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DROPS Global Training

DROPS Global offer a range of Dropped Object Prevention Awareness and Training programmes, each derived from industry lessons learned and associated best practice and applicable across the full supply chain.

DROPS Forum - Aberdeen, 27th February 2018

The meeting was opened by Greg and a safety brief was delivered. Round the room introductions followed.

0113 ACCESS FOR MAINTENANCE

General Requirement: Provide access for maintenance of plant and equipment.

Standards: Conform to the relevant requirements of AS 1470, AS 1657, AS/NZS 1891, AS/NZS 1892, AS 2865, AS/NZS 3666.1 & AS 5532.

Work Health and Safety: Conform to the requirements of the applicable Work Health and Safety Legislation.

Protection from injury: Protect personnel from injury caused by contact with objects including those that may fall and/or are sharp, hot or protrude at low level.

Plant room flooring / walkway surfaces: R10 Slip resistance classification to AS 4586.

Trip hazards: Do not run small services including drains and conduits across floors where they may be a trip hazard. If not practicable provide safe access over such hazards (Ramps, Steps etc).

Manufacturer's standard equipment: Only modify manufacturer’s standard equipment when necessary and approved by OEM to provide the plant access documented.

Clearances

Minimum clearances for access:

• ≥ 2000 mm clear of any open edge for platforms, walkways and ladder landings.
• ≥ 2100 mm clear vertically above horizontal floors, ground and platforms.
• ≥ 750 front of Ladders
• ≥ 900mm Front Ladder Landings
• Preferably ≥ 750 m clear, but in no case less than 600 mm horizontally between equipment or between equipment and building features including walls.
• If tools are required to operate, adjust or remove equipment, provide sufficient space so that the tools can be used in their normal manner and without requiring the user to employ undue or awkward force.
• If equipment components are hinged or removable, allow the space recommended by the manufacturer.
• Within plant items: Conform to the preceding requirements, and in no case less than the clearances recommended in BS 8313.

Elevated services other than in occupied areas Access classifications:

• Access class A: Readily accessible. Provide clear and immediate access to and around plant items. If plant or equipment is located more than 2.0 m above the ground, floor or platform, provide a platform with handrails accessible by a stair, all to AS 1657.
• Access class B: If the plant item requiring access is located more than 2.0 m above the ground, floor or platform, provide a platform with handrails accessible by a non-vertical ladder, all to AS 1657.
• Access class C: Locate plant so that temporary means of access conforming to Work health and Safety regulations can be provided.

Areas in which access is restricted to authorised maintenance personnel: Provide access as follows:

• Instruments, gauges and indicators (including warning and indicating lights) requiring inspection at any frequency: Access class A.
• Access required monthly - 6 monthly: Access class A.
• Access required between monthly and 6-12 monthly: Access class A or B.
• Access required less frequently than >12 monthly: Access class A, B or C.

Other areas: Provide access as follows:

• Locate to minimise inconvenience and disruption to building occupants or damage to the building structure or finishes.
• In suspended ceilings, locate items of equipment that require inspection and/or maintenance above tiled parts. If not possible, provide access panels where located above set plaster or other inaccessible ceilings. Arrange services and plant locations to reduce the number of access panels. Coordinate with other trades to use common access panels where feasible.
• Do not locate equipment requiring access above partitions.

Considerations for the use of personal fall protection equipment Introduction This information sheet gives very brief guidance on points to consider when selecting and using personal fall protection equipment such as anchor devices, harnesses and lanyards. It is intended for employers, supervisors and users of such equipment, as an indication of the types of issues which should be considered. It is summary guidance only. The order of items is not significant. 

The employee was crouching down welding hand railings onto a platform at a height of more than three metres when he lost his balance on 19 August 2016. He did not have adequate fall protection, a travel restraining system or a fall-arrest harness.

The company had not prepared a safe work method statement before work began.

"Don't connect a carabiner to a carabiner!" or so we’ve been told. Is it really such a bad thing?

Master Builders Western Australia is the peak industry association for the building and construction industry and has been servicing both home & commercial builders, subcontractors, suppliers and consultants since 1898

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our most popular item for MBA members on the site is the Roofer Kit

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our most popular item for MBA members on this site is the cooling tie

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With Standards constantly changing and with training & maintenance requirements increasing each year, many organisations go into reactive mode with regards to managing their working at heights risk and PPE. Instead of simply "ticking the box" just to meet the minimum compliance requirements, we need to look more effective ways to manage the changing risks of our workplaces and ensure our PPE meets these needs. When we do this, we discover ways to remove the layers of complexity from equipment application and selection, make it more simple to train our team and maintain their skills, ensure what we specify is fit for purpose and all while comply with any Regulatory requirements we face.

HEIGHTECH can help. By working with us, you can design a comprehensive and fit-for-purpose fall protection plan that stays abreast of changes in Standards and removes the complexity of product selection, with the core focus of keeping your workers safe.

Sometimes our customers are trying to source rope from HEIGHTECH that would be suitable for use in an environment that may contain hydrofluoric acid.

There are real problems with giving 'definitive' recommendations on this. It may not appear to be a particularly hard question to answer, but it is.

If the question was one of ultimate strength of a new rope, or the measured effect when exposed to a specific concentration of a chemical in lab conditions, then there is technical information from rope manufacturers that allows a limited answer to be given.