Work At Height

 

END

Key tags 

Safety is our highest priority

Procedure Manual for Working at Heights

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WORKING AT HEIGHTS

I. WHAT IS THIS MANUAL?

II. WHO IS THIS MANUAL FOR?

III. WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?

WHAT IS WORKING AT HEIGHTS?

• Definition of Working at Heights

RISKS OF WORKING AT HEIGHTS

• People Falling from Heights

• Objects Falling from Heights

• External Factors

PREVENTING THE RISKS OF WORKING AT HEIGHTS

• Planning

• Hierarchy of Controls

BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR CONSTRUCTION

• Perimeter/Edge Protection

• Exterior Work

• Frame Erection

• Scaffolds, Temporary Works and Working Platforms

• Openings, Penetrations, Risers and Shafts

• Access Methods

• Loading Platforms

• Rubbish Chutes

GENERAL SAFETY MEASURES

• Securing Materials

• Working around Water

• Ladders

SAFETY HARNESS SYSTEM

EMERGENCY RESCUE PROCEDURE

HAAD HEIGHT AWARE PROGRAMME

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i. What is this manual? ii. Who is this manual for? iii. What does the law say?

The goal of the HAAD Height Aware

programme is to create awareness around

the dangers of working at heights including

how to protect people who work at heights

or who may be affected by others working at

heights. The programme aims to help workers,

supervisors and employers identify when they

or their employees are working at heights

and to know what controls to put in place to

prevent falls and falling objects.

In construction specifically falls from heights

and objects falling from heights are the top

two causes of fatal injury in the workplace.

This manual for Working at Heights helps

people identify:

• what working at heights is,

• the risks and hazards involved and

• the precautions that can be taken

to prevent falls and reduce the number of

fatalities or injuries.

The UAE Labour Law (Federal Law No 8 of

1980) states that employers shall ‘provide

adequate preventive equipment to protect

workers against the dangers of occupational

injuries’.

This includes the requirement that ‘every

employer provide the appropriate preventive

measures for the protection of workers from

risks of injuries or occupational diseases

which may occur during working hours and

against fire risks and all other risks which may

result from the use of machineries and other

equipment’.

The Abu Dhabi Emirate Environment Health

and Safety Management System gives specific

regulatory requirements for training, fall

prevention programmes and working at

heights (including scaffolding, excavations,

ladders etc.) and should be referred to for

legislative requirements. Refer to Abu Dhabi

EHSMS Regulatory Framework and relevant

Codes of Practice/Regulatory Instruments.

This manual is for all sectors and industries

where employees work at heights including

construction, agriculture and the industrial

and commercial sectors.

Who should read this?

• Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)

• Business owners

• Employers

• Contractors/subcontractors

• Health and safety personnel

• Health and safety supervisors

2

Remember: safety is

everyone’s responsibility! !

3

What is Working at Heights?

definition and examples

Definition of Working at Heights

Working at height means: Working in any place where, if precautions are not taken, a person

could fall and injure themselves. This includes places above, at or below ground level.

Working above ground level Working at/below ground level Working at a low height Working at a low height

 Remember: You don’t have to fall ! from a great height to be hurt.

W

h

at is

Working

at

H

eights?

4

examples of Working at Heights

Working at Heights does not only occur in building and construction. It can occur in other

sectors and everyday situations such as:

Agriculture

Transport

Window cleaning

Installations

Oil and gas

Painting

Climbing a date

tree or using a

rope.

Working on the back of

a truck or other vehicles. Working on an unprotected ledge.

Working on a roof.

Using a ladder.

Working close to an unprotected area like excavations, pits or other openings.

5

W

h

at is

Working

at

H

eights?

