CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

TRAINING
Module 6 – Working at Height

BANYU URIP PROJECT

EPC1 - Production Processing Facilities
Contract No. C-3207067
Lesson learn
Training Objectives
Upon completion of this module you will be able to:

 Identify the risks of working at heights

 Assess situations in which fall protection is required
 Know where to access a tool box of resources for
assistance
 Working at Heights

Facts
• Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry
• Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that most fatalities occur when workers fall
from open-sided floors or through unguarded floor openings
• Falls from as little as 1.2m,1.8m can cause serious lost time injury and sometimes
death
 Cumulative # of WAH Incidents

10
15
20
25
30

0
5
Jan-04
(2004 - 2007)

Jul-04

Jan-05

Jul-05

Jan-06
EMDC Working at Heights Incidents

Jul-06
•
5

Jan-07

Jul-07
EMDC Working at Heights Incidents (2004 - 2007)

Near Miss
Fatality First Aid Elevated Deck

MTI Ladders

64% Unbarricaded Floor

79% Opening
Scaffolding
LTI RWI
WORK SITUATION

INJURY SEVERITY
Yes, and
tied-off Yes, But not
tied-off

Unknown
51%
No
+

WORE FBH?
 Question
You have just climbed all the way to here

Now you realize you’ll need a

FBH to access the component
you came to inspect.

• 7
What would you do?

A. Crawl outside of the scaffolding

B. Climb down, perform Job Safety Analysis, get Fall

Protection equipment, climb back up....???
 Working at Heights Expectations

Training
Requirements Proper
Planning

Roles &
Equipment
Responsibilities
Selection

Management of
Safe Behaviors
Change

Emergency Partnership
Response Approach
Performance
Measurement
• 9
 Working at Heights Safely

A fall protection system is used to protect workers from

falling
from elevated walking/working surfaces

Fall protection involves three key fundamental

methods
• The elimination of fall hazards

“E - P - C” • The prevention of fall hazards

• The control of fall hazards

• 10
 Working at Heights Safely
Can you first eliminate the need to work at height?
Examples of engineering controls or alternative work
• Design for safety during constructability reviews / automate work
• MOST
• effective
tasks where possible
• Look for ways to perform construction, fabrication or other
activities at ground level
• Use equipment that eliminates fall hazards
• Use tool extensions to perform work from ground level
• LEAST
• Lower equipment and tools to ground level for maintenance or
• effective

repairs
 Working at Heights Safely

Two major categories for fall protection systems:

Passive fall protection systems: You are not connected!

• Provide protection without any action by a worker
• Guardrails -Toeboards - Barricades – Safety Nets - Covers
Active fall protection systems: You are connected!
• Full-Body Harness (FBH) - Double Lanyards - SRLs

• 12
Equipment Selection and Use
Tie-Off Point
Connecting Line

Harness

• 13
Equipment Selection and Use

Harness

Personal Floatation
Device for Over Water
Full Body Harness (Supplementary)

• 14
Full Body Harness

• 15
Fall Protection Equipment
FBH without Shock Absorber
Condition
• Full Body Harness
• 1.8 M Lanyard
• No Shock Absorber

Potential Consequence
• 1500 Force

• 16
 Fall Protection Equipment
FBH with Shock Absorber
Condition
• Full Body Harness
• 6-ft Lanyard
• Shock Absorber

Potential Consequence
• 408 KG Force

• 17
Don’t do this could be FATALITY

• 18
AV\filename.ppt
 Equipment Selection and Use
Connecting Line

Twin-Tail Shock- Or Two Single Shock-

Absorbing Lanyard Absorbing Lanyards

Or Self-Retracting Lanyard
with possible Shock-Absorber
 Equipment Selection and Use
Connecting Line

Rope Grab Work Positioning System

• 21
Equipment Selection and Use

Tie-Off Point

Clamps

2500KG
Capacity

Secured Handrail
Lifeline
• 22
Plan for Adequate Fall Distance

• Lanyard length (typically • Lengt

h of

Total the hight needed

1.8meter) lanya
rd
 Shock Absorber (typically 1,8m
• Shock

up to 1 meter, dependent absor

ber

on shock load) •
1m
Ting
gi
man
 Body length usia
1,8m

=
Tie-Off as High as Possible
Full Body Harness Best Practices

The Chest Strap should be high on

the chest and should be tight enough to
prevent the shoulder straps from falling
off the shoulders

The Dorsal D-Ring should be

located between the shoulder
blades.

Leg Loops should be tight, but not

uncomfortable.

The Sub-Pelvic Strap should

be located just below the
buttocks.

• 24
Rescue at Heights
Suspension Trauma
• Dizziness in as Little as 3
Minutes
• Loss of Consciousness in as
Little as 5 Minutes
• Death in as Little as 10
Minutes

• 25
Rescue at Heights

• 26
July 9, 2008 Fujian Refinery

25 M above ground
Recent step change in workforce compliance with 100% tie-off rule

• 27
July 9, 2008 Fujian Refinery

Rescued by 2 colleagues
within 2 minutes

• 28
#1 Rule
Design for NO Work at Heights
• Design for safety during constructability reviews /
automate work tasks where possible
• Look for ways to perform construction, fabrication or
other activities at ground level
• Use equipment that eliminates fall hazards
• Use tool extensions to perform work from ground level
• Lower equipment and tools to ground level for
maintenance or repairs
• 29
Mandatory Tie-Off

Scaffold Erection/Dismantling

• 30
Mandatory Tie-Off

Within 1.8 meter of Unprotected Edge of Elevated

Surface
• 31
Mandatory Tie-Off

Within 1.8 meter of an Unprotected Floor Penetration

• 32
Mandatory Tie-Off

Outside of Scaffold On Suspended Scaffold

• 33
Mandatory Tie-Off

On Sloping Roof Where there is potential to

Fall onto Sharp, Protruding
Objects (Eg. Rebar)

• 34
Mandatory Tie-Off

In Crane Baskets On Personnel Lifts

• 35
When to Wear a Full Body Harness

Whenever there is a need to Tie-Off

... and

• 36
When to Wear a Full Body Harness

Whenever on scaffold
• 37
When to Wear a Full Body Harness

Any other Situation where you could

potentially need to Tie-Off
• 38
 Working at Heights Safely
Summary

Reduce the Need to Work At Heights

• During engineering design, pre-construction planning and/or pre-task
planning, reduce need to work at heights

• Redesign / automate existing work practices / processes

• Use mechanical means (elevated platforms, scissor lifts, cherry pickers,

snorkel lifts etc.)

• If working at heights can not be eliminated, assess the potential risk and use
the appropriate fall arrest system

• 39
Working at Heights Safely
Summary (Cont’d)
Recognizing Common Hazards and Preventative Requirements

• Working at Heights involves various work activities where the risk of falling exists e.g.
scaffolds, roofs, openings in floors / walls

• Mitigation to prevent falls are through the use of physical barriers and / monitoring the
hazard

• Use of PFAS and understanding anchorage and calculating distance assures a proper
system is in place

• Use of JSA and Step Back 5x5 to assess hazards

• Institute the best fall protection methods that fit the work

• Have a good rescue plan in place and know the rescue technique you’ll be using before
beginning working at height
• 40
 THANK YOU
“Nobody Gets Hurt”