Don't Fall Down on Protection! [Jul 2005]
Personal fall protection systems and equipment
Don't Fall Down on Protection!
Personal fall protection systems and equipment
Falls from height are the most common cause of fatal and major injury to construction workers. Globally, working at height is one of the most dangerous working environments. In the period covering 2003/2004, sixty seven people died and nearly four thousand suffered a serious injury as a result of a fall from height in the workplace.
Common perception is that a fall from height occurs when an individual is working whilst artificially raised from the ground. However 'Work at Height' is defined within the Work at Height Regulations 2005 as 'If a person could be injured falling from it, even if it is at or below ground level.
Falls from height are the most common cause of fatal injury and the second most common cause of major injury to employees, accounting for 15% of all such injuries. All industry sectors are exposed to the risks presented by this hazard although the level of incidence varies considerably across industry sectors.
Eight Priority Programs
These statistics have resulted in the Health and Safety Commission including the subject of falls from height in their Eight Priority Programs. These Eight Priority Programs are aimed to meet the targets for the reduction in injury rates in the workplace. The Health and Safety Executive have identified a number of factors which can result in serious injury or death from a fall from a height. They concluded that the majority of these injuries or deaths are a result of bad management and lack of effective risk assessment rather than equipment failure, these factors include:
- Failure to recognise a problem
- Failure to ensure that safe systems of work are followed
- Failure to provide safe systems of work
- Inadequate information, instruction, training or supervision provided
- Failure to use appropriate equipment
- Failure to provide safe plant/equipment
RIDDOR
The RIDDOR '95 (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995), regulation came into force on the 1st of April 1996. The regulation requires the reporting of work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences. Whilst it applies to all work activities, not all incidents need to be reported, however it is a legal requirement to comply with the RIDDOR regulations. RIDDOR covers the following types of incidents:
- Deaths
- Major injuries
- Accidents resulting over-3-days injury
- Disease
- Dangerous occurrences
- Gas incidents
Research conducted by the Health and Safety Executive research found the following harrowing statistics collated through the RIDDOR reporting lines:
Fatal injuries - reported under RIDDOR
- In the period, 2002/2003 the total number of fatal injuries to workers was 226 compared with 251 for 2001/2002. Of these, the number of workers fatally injured as a result from falling from a height fell from 69 in 2001/2002 to 49 in 2002/2003, a reduction of 29%
- The most common agents associated with a fatal injury to workers during 2002/2003 where:
Ladders - 13 Roofs - 8 Scaffold - 6
- The construction industry accounted for 67% of all fatalities to workers as a result of falling from a height in 2002/2003
Major injuries - reported under RIDDOR
- In the period, 2002/2003 the total number of reported major injuries to employees was 28,426. This represents a slight increase from 28,011, the corresponding period in 2001/2002. Falls from a height accounted for 14% (3,880) major injuries in 2002/2003, compared with 15% (4,066) in 2001/2002
- The number of major injuries to the self-employed from falling from a height in 2002/2003 was 376, compared with 356 in 2001/2002, an increase of 6%
- Ladders accounted for the greatest number of major injuries to employees due to high falls (40%) and low falls (30%) in 2002/2003
- The construction industry accounted for 35% (1503) of all major injuries to workers as a result of falling from a height in 2002/2003
- In 2002/2003 falling from height accounted for 30% of all major injuries to employees in the construction industry, 14% in extractive and utility supply and 16% in agriculture
Over-3-day injuries - reported under RIDDOR
- The total numbers of over-3-day injuries to employees in the period 2002/2003 was 126,004 and of these 4% (4910) were as a result of falling from a height. The corresponding figures for 2001/2002 are 129,655 with 4.2% (5459) as a result of falling from a height
- The number of over-3-day injuries to the self-employed during 2002/2003 is 145 out of a total of 928, this compares with 146 injuries out of a total of 917 in 2001/2002. Significantly these figures illustrate the low level of reporting amongst the self-employed
- In 2002/2003 the highest number of falls from height causing over-3- day injuries to employees were in the large service industry (2,825) followed by manufacturing (1,108) and construction (804)
Identifying risk