Workers can easily fall and be fatally injured

if they are not wearing adequate personal

protective equipment

Risks of Working at Heights

Hazard Identification

Scaffolding collapses because it wasn’t

inspected before use

Common factors leading to incidents and

injuries include:

• Workers wearing inadequate personal pro-

 tective equipment

 RISK: falling/injury/death

• Unstable working platforms are used

 RISK: falling

• Fragile work surfaces or openings not barri-

 caded off

 RISK: falling through

• Untrained workers incorrectly using safety

 harness and lifeline

 RISK: falling/injury/death

• Workers not trained in rescue of fall victims

 RISK: permanent injury or more people

 being injured

• Scaffolding not inspected before use

 RISK: being defective and collapsing

• Equipment inadequate or not maintained

 RISK: equipment being defective and

 breaking, leading to fall

People Falling from Heights

Falls from heights are the leading cause of work-related fatalities in Abu Dhabi and accounts

for most of the serious injuries in the workplace. 

Risks of

Working

at

H

eights

6

Items such as tools, equipment and materials falling from heights onto people are just as

dangerous as falls and lead to fatalities. From high up, even a small piece of concrete or a

single bolt or spanner can seriously hurt or kill someone.

 Objects Falling from Heights

Common factors leading to

incidents and injuries from

falling objects:

• Work surfaces cluttered and

 material not secured

 RISK: Being blown off by

 the wind

• Tools/equipment not secured

 with lanyards

 RISK: Being dropped or

 kicked off

• No toeboards or ‘kicker plates’

 on walkways and edges

 RISK: Items being kicked

 or rolling off the edge

• No netting

 RISK: No catchment or

 barrier for falling objects

• Workers not trained in rescue

 of fall victims

 RISK: Permanent injury or

 more people being injured

• Workers not wearing hard hats

 in high risk areas

 RISK: Injury by falling ob-

 jects

An untidy factory walkway increases the risk of

falling objects

A tidy walkway means easy access in

and out

Risks of

Working

at

H

eights

7

Danger from above...

Up above someone is painting. There is no exclusion

zone or signs warning of work being done up above.

The painter knocks

over the bucket

and there is no

edge protection

to prevent it

falling…

…right onto the worker walking below. He ends up in hospital with serious injuries.

A worker

walks by

without a

hard hat.

This is how it

should be done:

There is an

exclusion zone

with a correct

warning sign,

there is edge

protection and

the worker is

wearing his

hard hat. 

Risks of

Working

at

H

eights

8

Wind can blow materials or

workers off

 External Factors

One of the most important environmental factors when working at

heights is wind.

• Wind usually gets stronger the

 higher up you go.

• Semi-constructed buildings can

 create potentially dangerous fun-

 nelling effects.

• Wind can blow off materials and

 even workers.

Other external factors that should

be considered and included in a

safe system of work are:

• Heat stress and dehydration of

 workers working at heights.

• Dust and blowing sand – causes

 poor visibility and instability.

• Building movement.

• Vertigo – dizziness and feelings of

 instability when working at heights.

External factors such as wind, heat stress, structural instability and worker factors

should all be considered along with control requirements as they can be the cause of falls

leading to injury.

Blowing sand causes

poor visibility Heat stress can cause falls

9

Preventing the Risks of working at Heights

Planning

Planning is a very important part of working at heights. There are three tools that enable

you to do that:

The Work Plan Review can identify a

design solution such as casting metal

‘sleeves’ into floor slabs to make the

erection of edge protection easier.

The Falls Prevention Plan should

indicate where and when barrier

protection must be set up for open

edges, holes, voids and other openings as well as signage requirements.

The Risk Assessment should include

inspection of equipment such as cradles

and personal protective equipment such

as harnesses to ensure they are suitable

and safe for the job.

A Work Plan Review must be undertaken before

a project starts to examine what is required at a

design stage to reduce and eliminate risk as far as

reasonably practical.

• All stakeholders (e.g. project managers, contractors, supervisors, and even workers) should be

involved in the review.

A written Falls Prevention Plan must be prepared

for all work to determine the hazards and controls

involved in working at heights.

• It should be provided to contractors and sub-

 contractors and included in all worker induc-

 tions and training.

