CONSTRUCTION & SITE SAEFTY
Horizontal safety lines – Suitable for most roofs, and ideally suited to an industrial safety environment, these are highly effective and versatile fall restraint and arrest protection systems. And, with solutions available for multiple users, this option can boost productivity as well as safety.
“SAFETY IS
PARAMOUNT FOR ANY PROFESSIONAL ROPE ACCESS FIRM.”
GRP walkways – Glass Reinforced Plastic is lightweight yet durable, and offers a reliable anti-slip solution that is essential for any roof with an incline of more than 15 degrees. The material’s resistance to corrosion and fire makes it an ideal choice for industrial environments, which additionally requires minimal maintenance. GRP can also be colour coded, which will help certain applications.
INSTALLATION AND
MAINTENANCE It’s crucial to understand that the installation of the appropriate mechanisms is just the first step in implementing effective fall protection. To ensure these remain safe, functional and compliant with legislation, routine inspections and maintenance must also be carried out.
Having appropriate measures in place to protect against falls when working at height is a legal requirement – the Work at Height Regulations 2005 explain when safeguards should be installed and how inspections need to be recorded. From planning and assessing risks to designing and maintaining safety systems, the legislation rules how equipment should be implemented, managed and overseen.
Therefore, once in place, keeping on top of maintaining rails, safety lines and walkways is equally as important as the installation itself – not only to ensure systems remain as safe as possible, but also
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to reduce the likelihood of having to pay out for costly unexpected repairs. Instead of waiting for an issue to arise, it’s far better to take a proactive approach and have a preventative regime in place to ensure the ongoing safety and compliance of equipment. The frequency of maintenance inspections varies from job to job, but for many structures, annual certifications are sufficient.
INNOVATIVE ACCESS The core purpose of fall protection is to mitigate the risks of working at height. So, if these systems are put in place to protect the end users, what about those whose job it is to inspect, install and maintain them?
Whilst scaffolding and cherry-pickers remain popular for working at height within the construction industry, there is a rising demand for rope access techniques. Widely renowned as the safest method of working at height, this ‘two points of contact’ technique also less disruptive, more environmentally friendly and requires a minimum team of two technicians per job, making it an affordable, viable alternative to powered and built-platform options.
Using abseiling and climbing techniques, rope access technicians can skilfully and easily navigate their way around incredibly tall and complex structures. Often working ‘out of hours’, they can discreetly undertake essential inspections, installations and maintenance without any interruption to the building’s usual operations.
Of course, there are inherent risks with any elevated job, which is why safety is paramount for any professional rope access firm. For instance, at Access North Structures, our technicians are all IRATA- qualified, meaning they have trained in line with the rigorous safety standards set by the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association.
But when it comes to the safe installation and maintenance of fall protection systems, rope access is rising above the rest in terms of safety, value and efficiency.
www.accessnorth.co.uk 39
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