Areas in the workplace which could indicate there is a risk of such occurrences happening include:
- Inadequate equipment or equipment is inappropriately used e.g. ladders
- Fragile, unstable, loose, uneven or worn floor surfaces
- Broken or unstable ladders, platforms and scaffolding
- People not having or not wearing non-slip boots or shoes
- Handling unstable loads or having to reach too far at a height
- Lack of handrails, or rails too far apart on stairs
- Slippery, wet or oily floor surfaces
- Unguarded floor and roof openings
- Open pits, tanks, silos and lift wells
- Poor storage causing obstruction
- Poorly secured ladders
- Correct PPE not being issued or used by employees
- Incorrect PPE being supplied eg. wrong size
- Inadequate training
- PPE not being maintained
Preventative actions
Employers should ensure that the following simple precautions are taken to reduce the risk of falls within the work environment:
- Handrails are installed on stairways and ramps
- Good lighting is maintained throughout work areas
- Suitable equipment be provided so that employees don't have to jump to get down from working at a height
- Work areas, particularly raised areas or areas around floor and roof openings, are kept free of obstacles
- Secure railings, fences and barriers are installed and maintained around entrance holes
- Non-slip walkway, ladder and stair surfaces are installed
- Walkways and crawl-boards are used on fragile surfaces
- Spills on floors are immediately cleaned up and action taken to prevent further spillage
- A range of non-slip protective footwear is available to employees
- Approved scaffolders and riggers are employed as required
- Well designed safety belts and harnesses are available and used
- Adequate and appropriate training
- Correct storage to minimise risks from obstruction
In addition there is an increased emphasis and legal responsibility for employers to provide the correct Personal Protective Equipment for their employees.
Legislation
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 came into affect on the 6th of April 2005 and replace all earlier regulations about working at height and consolidate previous legislation about working at height. The Regulations implement European Council Directive 2001/45/EC (Temporary Work at Height Directive) concerning minimum safety and health requirements for where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 applies to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. The Regulations place duties on employers, the self-employed and any person who controls the work of others (e.g. building owners or facilities managers who may contract others to work at height) to the extent they control the work. The Regulations will not apply to the provision of paid instruction or leadership in caving or climbing by way of sport, recreation, team building or similar activities.
As part of the Regulations, duty holders must ensure:
- All work at height is properly planned and organised
- Those involved in work at height are trained and competent
- The risks from work at height are assessed and appropriate work equipment is selected and used
- The risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled
- Equipment for work at height is properly inspected and maintained
- All work at height takes account of weather conditions that could endanger health and safety
- The place where work at height will take place is safe
- Equipment for work at height is appropriately inspected
The Regulations also place responsibility on employees or individuals working under someone else's control. These being:
- They must report any safety hazard to them
- They must use any equipment supplied (including safety devices) properly, following any training and instructions (or seek further instruction if considered unsafe)
CE marking of fall arrest equipment
Fall arrest equipment must be fit for the purpose which it is intended and must be CE marked under the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Directive 89/686/EEC. The scope for products that fall within the PPE Directive are those that 'are worn or held by an individual which protect against one or more simultaneous hazards'.
It is important to note that the CE mark is a product conformity mark; it is not a product quality mark and should not be interpreted as such.
Route to compliance
Fall arrest equipment falls within the complex category of the PPE Directive which is for products that have a bearing on preventing the wearer from receiving fatal or irreversible injuries. This means that the device has to have an initial EC Type Examination issued by a Notified Body such as BSI Product Services. In addition, depending on the level of attestation there is a requirement for the Notified Body to perform on-going surveillance. Compliance is demonstrated by the manufacturer placing its on-going surveillance Notified Body number - BSI is Notified Body 0086 - after its CE symbol.
