Regulation and ControlPublications from HSESafety Statistics
One of the prime motivations for the formation of irata in 1987 was the recognition by leading practitioners that the existing legislation did not cover rope access techniques. In the intervening years irata has worked closely with the HSE to formulate working philosophies for regulated rope access.
Irata has developed and implemented three broad schemes to regulate and control safety issues:
Publishing, originally in 1994, formal Guidelines to regulate how roped access works should be carried out. The guidelines enable companies to fully integrate rope access safety procedures with existing Health and Safety legislation thus creating a realistic philosophy of working methods. The Guidelines also specify plant and equipment to be used together with the appropriate European norms (ENs) to which working systems should conform.
All companies wishing to participate in irata must be independently audited to confirm that they are working to the guidelines. To ensure this all companies have their procedures vetted and then audited. Audits have both technical and quality assurance components to assess all aspects of rope access management.
Since 1992 all technicians working within the industry are required to be trained and assessed in accordance with the irata document "General Requirements for Rope Access Personnel". After training, the technicians undertake an independent assessment, are registered by irata and issued a log book and identification card. There are three levels of technician: Trainee (1), Operative (2) and Supervisor (3)
irata members provide clients with detailed method statements for any operation involving rope access. By identifying potential hazards and through effective risk management irata companies can produce a safe system of work. This progressive and proactive stance has led to documented accident rates being low in comparison to other access industries.
The following publications are freely down loadable from the HSE website, please click on the links to obtain copies:
HSE comment on Asbestos
Please visit the HSE website httpp://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/index.htm
HSE Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) on confined spaces
Revised and updated publication, containing an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance on the duties in the Confined Spaces Regulations. February 2009
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/e09015.htm?ebul=cons/feb09&cr=14
First Aid management for harness suspension when working at height Following completion of an evidence based review of published medical literature on the effect of a fall triggering harness suspension, HSE confirms that no change should be made to the standard first aid guidance for the post recovery of a semi conscious or unconscious person in a horizontal postiion, even if the subject of prior harness suspension.
More information can be found here
Free Health & Safety Executive email newsletters
Sign up for free regular email bulletins on health and safety issues from HSE and stay up to date with what's new and changed on the hse.gov.uk website: online tools and services priced and free publications changes to legislation campaigns and events major health and safety incidents opportunities to have your say Also available - a growing range of bulletins for specific industries and health and safety hazards: Construction Agriculture Preventing workplace stress Workplace accident and ill-health statistics Sign up today - select the bulletins that interest you and provide an email address at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/new/ebulletins 07/11/2006
Download from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/new/ebulletins
ACWHAT WAH Regs - Inspector Training Pack
Following the introduction of the Work at Height Regulations the HSE has published an information pack which has been used to train HSE and local authority inspectors to enforce the regulations. Copies of the pack which will be of interest to all IRATA members. Work at Height Regulations HSE has published its inspector training pack (free download). For details, see HSE Press Release 29/09/2005
Download from: www.hse.gov.uk/press/2005/e05106.htm
The Work at Height Regulations
The following article by Martin Holden was originally published in Health and Safety International, revised and abbreviated for the June issue of Safety and Health Practitioner, and is reproduced here for members' benefit with his kind permission' . 17/06/2005
Download .pdf file > The Work at Height Regulations v2 21-4 05 .pdf
Falls from Height Research Programme
Link to Fall from Height Research Programme. 16/06/2005
Download from: www.hse.gov.uk/falls/research.htm
Inspecting Fall arrest equipment made from webbing
Link to Inspecting Fall arrest equipment made from webbing. 10/06/2005
Download from: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg367.pdf
The Work at Height Regulation (a brief guide)
Link to a brief guide to Work at Height Regulation. 10/06/2005
Download from: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg401.pdf
Work at Height Regulations
Link to Work at Height Regulations.