• Audits should then be done regularly to ensure

 compliance.

A Risk Assessment must be completed by all

contractors for each site or operation to identify

the hazards, the risk and the control measures

required for a project or task.

• The risk assessment must cover the hierarchy of

 fall protection (See Hierarchy of Controls p 10).

• It must be approved by the Project Manager

 or the person responsible for health and safety.

 1 The Work Plan Review 2 The Falls Prevention Plan 3 The Risk Assessment 

Preventing the Risks of working

at

H

eights

10

 Hierarchy of controls

The hierarchy of controls should be followed to prevent accidents when working at heights.

AVOID

First priority is always to eliminate the

hazard or risk completely, avoiding the

need to work at height altogether.

PREVENT

Secondly try to prevent the fall by implementing the hierarchy of controls and the

appropriate preventive measures.

MINIMISE THE DISTANCE

AND CONSEQUENCES

Lastly put measures in place such as scaffolding, equipment or other means to reduce

the distance and the consequences of

a fall.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE

EQUIPMENT

Personal protective equipment would be

the last resort since it means the wearer

is exposed to the full hazard if not used

or not used correctly. So always use the

AVOID, PREVENT and MINIMISE measures first.

Elimination

Don’t do a job at height if you

can do it on the ground.

Substitution

Substitute all defective or

dangerous equipment with

new or safer equipment.

Engineering Controls,

Isolation

Try to design out risks and

eliminate them altogether.

Administrative Controls

Use signs and exclusion zones

to keep people out of dangerous areas.

Personal Protective

Equipment (PPE)

Safety harnesses should be in

good condition and be used by

trained workers.

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3

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Preventing the Risks of working

at

H

eights

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 1. Elimination

If possible eliminate the need to work at height by bringing the job or work down to ground

level or by extending the reach of the worker using long-handled tools.

Examples

• Design and fit systems that prevent work-

 ing at heights such as streetlights that come

 down to the ground for maintenance and

 cleaning.

• Long-handled tools or other equipment can

 be used to carry out a task from a safe position

 e.g. long-handled brush or roller for painting.

• Store materials at ground or lower levels

 so that it is within reach of a person without

 them having to use any aids. Lowering streetlamp for repair

Using long-handled tools instead of a ladder Storing materials within easy reach eliminates the danger of height

remember: don’t do the job at height ! if you can do it on the ground

Preventing the Risks of working

at

H

eights

12

Install guardrails before

erecting a structure

 2. Substitution 3. Engineering controls

Examples

• Substitute any walking plat-

 form without handrails with

 one with handrails and

 toeboards.

• Substitute a defective cradle

 with one that doesn’t have

 rust and damage.

Examples

• Use places that are already safe e.g.

 places that have permanent

 guardrails or a correctly de-

 signed and built scaffold.

• Put on edge protection, guardrails and

 screens before erecting a structure.

• Reduce the number of personnel

 that have to go near the edge and the

 number of times they have to go.

• Put up debris netting to catch any

 falling objects.

Substitute the defective or Dangerous

equipment with new or safer equipment.

A lot of the risk involved in working at heights can be designed out. Often you can make structural changes to the

work systems or work environment that would prevent

falls and make for a safer workplace.

• Substitute a worker who

 has a fear of working at

 heights with someone who

 is confident, trained and

 has no problem working at

 heights.

Replace with a new

and safer cradle

Catch nets and debris netting catch

falling objects or people

Cradle in a bad

condition

Preventing the Risks of working

at

H

eights

13

 4. Administrative Controls 5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Examples

• Create an exclusion zone

 to restrict access to areas

 where there is work taking

 place above.

• Put up clear signage to

 warn people of fall areas,

 open pits and unsafe con-

 ditions.

• Give employees informa-

 tion and training on the

 standard procedures and

 safety policies.

• Regularly undertake and

 record maintenance, in-

 spection and testing of

 systems and equipment

 to ensure it is suitable as

 well as sufficient.