Standards
Article 10 - EC Type Examination
In order to sell fall arrest products on the European market the equipment must have an EC Type examination carried out. This requires that the manufacturer submits a technical file to a Notified Body. This technical file contains details about the product and how the manufacturer satisfies the Essential Health and Safety Requirements of the Directive with that product.
The most common way for manufacturers to demonstrate this is through having the product tested against a harmonised standard. This is a European Standard which has an informative Annex ZA listing contained at the back. This Annex ZA describes how the requirements within the standard meet the Essential Health and Safety Requirements of the PPE Directive.
The Technical file must contain important information about the product such as the materials and components used and the quality plan to which the product is made.
Once the Notified Body has reviewed the file and found it satisfactory an EC Type Examination Certificate can be issued. This Certificate provides the evidence required by the manufacture to legally sell his product within the European Union.
On-going surveillance
Fall arrest equipment falls into the complex category of the PPE Directive and therefore a form of annual on-going surveillance is required for compliance. There are two options available to the manufacturer:
Article 11A - Annual testing
Through this route the Notified Body will select samples of the manufacturers approved fall arrest equipment in order for it to be tested to against the relevant harmonised standard.
Article 11B - Annual auditing of the manufactures quality system
This route requires the Notified Body will visit the manufacturers' premises and conduct an audit. The purpose of the audit is to assess how the manufacture ensures that the fall arrest equipment they make continues to meet the standard(s) it was initially approved to. The audit will examine various elements such as operating and functional procedures used and test equipment employed to test the product.
Fall arrest standard
There are many types of fall arrest equipment available all designed to satisfy the working requirements needed by different situations. These products vary from standard harnesses, worn by the individual and connected to a device such as an energy absorbing lanyard to a retractable life line or a work positioning harness which is used to anchor the individual in the correct position when working at a height.
New developments
Following the implementation of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 BSI has published BS 8437: 2005 - Code of practice for selection, use and maintenance of personal fall protection systems and equipment for use in the workplace. This new British Standard written with experts from the Health and Safety Executive provides recommendations and guidance and is designed to assist those within the workplace to comply with The Work at Height Regulations 2005.
A new standard for permanently fixed ladders has also recently been published. BS 4211: 2005 - Specification for permanently fixed ladders specifies requirements for ladders with single bar rungs intended to be fixed permanently to structures such as chimneys, silos and bins to provide a means of access. Requirements for associated platforms and safety hoops are also contained within this standard.
Summary
The importance of PPE can never be underestimated. The selection and usage of the correct fall arrest equipment for specific applications is critical to prevent people working from height being killing or injured. Fall arrest equipment accounts for two of the six factors that have been identified as root causes of fall arrest serious injuries and fatalities, these being failure to use appropriate equipment and failure to provide safe plant/equipment. The use of correctly CE marked, properly maintained fall arrest equipment will go some way to reducing injuries and fatalities within industry. ?
Author Details:
Paul Gemmell DipM MCIM, DMS, AIQA, Product Manager
BSI Product ServicesMaylands AvenueHemel HempsteadHertfordshireHP2 4SQUnited Kingdom
Notified Body and Competent Body Status
BSI Product Services is a Notified Body for the Personal Protective Equipment Directive 89/686/EEC. BSI also has Notified Body status for a comprehensive portfolio of other European Directives, these include the Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC, EMC Directive 89/336/EEC, Marine Equipment Directive 96/98/EC, the Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC and the Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EEC.
BSI is actively involved as a Notified Body in nine main areas of PPE testing, Kitemark certification and CE marking namely hearing protection, respiratory protective devices, eye protection, head protection, footwear, gloves, protective clothing, high visibility garments and of course fall arrest equipment.
A full copy of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 is available at: http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2005/20050735.htm
Tel: +44 (0) 1442 278607Fax: +44 (0) 1442 278630www.bsi-global.com/productservicese-mail: product.services@bsi-global.com
