Fall Arrest
Fall Arrest System is the only category of working at height where a fall is actually allowed to occur.
The equipment is then required to act in such a way as to limit both the fall distance and the impact forces received by the worker.
With fall arrest lanyards the potential fall distance can be large. The shock absorber must then significantly reduce the impact the worker receives. To do this it has to extend in length and therefore the clearance height becomes critical.
In the case of fall arrest blocks, they react quickly in the event of a fall, arresting the worker before they gain too much momentum. Therefore clearance height can be smaller making these a good choice for low clearance locations.
Vertical Safety Lines, or Guided type Fall Arresters use a combination of shock absorption and limiting fall distance to control the impact the user receives.
Fall arrest equipment is designed to cope with the dynamic loads created during the fall.
This equipment is not generally intended for loading on a regular basis. To suspend or support a user Work Positioning equipment should be used.
Fall arrest systems require care when risk assessing as, when a fall occurs, the worker requires adequate height clearance for the system to react.
Height clearances may dictate the choice of solutions. The potential for injury from adjacent obstacles should also be assessed.
Additionally, if the worker becomes suspended as a result of a fall, then the consequences can be serious. Therefore a rescue solution must be part of the planning.
Workers will generally require training to help with the correct selection, use and maintenance of the equipment. If you have any question contact the SpanSet training team.
Industry sectors that use these techniques:
- Confined Space
- Scaffolding
- Tower and Mast
- Construction
- Steel Erecting
- Haulage and Vehicle Fall Protection
- Military
- Police
SpanSet Kits designed for these techniques:
- HSL
- Tower and Mast
- Scaffolders Kit