r Fire and Rescue Service Manual FIRE SERVICE COLLEGE Volume 2 LIBRARY & INFORMATION RESOURCE CENTRE RETURN OR RENEW ON, OR BEFORE, THE LAST Fire Service Operations DATE STAMPED BELOW (2 RENEWALS MAX.) FINES ARE PAYABLE ON ANY ITEMS RETURNED LATE Safe Work at Height THE FIRE SERVICE COLLEGE LIBRARY MORETON-IN-MARSH GLOUCESTERSHIRE GL560RH 01608812050 [email protected] The Fire Service College 00155071 London: TSO - Safe Work at Height Published by TSO (The Stationery Office) and available from: Online www.tsoshop.co.uk Mail,Telephone. Fax & E·mail TSO PO Box 29, Norwich, NR3 IGN Telephone orders/General enquiries: 0870 600 5522 Fax orders: 0870 600 55)) Contents E4 mail: customer,[email protected] Textphone 0870 240 370 I TSO Shops vii 123 Kingsway, london,WC2B 6PQ Purpose of this Guidance 0207242 6393 Fax 020 7242 6394 /6 Arthur Stree~ Belfast BTI 4GD Scope vii 028 9023 845 I Fax 028 9023 540 I 71 lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9AZ. Acknowledgments viii 0870 606 5566 Fax 0870 606 5588 TSO@Blackwell and other Accredited Agents Chapter 1 - trategic Framework 1 The Legal Framework 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 European Legislation 1 1.3 United Kingdom Legislation 1 1.3.1 The Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974 1 1.3.2 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 2 1.3.3 Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) 3 1.3.4 Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 7 Published with the permission of the Department for Communities and Local Government 1.3.5 Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 and Personal Protective on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Equipment Regulations 2002 (PEP) 7 1.3.6 The Provision and Use ofWork Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) 7 © Crown Copyright 2006 1.3.7 Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) 7 Copyright in the typographical arrangement and design rests with the Crown. 1.4 Organisational Roles and Responsibilities 8 1.4.1 Fire and Rescue Authorities 8 This publication, excluding the Royal Arms and any logos. may be reproduced free of charge in 1.4.2 Principal Officers/Brigade Managers 8 any format or medium for research, private study or for internal circulation within an organisation. 1.4.3 Management ofWork at Height Activities 8 This is subject to it being reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material 1.5 Key Hazards and Risks 9 must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title of the publication specified. 1.5.1 Equipment 9 10 This is a value added publication which falls outside the scope of the HMSO Class Licence. 1.5.2 Nature of the Work 1.5.3 Work Site and Prevailing Environmental Conditions 11 Applications for reproduction should be made in writing to 1.5.4 Equipment Use 12 HMSO,The Licensing Division,St Clements House. 2-16 Colegate, Norwich. NR3 1BQ 1.6 Developing Safe Systems of Work 12 Fax: 01603 723000 or e-mail: [email protected] 1.6.1 Clothing 12 1.6.2 Before Work at Height 12 1.6.3 During Work at Height 14 ISBN (10) 0 11 3413122 1.6.4 Post Work at Height 17 ISBN (13) 978 0 11 3413126 Chapter 2 - Operational Practice 19 Cover photographs: Chris Hawkins; The National Rope Users Group; Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Part-title page photograph: Chris Hawkins 2.1 General Techniques 19 2.1.1 Collective Safeguards for Arresting Falls 19 Printed in Great Britain on material containing 75% post-consumer waste and 25% ECF pulp. 2.1.2 Individual Protection 20 2.2 Access Techniques 27 Printed in the United Kingdom for The Stationery Office 27 ID545954C 11/06 C25 2.2.1 Working Platforms (General) 2.2.2 Scaffolding and Access Towers 27 Safe Work at Height 111 3.5.7 Tripods/Quadpods/Frames 79 2.2.3 Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs) 28 3.5.8 Stretchers 80 2.2.4 Continuity of Means of Protection 29 2.2.5 Portable Ladders 29 3.6 Ropes 80 2.2.6 Fixed Ladders 30 3.6.1 General 80 2.2.7 Ropes, Harnesses and Associated Equipment 31 3.6.2 Categories of Rope 84 3.6.3 Associated Rope Working Equipment 85 2.3 Systems ofWork 38 2.3.1 Anchors and Anchor Systems 38 3.7 Equipment Identification 85 2.4 Securing Casualties, Equipment and Other Items 46 3.8 Stowage of Ropes and Associated Equipment 86 2.4.1 Knots 46 3.9 Equipment Inspections, Examinations and Tests 86 2.4.2 Lifting, Lowering and Hauling 51 3.9.1 Pre-use and after-use checks 86 2.4.3 Winches and Pulley Systems 54 3.9.2 Detailed Inspection 86 2.4.4 Mechanical Advantage and Velocity Ratio 55 3.9.3 Maintenance 87 2.4.5 Securing Casualties and Performing Rescues from