WORKING AT HEIGHTS
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF SAFELY WORKING AT HEIGHTS
Work sites today pose hazards that can cause serious harm. The obligation to end each day safely is everyone’s responsibility, employers and employees. An awareness of the hazards at workplaces allows them to be safely addressed.
This principle has been used in many very high risk occupations for some time, and the benefits have been rewarding with a noticeable reduction in accident statistics. A risk assessment – hazard reduction program should be used by all working at height. Identification of the hazards is key to working safely – avoiding injury or death.
GENERAL TERMINOLOGY USED IN FALL PREVENTION Restraint Technique
Control of a person's movement by means of a combination of a harness, and shock absorbing lanyard connected to an anchor point that will physically prevent the person from reaching a position at which there is a risk of a free fall.
Restrained Fall
A fall or the arrest of a fall where the person suffering the fall is partially restrained by a restraining device such as a pole strap under tension.
Limited Free Fall
A fall or the arrest of a fall where the free fall distance prior to the system taking the load does not exceed 600mm.
Free Fall Arrest
A fall or the arrest of a fall where the fall distance prior to the fall arrest system taking any load exceeds 600mm either vertically or on a slope on which it is not possible to walk without assistance of a handrail or hand line. The maximum free fall distance permitted with a shock absorbing lanyard is 2m. (Refer notes on fall clearances).
Free fall > 600mm <2000mm
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WORKING AT HEIGHTS
B-SAFE CATALOGUE
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