Workers must be provided with

correctly fitted and properly

maintained protective equiment

and clothing.

Administrative procedures like work permits, standard operating

procedures and safety policies should be followed to manage

and create awareness of the risks of working at heights. Training,

instruction and supervision are essential.

An exclusion zone is used to keep people out

of dangerous areas

Train workers on the proper

use of equipment

Examples

• Footwear that is suitable to prevent slips.

• Sunglasses to make sure that an employee at height

 is not at risk due to glare or reflection.

• Safety helmets that will remain in place in the event

 of a fall.

They must also be trained in the use and inspection

of all personal protective equipment.

Remember: personal protective equipment

should be used as a last resort. other

control measures should be used first in

order to eliminate the need for harnesses.

!

14

Standard protection – guardrail system with

toeboard and netting

Permanent edge protection on frequently

accessed area on oil rig

Advanced protection (used in high-rise construction) – full-height perimeter screens

Best Practice Guidelines for Construction

Perimeter/Edge Protection

Perimeter/edge protection is the physical barriers that are put up against edges to prevent

people or materials from falling from heights. It plays a very important role in creating a

safe workplace.

• Perimeter protection can

 be screens, guardrails,

 net systems as well as

 aircraft cables.

• Physical barriers should

 be robust.

• It can be classified as

 either STANDARD or

 ADVANCED depending

 on the level of risk in-

 volved and must meet

 minimum standards set

 by local legislation.

• Advanced methods ensure

 protection at either 2 m

 or at full floor height.

Best Pr

actice

G

uidelines for

Construction

15

Exterior work is work outside the perimeter protection such as installing or dismantling

edge protection systems. There are various protective measures that need to be put in place

to ensure the safety of workers conducting this kind of work.

 Exterior Work

Exterior work taking place – workers installing horizontal catch nets

Mast climber

Ideally, boom lifts, mast

climbers or scissor lifts

should be used for this

type of work.

Safety harnesses used

When a harness is used,

the full risk assessment

and or permit system

should be followed and

rescue measures should

be in place.

Horizontal catch nets

Horizontal catch nets

should be installed close

to the structure to catch

falling persons/materials.

Lanyards used to tie

down tools

Lanyards must be used to

tie tools to belts or wrists.

Exclusion zone

An exclusion zone must

always be created.

Best Pr

actice

G

uidelines for

Construction

16

when erecting metal frame structures or formwork, various height safety guidelines need to

be followed. The process of erecting these works must be designed and thought out carefully

before work starts, with priority given to reducing work at height or REDUCING the risks.

Frame Erection

An exclusion zone

• Erection should take place

 from safe working plat-

 forms or mobile elevated

 work platforms.

• An exclusion zone should

 be created and barricades

 and signage should be

 used to restrict access.

• Edge protection systems

 should be designed as

 part of the frame erection

 process to provide pro-

 tection.

• Where possible, edge pro-

 tection should be fitted

 to beams at ground

 level before they are

 lifted into position.

Edge protection allows cladding to be

put into place from a safe position

Formwork is erected from

below using podium steps

Best Pr

actice

G

uidelines for

Construction

17

The scaffold tag system is used to indicate whether a scaffold has been

inspected and certified safe or unsafe for use

These should be properly planned, erected, maintained and altered by competent persons

to provide a safe working place for those working at heights. A properly erected and designed

working platform with the right design and equipment for the specific situation eliminates

the need for fall arrest equipment. However, fall arrest equipment must be used in the erection,

altering and dismantling of scaffolding.

• They must be assessed before

 use and inspected regularly.

• Adequate cross-bracing must

 be provided and the structure

 must be secure and stable.

• They must have safe and clearly

 defined means of access e.g.

 stairs or ladders.

• There should be no gaps be-

 tween the planks in the decking.

• They must have guardrails,

 midrails and toeboards on

 all open sides or platforms.

• There should be netting or

 fencing where materials can fall

 over toeboards.

