if defective
lanyards are taken out of use.
FULL-BODY HARNESS
Full body
harness Interface between the human body and the attachment system at work at
height. The Full Body Harness shall be suitable and appropriate to withstand
the weight of personnel wearing it including the weight of tools to be carried
at work at height. The full-body harness shall be equipped with shoulder straps
and leg straps, a sub-pelvic assembly, adjustable buckles or fasteners, and one
or more Drings to connect to shock-absorbing lanyards complete system. Full
body Harnesses shall be selected to ensure they are suitable for the intended
use at the work at height. Ensure it shall have a combined body and tool weight
of less than 310 pounds.
A well-selected harness features:
· Suspension Trauma safety straps.
· Comfortable to wear when not in
tension, e.g. walking about the site.
· Provide adequate levels of support for
working.
· Be able to catch a fall without
injuring the wearer.
· Shall not be overly complex to put on
or adjust.
ANCHORAGE POINTS
1.
Established
such that personnel has free movement without the need to repeatedly unclip the
harness.
2.
Where
the foregoing distances do not permit a sufficient range of movement, then
approved and certified inertia reels and running lines may be used, provided
that the maximum free fall distances are not exceeded.
3.
Ensure
it shall be as high as possible ideally overhead, but no lower than waist
height.
4.
Ensure
it shall be located such that, in the event of a fall, the cable/lanyard does
not contact the edge of a roof or platform, and avoids the pendulum effect
whereby it slides along an edge.
5.
Make
sure such contact may result in the damage or failure of the line or failure to
arrest the person.
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL LIFELINES
Horizontal
lifelines shall be installed and used according to the manufacturer’s
recommendation. The following guidelines shall be taken into consideration
while using a lifeline:
1.
Softeners
shall be used where lifelines contact sharp edges, such as beam flanges.
2.
Ensure
temporary lifelines shall be removed after a job.
3.
Anchor
points, connectors, and other system components shall be capable of safely
supporting one person falling 1.8 meters at work height.
4.
A
vertical lifeline shall be used by only one person at a time at the work at
height.
SELF-RETRACTING LIFELINES (SRL)
Self-retracting
lifelines are used in conjunction with other components of a fall arrest system.
It shall be used by only one person at a time at height. A properly inspected,
correctly installed, and well-maintained SRL used in a fall arrest system,
automatically stops a person’s descent a short distance after the onset of an
accidental fall from the work at height.
Self-retracting
lifelines SRL shall be considered for use when working in areas such as roofs,
scaffolds, tanks, towers, vessels, and manholes. The retractable lifelines shall
be considered when climbing such equipment as vertical fixed ladders. There are
two types of SRL Self-retracting lifelines.
1. Type A
· Ensure maximum arrest distance not to
exceed 24” (610mm).
· Make sure the average arresting force does
not exceed 1350 lbs. (6 KN) or a maximum peak of 1800lbs (8 KN).
· Make sure after environmental
conditioning (hot, cold, wet), that the average arresting force is not to
exceed 1575 lbs. (7 KN) or a maximum peak of 1800 lbs. (8 KN).
2. Type B
· Ensure maximum arrest distance not to
exceed 54” (1372 mm).
· Make sure the average arresting force does
not exceed 900 lbs. (4kN) or a maximum peak of 1800 lbs. (8 KN).
· Make sure after environmental
conditioning (hot, cold, wet), that the average arresting force is not to
exceed 1125 lbs. (5 KN) or a maximum peak of 1800 lbs. (8 KN).
· Ensure, all in all, the two classes
are divided by 2.5 feet of arresting distance and 450 lbs. of arresting force.
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