Download from: www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2005/20050735.htm
Work at Height Question and Answer Brief
Question and answer brief for the construction industry on the Work at Height Regulation 2005
Download from: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/pdf/fallsqa.pdf
Offshore FPSO Tank Working
HSE Offshore Division has been examining the isolation arrangements for tank entry on FPSOs offshore and in particular crude oil tanks (COTs). Initial indications are that the quality of isolations achieved prior to tank working may not necessarily reach the standards normally expected such as for process plant vessel entry. Isolations are required typically for crude oil lines and inert gas (essentially nitrogen and possibly hydrocarbon gases - asphyxiant and narcotic respectively). Additionally, tanks may contain pressurised 'through' lines. Aspects relating to the isolations themselves, types of valves, remote operation of valves, water fill between valves, blanking etc, are being addressed by others within the Division. My involvement is limited to my concerns for rope access workers engaged in working within these tanks. It requires little imagination to recognise the potential problems of evacuation and rescue of individuals from within these tanks should an isolation fail. It is the purpose of this note to request information from Level 3s who have been involved in tank working on FPSOs offshore. This is an information gathering exercise and any comments, suggestions, thoughts etc on this topic would be much appreciated. Only as a guide to those who wish to respond, I add some question headings to help them formulate responses. Detail may be supplied but general brief responses will be sufficient at this stage: Is the integrity of COT isolations required prior to tank entry ever queried or questioned by rope access teams?. Do risk assessments include and consider the possibility of any isolation failure? Are any special precautions taken against potential isolation failures? (Both preventative - additional isolation measures- and protective - PPE measures) Do evacuation/rescue scenarios include failure of isolations? What is the time of risk exposure - in other words - roughly how many hours/days are x persons working within a tank on a typical job? Any other information? As usual, responses will be treated confidentially; my primary requirement at this stage is to determine if there is a potential generic problem that requires further work. Should you wish to make direct contact to clarify any of the above please call, write or email Chris Robbins at Chris Robbins Lord Cullen House, Fraser Place, Aberdeen AB25 3UB Tel: 01224 252595 chris.robbins@hse.gsi.gov.uk
Download from: chris.robbins@hse.gsi.gov.uk
Fall-arresting effectiveness ladder safety hoop
Preliminary Investigation into the Fall-arresting Effectiveness of Ladder Safety Hoops FOR INFORMATION The UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published recently the following Research Report: RR258 - Preliminary investigation into the fall-arresting effectiveness of ladder safety hoops This is available (free), as a pdf download, from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr258.htm Synopsis: Various legislative and guidance documents specify ladder safety hoops on fixed access ladders, (alternatively rendered as caged ladders), and give the impression that the purpose of the hoops is to protect workers from falling to the ground or other platform. Previous research has indicated that there is virtually a total lack of knowledge in regard to ladder safety hoops, and in conjunction with anecdotal accident evidence and a lack of test methods, uncertainties have been raised by persons conducting working at height risk assessments as to whether safety hoops can provide any form of fall-arresting capability. The overall aim of this preliminary investigation was to update the current state of knowledge and understanding in regard to what ladder safety hoops actually are, what their intended purpose is, and to establish by preliminary testing whether or not they could provide any form of fall-arresting capability.
Download from: www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr258.htm
IRATA is committed to the production of annual statistics as they clearly demonstrates the excellent safe working record of irata members and the effective controls irata has in place through its Training and Registration Scheme for Operatives, its "General Requirements for Safe Working" and "Guidelines" and, not least, the stringent vetting procedure all companies undergo before becoming irata members to ensure a safe working environment within the industry.
The IRATA Work and Safety Analysis, featuring these statistics, is independently compiled by Chris Robbins. The Reports are available in .pdf format (you will need Adobe Acrobat to read these files.)
IRATA Work and Safety Analysis 2008
IRATA Work and Safety Analysis 2007
Analysis of IRATA incidents 06-07 - control measures & remedial action