 Scaffolds, Temporary Works and Working Platforms

Safe scaffolding

Cross-bracing

Safe means of access

scaffold tag

Edge protection with netting

Catch nets

Best Pr

actice

G

uidelines for

Construction

18

Timber and mesh locked gate prevents

unauthorised entry Mesh cast into slab around riser

 Openings, Penetrations, Risers and Shafts

All openings need to be covered or protected so as to prevent anyone from falling through

them. Protective measures on openings can only be removed when work is taking place in or

around the opening and those doing the work have taken sufficient safety precautions.

Lift Shafts

• Openings to lift shafts must be fully protected

 with a secure and tamper-proof full height

 system preventing unauthorised entry.

• Safe working platforms must be provided to

 all those working in lift shafts.

Penetrations and Risers

• Penetrations and risers must be limited in size

 and number as far as reasonably practical.

• During construction a mesh cast must be fitted

 or other robust protection such as metal

 guardrails or covers placed at each level

 below the level of construction to prevent

 persons or materials falling through.

Floor Openings

• Must be protected with a clearly marked,

 robust, and securely fixed cover.

• The size of the hole will determine what kind

 of protective measures will need to be taken,

 from suitable wooden or steel covers, to

 mesh cast across the hole, to double hand-

 rails and toeboards all around with a net

 across the hole.

A securely fixed cover protects an opening in the floor

Roof openings have a different type of

protective measure

Best Pr

actice

G

uidelines for

Construction

19

Using a bosun’s chair to wash a window

 Access methods

A suitable means of access should be chosen to go to and from work at height that is as safe

and secure as possible. Permanent access is always the most secure option. All persons working on suspended or mechanical access systems must wear fall protection equipment.

• Permanent access should be provided wherever

 possible. If this is impractical, adequate temporary

 staircases can be used.

• All vertical access must have permanent handrails

 and guardrails on both sides.

• There must be sufficient lighting.

• Vertical access must be kept clean and clear

 of materials or equipment that could obstruct

 stairways.

Cleaning windows from a mast climber

• These include hoists, mobile elevated working

 platforms (e.g. cherry picker) and scissor lifts.

• They must have guarding that is strong, sturdy

 and fit-for-purpose.

• The equipment must be inspected regularly

 and only used by competent and trained workers.

• Workers need to wear safety harnesses as

 secondary fall protection.

• Minimum clearance distances should be ad-

 hered to when the equipment is used near over-

 head electrical cables.

Permanent stairs with handrails

and guardrails

• These include bosun’s chairs, cradles, gondo-

 las and swings.

• They should only be used if there are no other

 safer methods.

• Equipment must be inspected before use and

 only used by competent and trained workers.

• An exclusion zone must be set up below the

 equipment at ground level.

• Harnesses must be worn and there must be a

 rescue procedure in place.

Suspended Access Mechanical Access System Vertical Access

Best Pr

actice

G

uidelines for

Construction

20

 Loading Platforms and Rubbish Chutes

The danger of falling objects or falls from heights is ever present, especially on Construction

sites. Loading Platforms and Rubbish Chutes are two additional areas on site that can prove

hazardous if the correct protective measures are not taken.

Loading Platforms

• Must be fitted with guardrails on all

 sides where people or materials can fall.

• Must be checked before installation

 and weekly thereafter.

Rubbish Chutes

• Rubbish chutes, skips, and dumpsters

 used for rubbish disposal from upper

 floors must be properly installed,

 secured and fenced off.

Installing a compliant loading platform

Rubbish chute system with

barriers

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Working above water on an oil rig

There are general safety measures that can be followed in all industries such as securing

materials so that they don’t present a falling hazard. Any work around water also needs

additional precautions to reduce or eliminate the risk of drowning.

General Safety Measures

Toolbox secured with lanyard

Securing Materials

• Materials that can be blown or swept off

 roofs, exposed floors or scaffolding should be

 secured. This also includes materials or plant

 that can be dislodged by work activities.