Height 59 3.9.4 Record Keeping 87 2.4.6 Casualty Management 61 3.9.5 Disposal of Equipment 88 2.5 Operational Environments 62 2.5.1 Existing Places ofWork 62 Chapter 4 - Training 89 2.5.2 Unprotected Edges 62 4.1 General Requirements 89 2.5.3 Roofs - Flat Roofs, Sloping Roofs and Fragile Roofs 64 4.1.1 Training Structure 89 2.5.4 Flat Roofs 64 4.1.2 Instructors 89 2.5.5 Sloping Roofs 64 90 2.5.6 Fragile Roofs/Surfaces 65 4.2 Training Requirements for all Firefighters 2.5.7 FRS Vehicles 67 4.3 Specialist Rope Operator Support Duties 92 2.5.8 Service and Utility Structures 68 4.4 Specialist Rope Operator Duties 94 2.5.9 Trees 69 4.5 Rope Work Supervisor 96 2.5.10 Collapsed Structures 69 2.5.11 Working Near Water 69 4.6 Rope Work Instructor 97 2.5.12 Confined Spaces 70 4.7 Technical Rope Work Officer 98 98 Chapter 3 - Equipment 71 4.8 Continuation Training and CPD 4.9 Use of Live Casualties 99 3.1 Selection of Equipment 71 3.2 Ladders and Aerial Appliances 71 Bibliography 101 3.2.1 Portable Ladders For Fire Service Use 71 3.2.2 Thrntable Ladders (TL) 72 Glossary 103 3.2.3 Hydraulic Platforms (HP) 72 3.2.4 Aerial Ladder Platforms (ALP) 74 Appendix 'A' - Work at Height Flow Chart 110 3.3 Working Platforms 74 3.4 Textile Based Equipment 75 3.4.1 General 75 3.4.2 Webbing Slings 75 3.4.3 Lanyards 75 3.4.4 Safety and Work Harnesses 76 3.5 Metal-Based Equipment 76 3.5.1 General 76 3.5.2 Connectors (karabiners, safety hooks, screw links) 77 3.5.3 Pulleys 77 3.5.4 Wire Strops 78 3.5.5 General Metal Hardware 78 3.5.6 Rope Control Devices 78 Safe Work at Height V IV Fire and Rescue Service Manual n Safe Work at Height Purpose of this Guidance The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) Regulations apply to all workplaces where the are made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. HSW Act applies. Act 1974 (HSW Act) and bring into effect the requirements of Council Directive 2001l45/EC This document gives guidance on legislation that amended the Use of Work Equipment relevant to work at height and identifies good Directive (89/655/EC). This amendment is known practice, which supports safe systems ofwork. The as the 'Temporary Work at Height Directive'. The guidance is for use by fire and rescue services for primary objective of WAHR is to ensure that planning operational service delivery and training. all work at height is performed safely. These Scope Work at height covers all work activities where • Offshore fire fighting and rescue. there is a possibility that a fall likely to result in • Climbing fixed structures. personal injury could occur. Work at Height • Working close to an excavation area where specifically includes access to and exit from a someone could fall. place ofwork. Examples ofwork at height include: • Working near a fragile surface. • Vehicle and property maintenance. • All training or work where there is a risk of falling. The following are not considered to be work at • Using a ladder. height, but they would need to be covered by risk • Working on an aerial appliance decking or assessments if they posed a significant risk. platform. • Working on the roof of a vehicle. • Slips and trips on the level. • Rope rescue work and training. • Falls on permanent stairs if there is no • Working in confined spaces. structural work or maintenance being • Working on cliffs. undertaken. • Tower crane rescues. • Work on the upper floors of a building where • Fire fighting and rescues on embankments, there is no risk from falling. docks and quays. Safe Work at Height VU k at Height Acknowledgments The contribution of the following individuals and organisations to the production of this manual is acknowledged: Diane Bell Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate Chris Bilby Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service Lawrie Booth Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service John Burke Cleveland Fire Brigade Phil Crook Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Roy Harold Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service Gary Jeffery Essex County Fire and Rescue Service Steve Jones South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Denys Rama Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate Mark Wilson Essex County Fire and Rescue Service Chief Fire Officers' Association Fire and Rescue Service National Rope Users' Group Health and Safety Executive VUl Fire and Rescue Service Manual Safe Work at Height Chapter Chapter 1 - Strategic Framework THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK 1.3 United Kingdom Legis ation .J Introduction 1.3.1 The Health and Safety at Work etc.