Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute

Work at Height

When are we working at height?

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Fall protection must be in place where there is a fall

potential of 1.8 meters or more.
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Working at heights of 1.8 meters (6 feet) or higher above the

ground cannot proceed unless the following minimum Work at
Height requirements are adhered to:

• Whenever possible, where work at height is undertaken it must

be performed from a safe working platform for example:
permanent work structure with guard/ hand rails, green tagged
scaffolds, a mobile elevated work platform, crane man-basket
etc.

• For work at height, all personnel are required to wear a harness

type fall protection which is equipped with two (2) lanyards in
order to provide compliance.
 Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute

• Many work activities involve working at heights when

using platforms such as scaffolds, tower scaffolds, mobile
elevated work platforms (MEWPS) or working on a ladder.
• Work on roofs (buildings, tanks, vessels)
• At the edge of unguarded elevated structures
• At the edge of unguarded excavations
• Walkways and ramps
• Floor Openings
• Erecting formworks
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Contributing Factors

Contributing factors when Working at Height

Incidents occur?:

• Failing to use or tie off when wearing a harness

• Wearing the wrong sort of harness
• Wearing the harness incorrectly
• Incorrect use of fall prevention equipment
• Lack of job planning and job assessment
• Incorrect set up and use of elevated work
platforms
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Rules for Working at Height

• Understand the hazards of working at height

• Be trained in the use, inspection and maintenance of fall
arrest systems.
• Undergo refresher training as require by changes in the
workplace and/or equipment.
 Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute

Rules for Working at Height

• Where practicable a work platform with guard /

handrails shall be used
• All fall prevention equipment in use shall be fit for
purpose and in good condition (inspected by a
competent person)
• An approved fall protection system shall be used
for all work where there is a potential to fall 1.8
metres or more
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Rules for Working at Height

2 mtr length of
lanyard

1.2 mtr
deceleration
distance Total 6 meters
from anchorage

1.8 mtr height of

person

1 mtr safety
margin
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Rules for Working at Height

• Clip on to strong anchor points. (capable of

supporting a load of 2250kg)
• Protect all from dropped objects.
• Do not take short cuts.
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Rules for Working at Height

• Know how you will be recovered if you fall and are
suspended.
• Always check the integrity of ladders used to access
a ‘working at height’ area.
• Prevent other people from entering the ‘working at
height’ area unless they are authorised to do so.
• Maintain good housekeeping.
 Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute

Factors that Could Cause a Fall

• moving from one • unsuitable foot wear

surface to another • slippery surfaces
at heights • dust, wind and rain
• uncovered holes • being struck by falling
and openings objects
• open edges not • incorrectly using a
barricaded ladder
• uneven surfaces • incorrectly using fall
• moving surfaces arresting equipment
• poor lighting
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Components of Fall Protection System

Rope Grabs

Lanyards

Full body harness Slings for beams Roof anchors

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Components of Fall Protection System

Tripod Life Lines

Ropes Connectors
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Choosing Fall Protection Equipment

• the height of the work area

• if you will be in a confined space

• the length of time you will need to perform the task

• the flexibility of movement required to perform the task

• the number of people required to perform the task.

 Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute

Personal Fall Arrest System

• Full body harness

• Shock absorbing double lanyard
• In good working condition -
inspected quarterly and color coded.

No safety belts are allowed on the project, only

approved FULL BODY HARNESS with 2 shock
absorbing lanyards are to be used !
 Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute

Lifeline Systems

• Lifeline systems are points of attachment for fall protection

lanyards and harnesses.
• Lifelines shall not be used for any other purpose than fall
protection.
• Lifelines shall be inspected by a competent person weekly
following the same inspection procedure for scaffolds
inspection.
 Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute

Personnel Cages (Man-Basket)

• The use of personnel cages should be viewed

as a last resort.
• All lifts involving Man Baskets shall require a
valid Cold Work Permit to work including
completion of a pre-lift checklist.
• The SWL of the crane shall be down rated by
50% of the load chart at the operating radius
when being used to lift a man basket.
 Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute

Donning the Safety Harness

• Visually check the harness to ensure
all components are in good condition.
• Fit the harness and tighten the straps
so they are firm, but comfortable.
• Make sure none of the straps are
twisted and that they lay flat against
your body.
• Check that your movements are not
restricted.
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Lanyards
• Double shock absorbing lanyards required.

• At least one lanyard is hooked or tied off on an anchor point

all the time.
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Anchor Points
• You must use suitable anchor points
• Directly above the shoulders as much as possible.
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High Above Head

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The place where work at height is undertaken must be safe

i.e. a fixed permanent platform with guard/ hand rails, a mobile
elevated work platform, crane man-basket or green tagged
scaffold etc.

Scaffold with Double Mobile Elevated Working Mobile Elevated Working

Hand Rails & Toe Platform with Double Platform with Double
Boards Handrails & Toe Boards Handrails & Toe Boards
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• For work at height, all personnel are required to wear a

harness type fall protection which is equipped with two (2)
lanyards
Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute
 Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute

Suspension Trauma
When a person is suspended in a full body
harness for any length of time there is the
potential for that person to suffer suspension
trauma otherwise referred to as Orthostatic
intolerance.
The harness leg straps apply a lot of pressure to
the insides of the legs of the patient reducing
blood flow back to the heart.
Prolonged suspension from fall arrest systems can cause orthostatic
intolerance, which, in turn, can result in serious physical injury, or
potentially, death.
Research indicates that suspension in a fall arrest device can result in
unconsciousness, followed by death, in less than 30 minutes.
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Suspension Trauma
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Rescue Plan

• Rescue Plan mandatory in the PTW.

• Training on the Rescue Plan.

In the event of a fall:

• Emergency services to be contacted immediately.
• Must come rapidly to minimize the potential of
suspension trauma.
• If possible and conscious, self rescue is most
desirable.
• Time is of the essence.
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Rescue Plan
Planning for working at height must include planning for emergencies and
rescue.

• Should not be difficult.

• Need to cover all reasonably foreseeable
events.
• Should be simple & easily achievable.
• Should be practiced.
• Should be understood by all parties
involved in the plan.
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Working at Heights Violations!

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Unsafe Acts/Conditions
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Unsafe Conditions
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Unsafe Acts
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What is a DROPPED Object?

Any object that falls

from its previous static position
under its own weight
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Consequences of a Dropped Object

1 kg tool
Consequences
dropped from
1 – 3 metres First Aid
3 – 10 metres Recordable Injury
>11 metres Fatality
The table is only a guide: assumes blunt objects and the wearing of
standard PPE
Even a small object falling from a height can be fatal.
 Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute

Falling Objects
Objects falling from a height are capable of causing
considerable injury to people and damage to equipment.

Examples of falling objects include, but not limited to:

• Nuts & bolts, loose grating, fittings, tools, waste materials,
wood off cuts, scaffold materials.
How can we prevent accident?
• Follow all requirements of the Permit to Work.
• Good housekeeping and good storage practices.
• Cover holes and floor openings.
• Carry tools in a ‘hands free’ approved tool bag.
• Inspect area - consider simultaneous operations.
Bangladesh Engineering & Safety Institute