Working around Water

Where water is present (i.e. in excavations,

work next to or above water or for dredging

or reclamation):

• A detailed risk assessment must be done

 and workers who can swim should be allocated

 the job/tasks to be done.

• Physical barriers should be put in place to

 prevent access or people and equipment falling in.

• Suitable training should be given such as ‘man

 overboard’ recovery.

• Rescue equipment such as flotation devices

 must be easily accessible in case of an emergency.

Exposed materials secured

Gener

al Safety

M

e

asures

22

 Ladders

Falls from ladders occur very often. Ladders should only be used if no other safer equipment

(such as scissor lifts or podium steps) can be used. Those involved in the use of ladders must be

trained and competent.

Ladder condition

• The ladder must be in good condi-

 tion and inspected before use.

• Good condition means there are no

 broken, cracked or missing rungs,

 no broken braces, no cracks or rust

 anywhere and the ladder is not bent.

• Never paint wooden ladders as the

 paint may hide faults.

Never construct your own ladder

Don’t work from the top

three rungs of a ladder

Ladder is secured and used

for short duration work

• Ladder rungs need to be clean and

 free of grease or oil to prevent slips.

• Never construct your own ladder

 or carry out makeshift repairs to

 a damaged ladder; use only well-

 constructed purpose-built ladders.

• Ladders should be inspected on a

 regular basis by a competent person.

Gener

al Safety

M

e

asures

23

 Ladders

Ladder use – Good Practice

• Avoid carrying materials or tools up

 and down a ladder. Keep three

 points of contact to the ladder as

 much as possible.

• Don’t set it up near a passageway,

 doorway, or other place where a

 person, vehicle or load might strike it.

• It must stand on a level, stable and

 non-slippery surface. If the ground

 is soft or uneven, wide planks can be

 used as a base.

• It must be secured at the bottom

 and the top to keep it from slipping

 or falling back.

• It must be long enough. Don’t stand

 on the top three rungs of the ladder.

• Ladders must only be used by one

 person at a time.

• Face the climbing side of the ladder

 when going up or down.

Additional precautions

• Don’t use aluminium ladders where

 there are live electrical facilities.

• Don’t use ladders near other fall

 hazards such as edges or voids i.e.

 don’t use ladders on scaffolding to

 create extra height.

• Don’t use ladders outside in very

 windy conditions or bad weather.

Keep three points of contact to

the ladder as much as possible

Don’t use aluminium

ladders near live wires

Don’t use ladders in windy

conditions

! Only use ladders for low risk, short duration work. Don’t work from a ladder for more than 30 min. at a time.

A safety harness system consists of the following parts

that must be in good condition:

Safety harness

• Full-body type with fall arrest attach-

 ment

• Must provide the maximum degree of

 comfort and freedom of movement

Lanyards

(connect the harness to the anchor point)

• A flexible line of rope or strap with

 shock absorbers

Connectors (attach the harness to the

rest of the fall arrest system)

• Must have self-closing, self-locking

 gates opened by at least two consecu-

 tive deliberate actions.

• The D-ring located high in the centre of

 the back is the appropriate connection

 point for fall arrest purposes. There can

 also be other D-rings used for positioning,

 restraint and rescue.

Safety Harness System

d-ring

connectors

lanyard with shock absorbers

A safety harness must only be used if there are no other reasonable or practical options

that would provide adequate fall protection.

• There must be a detailed rescue

 plan in place if safety harnesses are

 going to be used.

• The equipment must be regularly

 inspected and maintained.

• It must be checked before use.

Safety Harness

24

Safety Harness

System

25

Anchor point high. Worker doesn’t fall far.

• Before workers move into

 an unsafe position they have

 to be attached to a secure

 anchor point.

• The anchor point must be in-

 dependent of any platform

 anchorage, capable of sup-

 porting the worker and not

 used to anchor anything else.

• The position of the anchor

 point will determine how far

 the person will fall (the fall

 factor).

