Scaffold Fall

Protection
Planning

Chantelle De Beer
Employees Responsibility

Responsibility moves to YOU:

➢ When you have received training and have been assessed competent for a
particular task.

➢ When the equipment is in good safe working order and condition.

Example Fall Protection Plan

SITE-SPECIFIC FALL PROTECTION PLAN

PART A
To be completed by the employer or responsible person before commencement of
work.
PART B
To be completed by Risk Assessor before commencement of work.
PART C
To be completed by Supervisor before commencement of work.
PART D
To be completed by Team Members before commencement of work.
PART E
To be completed by Fall Protection Planner before commencement of work.
PART F
To be signed off and accepted before commencement of work
PPE, Harness and Rescue
Equipment, Etc.
Before using a full body harness inspect it and check...

➢ S.A.N.S /S.A.B.S / E.N Approved

➢ Correct Safe Work Load ( SWL)
➢ The overall condition of the harness
➢ All straps for wear and tear
➢ All straps for cuts
➢ All straps for fray-ing
➢ All straps for damp or mould
➢ All padding
➢ The condition of all connection points
➢ The condition of all buckles and fasteners
Examples of Hardware / Software
Inspections
➢ S.A.N.S (S.A.B.S) / E.N Approved
➢ Correct Safe Work Load ( SWL)
➢ The overall condition
➢ All straps for wear and tear
➢ All straps for cuts
➢ All straps for fray-ing
➢ All straps for damp or mould
➢ All padding
➢ The condition of all connection points
➢ The condition of all buckles and fasteners
Retractable and Permanent
Life Lines

➢ In certain applications where we may be required to work at heights on regular intervals at the same
location, it may be worthwhile installing a permanent life line, which we are able to clip onto every time we
have to go to that location and work at height to perform our tasks or routine maintenance and inspections.

➢ Take Note That All Lifelines Should Be Installed and Approved By a Competent Person.
 Anchor Points

➢ Engineered anchor points

➢ An engineered anchor point is an anchor point that has been specifically research, designed, built and monitored by
competent people.

➢ These engineered anchor points are the safest form of anchor points as they have been planned with a specific purpose and
task in mind, and competent people have decided what the best form of anchor will be, how strong it must be and therefore
the users safety has been considered prior to using the anchor point.
 Anchor Points

Un-engineered anchor points are also referred to as “self –identified” anchor points.
As the terms implies these anchor points are not pre-determined and researched by competent
people prior to use and the employee will identify possible anchor points when on site and working
at the height in the specific environment.
The employee therefore needs to be trained on how to identify and select possible anchor points
and then make the decisions.
Anchor Points
EXAMPLES OF SELF IDENTIFIED ANCHOR POINTS (Scaffolding)
Fall Arrest and Risk Plan

➢ When working at heights there is always a possible danger of someone being

able to fall from the height or platform.
➢ In terms of all good and safety practices, before sending anyone to work at
heights, we need to assess the risk(Risk matrix can be used), dangers and
hazards associated with the task and the related height.
➢ Once we have identified all the possible risks, we need to ensure that the
environment is made as safe as is practically possible, by erecting walkways,
engineering anchor points and so on.
➢ We then need to establish what safety equipment will be required by the
workers as well as the training requirements.
Hierarchy Of Controls As Per O.H.S
Act 85 of 1993
Section 8 Duties Of The Employer
Fall Factors

➢ The distance of the fall is called the fall factor and the fall factor indicates how
serious the fall may be.

➢ A fall factor is simply a mathematical sum used to calculate the amount of force
that can be experienced by a technician when he falls. The fall factor is the
length of the fall divided by the length of the rope from the falling technician to
the anchor point.

➢ The higher the anchor point the less the force exerted on the body after a fall.
Fall Factors

There are four phases to a fall:

➢ The initiation of a fall
➢ The fall itself
➢ The arrest of a fall
➢ Suspension after the fall

Ways to reduce the fall factor:

➢ Keep the anchor point as high as possible.
➢ Using a different fall arrest system (e.g. vertical or horizontal life-line)
➢ Use a fall arrest block/ Retractable Life line
Ways to reduce the distance of
a fall include:
➢ Keep the anchor point as high as possible.
➢ Using a different fall arrest system (e.g. vertical or horizontal life-line)
➢ Apply correctly safety procedures for working at heights
➢ Using the correct equipment

With all risk management, the steps involved are:

➢ Identify the risk
➢ Assess the risk
➢ Control the risk
➢ Monitor and review the effectiveness of the control measures
Min Free Space Diagram
Rescue

➢ The duties and responsibilities of the rescue team,

➢ Principles of safe practice,

➢ General guidelines on the means and methods to be

employed in rescue operations, and

➢ Training guidelines and measures of competency for

rescue personnel
Types of Rescue

When a person has been suspended in mid-air after a fall, their lives are at risk, even if they survived
the fall with no injuries. Every second counts! It is important to note that the risk to life is serious even after being rescued.
The guidelines below are included to assist in understanding the importance of rescues and to show you what action
should be taken to prevent death from suspension trauma.
There are four options for dealing with an emergency when working at heights:
• Lowering a casualty that is out of reach
This is when a person has fallen and requires rescue by another but cannot be reached by direct access and needs special equipment to
reach him.
• Raising a casualty that is out of reach
This is when a person has fallen and requires rescue by another but cannot be reached by direct access and needs special equipment to
reach him.
He is unable to be lowered due to restrictions below him and therefore needs to be raised.
• Self evacuation by descent
When you are in a situation whereby you have not physically been injured but possibility of an injury exists, such as the section above
you is on fire, and you need to lower yourself to safety.
• Rescuing another in descent (Pick-off rescue)
This is when a person has fallen and requires rescue by another and can be accessed by the rescuer directly.
The rescuer connects himself and lowers down to the victim. Connects the victim to himself and lowers
the victim down.
Suspension Trauma

➢ Collection of blood in the legs (as explained above)

➢ Uneven distribution of the blood, with less going to the brain and
more going elsewhere
➢ Low blood sugar levels
➢ Low blood oxygen levels
➢ Low blood carbon dioxide levels
Symptoms from Suspension
Trauma

Symptoms that can be experienced from suspension

trauma are:

➢ Light-headedness
➢ Nausea
➢ Breathing difficulty
➢ Sweating
➢ Numbness in the limbs
➢ Tingling in the limbs
Housekeeping

At the end of this module the learner

will be able to…

➢ Explain what housekeeping is

➢ Discuss the advantages and

disadvantages

➢ Explain how to clean and store the

different fall arrest equipment
Thank you

Questions?
Before use hand over.
Once a week.
Impact/inclement weather.
Alterations/modification.
Before dismantling.