SG4:10Preventing Falls in Scaffolding

A presentation by

Content

1. Introduction2. Test Paper 13. Planning for Work at Height4. The Scaffolders “Safe Zone”5. Collective Fall Arrest system6. Personal fall protection equipment7. Summary8. Test Paper 29. Questions and Answers

Aims of this presentation

• Understand the basics of SG4:10• Understand that unprotected traversing is NO LONGER

PERMITTED• Overview of various methods of creating a “Safe Zone”• Identify different Advanced Guardrail Systems

Introduction

• Falls from height = half fatal accidents in construction• “The NASC acknowledges that scaffolders have to work

in hazardous situations ” SG4:10

• NASC members reported in1999 = 93 falls of scaffolders, 2009 = 20 falls despite 18% increase in members in same time

• SG4:10 focuses on the requirement of a “safe zone”• It is no longer acceptable for scaffolders to traverse

without some form of fall protection

Test Paper 1

Planning for Work at Height

Definition of “Work at Height” - Do you know?

Work at Height Regulations define it as:

“work in any place…where, if measures required by these Regulations were not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury”

The Work at Height Regulations do not specify a distance a person could fall before precautions must be taken.

Competence and capability

• Competent• CISRS card• Renewal every 5

years.

Supervision

McInerney

• SMSTS

• Basic Scaffold Inspection

Contractor

• Gang = nominated charge hand

• Contractor = nominated person in charge of all gangs

• Site = nominated supervisor, either on site or roaming

• DO YOU KNOW THEM?

Why?

Scaffolding Plan

• Risk assessment & method statement• Purpose = take account • Preventative and protective control • Eliminate or reduce risk of injury• Logistical effort, productivity impact and

purchasing cost• Emergency and Rescue Plan• Additional risks of evacuation and rescue • Weather conditions• Design

Scaffolders Responsibilities

• Understand hazards and the scaffold plan• Medical conditions• Drugs & Alcohol, including prescription

which affects ability• Use techniques & equipment to prevent

falls• Not tamper with or modify any equipment • Check fall arrest equipment • Report any additional or emergent hazards

The scaffolders “Safe Zone”

• Creating a “safe zone” :– A fully boarded and correctly supported platform without gaps

where someone could fall; and– A single main guardrail (950mm above the platform) where there

is a risk of a fall

• Collective fall prevention• Unprotected Traversing (tunnelling) no longer permitted. • Safe Zone will not completely remove the hazards:

• Must remain clipped on to a suitable anchor point.

• 1m “at risk zone”

Working Platforms

• Three types:– Finished working platform (used by others)– Platforms for other purposes (loading towers etc)– Scaffolders platform (erection, alteration, dismantling)

Scaffolders Platform

• Single guardrail @ 950mm above platform

• Each side where fall could occur

• Inside gaps protected with guardrails

• Guardrails on all lifts

• Guardrails left in place

• Guardrails required on all lifts >950mm (eg bricklayers lifts)

• Reaching below = must be clipped on:

• Fully boarded :

• Exception where if clipping to the ledger - ONE board removed:

ALL boards must be correctly supported e.g. 38mm boards every

1.2m

• Raising or lowering = clipped on,

• Or a safe platform double guardrails and stop end:

Basic sequence of erection• First lift boarded from below

• All other lifts should be boarded from below

• Guardrails secured• Lateral gaps for access only• Incomplete scaffold signs and barrier

Methods of creating a “Safe Zone”

Must consider:• Suitability of the method• Requirements of manufacturer instructions• Changes to normal sequence of work (eg advanced

guardrails)• New techniques (eg hemping)• Fall risks protected (eg stop ends, inside faces etc)• Additional fall protection required for safe use • Can it be used as anchor point for harnesses?• Any specific training needed• Arrangements for handling, delivery and storage• Any inspection and maintenance requirements• Rescue planning, and need for any specialist equipment

Types of “Safe Zone”

Mobile elevating work platform (MEWP)

• Effective but impractical on housing• Clipped to a harness point• Trained and certified

Advanced Guardrail

• Several systems on the market

• They provide collective fall prevention for scaffolders when traversing along a boarded lift.

• Allows scaffolders to maintain guardrail edge protection at all times.

Types of Advanced Guardrail Systems

Needs AGS on Bay 1

Types of Advanced Guardrail Tools

Types of Advanced Guardrail Methods

• Designed by scaffolders

• Different styles– Frame type– Horizontal type– System Scaffold– Short lift system

Types of Advanced Guardrail Methods

Frame Type AGM

Types of Advanced Guardrail MethodsHorizontal Type AGM

Step 1 – from behind guardrail, fix 2 right angle couplers to standards, above existing

guardrail

Step 2 – Using 6m (21ft) tube, place it loosely in the two fittings,

so it can still slide side to side

Step 3 – Push the tube out horizontally past the next

standard and tighten end coupler

Step 4 – Walk out to fix temporary guardrail to the

standard, clipping on if within 1m of end

Step 5 – Working platform guardrail(s) to be completed, next lift built with “safe zone”

Step 6 – Temporary guardrail can be released and slid along

horizontally to next bay

Types of Advanced Guardrail MethodsShort Lift system

• Erecting scaffold using short lift heights (eg 1m), with ledgers of next lift at 1m forms the normal 2m lift height.

• Therefore, as each lift progresses there is a 1m high guardrail present.

• Decking on intermediate lift lifted to next lift.