• Best practice is to have the

 anchor point as high as

 possible (above the head)

 to reduce the fall distance.

• Good practice is to have the

 anchor point at the same

 level as the back attach-

 ment point where the har-

 ness attaches.

 Anchor Points

Anchor point low. Worker falls far.

Harness systems can only be used if there are secure anchor points in suitable positions. The worker’s harness needs to be ! attached to an anchor point via a single or double lanyard and connector. 

Safety Harness

System

26

Primary arrest: The safety harness

stops the worker’s fall

 Different uses of safety harness

Fall arrest

The harness can stop a fall either through:

• Primary arrest – harness has to be deployed to

 stop fall.

Work Restraint

The harness prevents a fall by restricting the

move- ment of the worker. A waist belt can

be used.

It can be set up so that worker can go close to

edge (fall restraint) or so that worker can’t move

at all (travel restraint).

or

• Secondary arrest – safety nets or airbags are

 installed below work a area to stop fall before

 safety harness can be deployed e.g. on an

 unprotected edge.

The waist belt prevents the worker from

moving far enough to go over the edge

Secondary arrest: The air bag stops the

worker’s fall

27

Emergency Rescue Procedure

Even though the goal is always to prevent all incidents, they do occur. In case of an

emergency, quick action and smart thinking are of the utmost importance. The following

should be considered:

• A rescue plan or procedure must be included in

 the fall prevention plan and risk assessment.

• The procedure must be regularly assessed and

 updated if necessary.

• Fully trained rescue teams must be available to

 carry out a rescue quickly – do not rely on emer-

 gency services exclusively.

• Speed and care are important to minimise suspen-

 sion trauma when a fall has been stopped through

 the use of a safety harness. Suspension trauma

 occurs when a person is suspended for a prolonged

 period of time and it could lead to death due to in-

 sufficient blood flow to the brain and heart. The

 aim is always to get the person down safely in the

 shortest possible time.

• An effective way of communication must be set

 up. Rescuers must be able to communicate with

 the casualty at all times.

• Avoid placing additional personnel at risk during

 a rescue.

• Ensure that all employees are provided with infor-

 mation and training in emergency procedures.

Emergency

Rescue Procedure

28

he hooks on securely

but falls...

the Worker receives his task...

the rescue team comes running.

help!

An Emergency Rescue...

Emergency Rescue Procedure

29

rescue services arrive.

he is rescued quickly.

he is placed into THE

recovery position.

HAAD Height Aware Programme

Height Aware – the safe working at heights and falling objects prevention programme

– has been developed to help everyone. Anyone can register to receive free support and

materials from HAAD.

With this manual you will have received a DVD summarising the important points of

working at heights which can be used for training health and safety personnel as well

as workers. Worker and supervisor pamphlets and posters are also available.

For more details and to register for additional free material, visit our website:

The following materials form part of the ‘Height Aware’ programme:

• Working at Heights Procedure Manual for HSE professionals (English, Arabic)

• Working at Heights DVD with HSE professionals animated training video (English, Arabic)

 and workers animated awareness video (English, Arabic, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, Malayalam)

• Workers Awareness Pamphlet (English, Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Hindi, Malayalam)

• Supervisors Awareness Pamphlet (English, Arabic)

• A1 Educational Posters (English and Arabic, multi-language Asian

 (Bengali, Urdu, Hindi and Malayalam)

• Bilingual roll up promotional banner (English and Arabic)

• Working at Heights CD with high resolution pdf files of all materials

 for printing.

• Height Aware Website (English, Arabic)

Mine Illumination

and

Solid-State Lighting

Dr. John J. Sammarco

NIOSH

Pittsburgh Research Laboratory

Agenda

◆ Why is lighting important?

◆ Age and vision

◆ History of lighting

◆ Lighting safety & accidents

◆ High brightness light emitting diodes

(HB LEDs)

◆ NIOSH lighting research

Why look at mine lighting?

