FEATURE SPONSOR
ROPE ACCESS
BACK-UP DEVICES
Fundamentally, rope access requires a back-up device. This is attached to the back-up safety line in order to protect the technician from a fall if the main working line fails or if the technician slips or loses control in any way. The back-up device is intended to lock on to the safety line without causing damage to the rope, and absorbing any shock load that may occur.
However, back-up devices offer considerable design challenges for manufacturers and the use of these products has been the subject of strong debate within the rope access industry for many years. In certain situations there is a real risk that devices may not work as users expect, especially when working with used rope or heavy loads. The rope may break (caused by the device) or the device may not arrest the fall. Relying on product standards alone is not enough. Some test requirements are imperfect and those selecting equipment can rely on them too much. Critically, product standards do not sufficiently consider aspects of use. The heightec Quantum back-up device was a response to an assessment of the issue of ‘reasonably foreseeable misuse’ and is intended to work on all types and condition of rope, with loads up to 200 kg.
ROPE ACCESS IN THE WIND INDUSTRY Rope access work in and on wind turbines needs to consider carefully the access, egress and rescue or evacuation from any exposed or restricted area, e.g. transition piece, nacelle or hub. Planning should take account of emergency service response, remote locations, communication, boat transfer, sea conditions and working over water. Hazards include rigging, environmental considerations, mechanical isolation, entrapment, fragile surfaces, bio-hazards, electricity and fire. Other issues include an understanding of any site- specific procedures, the need for isolation and permit-to-work, ergonomics, the lifting and lowering of loads and welfare provision. Industrial rope access is versatile, and has an excellent safety record, but like all work at height must be planned and managed properly.
MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION OF ROPE ACCESS
ISO 22846 provides some good advice on the management and supervision of rope access. It provides a useful benchmark. IRATA has published a comparison study between ISO 22846 and its own ICOP 2013. In broad terms, the latter gives much more detail. ICOP 2013 notes that it covers only the supervision of rope access safety and that some form of training in management plus an assessment is recommended. This wider competence should include ‘leadership and management’, as well as ‘Health and Safety’. Some employers will provide this level of knowledge and skills, through in- house training (and experience gained ‘on- the-job’).
heightec eD note:
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