• Works best when scaffold designed without ledger bracing

Types of Advanced Guardrail MethodsSystem Scaffold systems

Types of Advanced Guardrail MethodsScaffolders’ Step-up

• Best for 2m lifts

• Fixed to standard or guardrail (right angle couplers)

• Guardrail on the next lift secured

• Scaffolder has a guardrail in place = the ledger for the next lift

• Guardrails positioned in advance from below, and removed from a safe location below

• Sequence of work must be considered

• Ledger bracing or step-end guardrails may impede some step designs.

• Guardrails fitted to the base lift

• Base may be boarded for some steps

IMPORTANT

Scaffolders must be clipped on, ideally to the top ledger, due to the risk of falling from the scaffold when using the Step-up system.

Scaffolders must be clipped on before climbing on the temporary platform and must not jump down onto the boarded platform due to the risk of board failure from impact loads.

Types of Advanced Guardrail MethodsBricklayers lift

Bricklayers lifts are often unsuitable for the Scaffolders Step-up. Alternatives are:

And the last resort…….

Protected TraversingThis should be used only as a last resort!

• Demonstrated it is not reasonably practicable for advanced guardrail

• MUST be clipped on within 1m of the “Safe Zone”

• Traversing = twin tailed lanyards

• Utilise anchor devices that fix to standard

Collective Fall Arrest Systems

Safety Nets “Bean” Bags

Safety Net Fan Air Bags Decking

Personal Fall Arrest SystemsAnchor Points

• Risk assessed

• European Standards

• Correct type - distance & consequence

Minimum standard

High specification

• Anchor point = high as possible• Lanyard = short as possible

Why?

• Harnesses MUST be worn correctly, with arms and legs in correct positions, and straps tight

WHY???

Single Fall Arrest Lanyard

• Continually attached

• Change anchor point? Single lanyard not acceptable

• Single lanyard NOT permitted to traverse

• Within 1m of an unprotected edge must remain clipped on.

Double Fall Arrest Lanyard• Traversinge without guard rail e.g. bridging

using beams or temporary roofs:

• Limited applications in general scaffolding only – not as a replacement for advanced guardrail:

• Twin tailed lanyard used with a energy absorber• Should NOT wrap spare lanyard around body• Spare lanyard should be:

– attached onto the same anchor point,– hang free, or– clipped to purpose designed point on the harness

Personal Fall Arrest SystemsAnchor points

• Totally reliant on attachment to anchor point

• Establish potential loads

• Loads transferred can be 6kN

• Destroy if defective

• Destroy if used in fall previously

Attaching to scaffolding

• Scaffold is adequate for full body harness and lanyard attachment

• Alternative materials used = manufacturers guidance required

Suitable Scaffold Anchor Points

• Ledgers and transoms supported with load bearing couplers

• Standards, only when using suitable anchor device designed for the purpose.

• Standards only where there are no joints between the lift and the attachment point

• Guardrails supported by load bearing couplers• Transoms supported by ledgers in the lift above,

fixed at both ends by single couplers

Unsuitable Scaffold Anchor Points• Ledgers or guardrails supported with putlog clips or single

couplers• Ledgers or guardrails within a bay where it has joints• Standards – unless suitable anchor device is used designed

for the purpose• Standards with a joint between the lift and the attachment

point• Puncheons• Transoms below foot level• Putlog transoms or bridle tubes• Transoms when underslung below ledgers on non-load

bearing couplers• Reveal or prop tie assemblies• Braces or other diagonal tubes• Other tube open ended or not supported both sides of the

attachment position eg protruding end of a transom

• Proprietary anchor devices for anchoring to scaffold available

• Enables scaffolders to attach lanyards to vertical standards• Enables higher connection point• Carabiners designed to attach to standards makes effective

and efficient anchor points• For system scaffolding, the manufacturer’s requirements must

be consulted and considered prior to using as anchor point

Connection options

• Rope or webbing particularly vulnerable to damage from wear and tear during normal use

• Any doubt - refer to the product information.

• Contractor to inspect

• Three levels of inspection:– Pre-use checks– Detailed inspections– Interim inspections

Inspection and maintenance

• Normally only takes a few minutes• For harnesses and lanyards (and attachments)• Required at the beginning of each shift they are

used• Pre-use checks should be tactile and visual• Checks should include passing through hands to

detect softening or hardening or fraying of fibres or ingress of contaminants

• Should be undertaken in good light.• Defects must be reported to a competent person,

trained in full inspection of the equipment before it is used again.

• Spares should be available to replace worn or damaged equipment.

Pre-use checks

• More formal in-depth inspections• Looking for underlying defects or problems• NASC & HSE recommend this be done at

least every 3 months

Detailed Inspection

Interim Inspection• In-depth inspections in-between detailed

inspections• Identified through risk assessment• Important in arduous environments (eg

paints, chemicals, grit blasting, very hot environments inc welding, acidic or alkaline environments

Photo 7

Photo 2 Photo 3

Photo 4 Photo 5 Photo 6

Photo 8

Photo 1

Photo 9

• Beams• Girder• Any other structural steelwork• Wire Systems• Permanently installed anchorage points

Other Anchor options

• Line system

• Inertia Reel system

Other Anchor options

Caution!

Summary

• Unprotected traversing NOT ALLOWED

• Hierarchy of Control required

• Advanced Guardrails mandatory

• Where not possible, must be clipped on

• Must be clipped on when within 1m of unprotected fall

• Double/ twin tailed lanyard required

• Harnesses must be suitable and inspected

Test Paper 2