Mining…“the most difficult lighting

environment in the world”

Illumination Engineering Society of North America, 2003.

◆ Miners depend heavily on visual cues to spot hazards

◆ Aging workforce

◆ Accidents

Why look at mine lighting?

Age Effects on Vision

◆ Night vision decreases with age

• Smaller pupil

• Eye less able to adapt to light

• Fewer rod receptors

• Cloudy eye lens

Age Effects on Vision

Yellowing of Lens

(age in years)

Degradation of lens

decreases effective light

level and effective contrast

(due to scatter)

Average miner 43 yrs old

40% less light than 20 yrs old

◆ Improved lighting may help miners avoid accidents:

• Slip/trip/falls

• Falls of ground

• Striking/pinning

◆ An MSHA study of metal/nonmetal mining concluded that

current lighting systems are inadequate.

Why look at mine lighting?

Safety & Lighting

The percentage of accidents declines as illuminance is

increased in industrial (non-mining) work areas

Source (Walton et al., 2005)

Candle holders

with candles

A Brief History of Lighting

Oil wick lamps improved safety

by containing open flames. Costs

were also lower, and miners

found them easier to use than

candles.

Photos: Royal BC Museum, British Columbia, Canada, http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/

Oil Lamps

Photo: Royal BC Museum, British Columbia, Canada, http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/

Quotation: Where the Sun Never Shines, Priscilla Long, Paragon House, New York, 1989.

The transition to helmet-mounted

lighting began with the introduction

of the carbide lamp.

Carbide lamps

The introduction of the

incandescent lamp eliminated

concerns about open

flames within the mine.

The light from a small, steadily

burning incandescent filament

was much more controllable

than the light from an open

flame. Enclosed within a

directional reflector, it became

the standard, unchanged to

this day.

Photos: Royal BC Museum, British Columbia, Canada, http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/,

Cape Breton Mine Museum, www.minersmuseum.com

Incandescent Lights

What is light?

What is light?

Electromagnetic radiation

Light Spectrum

◆ White light from LEDs

• Shorter wavelenghts

• Bluish-white light

• Better depth perception

• Better color rendering

• Better visual performance

Spectral Power Distribution

Lighting technologies

Type Life

(hrs)

Cost Specular*

 color

temp.

Efficiency

(lumens/watt)

Shock proof

Incandescent 1,500 $7 2800oK 14 no

Halogen 2,500 $6 3200oK 24 no

HID 10,000 $20 4000oK 80 no

Solid-state

LED

50,000

+

$8 5500oK 70

(prototypes @

110)

yes

•Lower specular color temperatures indicate a yellowish light;

•higher temperatures indicate a whiter light.

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

 LEDs are semi-conductors; they don't have a filament that will burn out.

They are illuminate by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor.

LED’s

Luminaires

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

• Advantages:

1. Lower power requirements

2. Long Life (>50,000 hours)

3. Small size

4. Sturdy

5. “White, shorter

wavelength” light

NIOSH

Mine Lighting Research

Reducing underground mining

mishaps by improving

mine illumination

Project Scope

Underground lighting:

◆ Cap lamp (coal)

◆ Preblast lighting (metal/nonmetal)

◆ Machine lighting (coal)

Cap Lamps

LED Cap Lamp

2 lb. battery, 5 year LED life

Additional Personal lighting

5 lb. battery

Machine Lighting

Preblast Lighting

◆ inspect roof & back

◆ loading of explosives

Specific aim summary

◆ Does the color (spectral power distribution)

from white LEDs:

• Improve visual performance?

• Reduce glare?

◆ Can advantages of LEDs (small, robust, high

efficiency, etc) enable new designs to:

• Improve visual performance?

• Reduce glare?

• Realize new safety applications?

NIOSH

Mine Illumination Lab

Glare tests

Peripheral motion detection

Slip/trip/fall hazards

Mean time to detect an object

Incandescent cap lamp was slowest

Lighting prototypes

Questions