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Harness lock off points/eye bolts inspection regime
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Posted By Karel Simpson
Hi all,
I have stopped work today for one of our roofers due to icy conditions and also our works supervisor had not obtained certification from the building manager on the actual restraint system in place (wire) and eyebolts.
I seem to believe that these should be inspected every 6 months as it is supporting a person but a colleague of mine believes that this is 12 months as it is not classed as lifting equipment.
Can anyone shed light please?
Thank you
KS
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Posted By Ron Young
In my mind every 12 months for a test and inspection.
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Posted By Pete Gough
Periodic examinations are required at intervals no greater than 12 months for fall arrest and 6 months for rope access equipment. For fall arrest harnesses 12 months is also the recommended maximum interval between inspections but, depending on usage, working conditions this would probably be carried out more frequently. Needless to stay, all users would carry out a Before Use check before commencing work!
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Posted By Peter R Peacock
These items should comply to BS EN 795 and to BS 7883. Dependant on frequency of use and environmental conditions items used for Fall Arrest or Work Restraint should be periodically examined at least once every twelve months to the manufacturers recommendations by a competent person and a certificate/report issued. Items used for Rope Access should be subjected to a similar examination regime every six months. More information can be obtained from The Working at Height Safety Association at www.wahsa.org.uk and from IRATA at www.irata.org.uk. Persons using these systems should be trained and competent to use them as required by The Work at Height Regulations and BS 8437:2005 section 15
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Posted By Peter R Peacock
Sorry I forgot to mention that if you are using the system (Eyebolts, Wire, Track or Dead weights) as a Fall Arrest system then you must have in place a rescue plan (in case the user falls whilst attached to the system). You must also be aware of suspension trauma and how to recognise and deal with it once the fallen person has been rescued. It's better to try and work in Work Restraint.
Regards
Peter
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Posted By William
section 9 of LOLER advises to inspect lifting equipment which is used for lifting persons every 6 months and this includes accessories such as eye bolts, this is also advised if the equipment is in a area which may cause it to deteriorate, i think a roof would fall into this. Also what type of eye bolt was it? As if it was not a collared one it would not be suitable in the first place.
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Posted By Karel Simpson
Thank you everyone for your contributions, a few different views on this.
As William quoted I took my 6 month view from Regulation 9(3) of loler, the bolts themselves are part of a wire restraint system and are of the correct classification.
My only other comment is does loler apply as it is physically not lifting anything.
KS
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Posted By William
If the eye bolt would come into use in the event of someone falling then it would as it would then be used for lifting a person then.
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Posted By Karel Simpson
Thank you William, Thank you very much, looking at it in this point of view has finally made the penny drop for me.
If there was a fall the wire would be used to support the rescue lift so thenas you say it falls under Loler.
Thank you
KS
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Posted By IC Rogers MIOSH Cert Ed
Karel,
May I bring your attention to WAHSA technical guidance note no. 3 Guidance on inspecting personal fall protection equipment (available on the HSE website. Due to harnesses being made up of hard and soft products, I insist on a 6 montly inspection regime as well as recorded pre and post use inspections.
Competent person
EN 365 2004 for periodic examination
Person who is knowledgeable of the current periodic examination requirements, recommendations and
instructions issued by the manufactures applicable to the relevant component, subsystem or system
Note 2
A competent person may need to be trained by a manufacture or his authorised representative on
specific PPE or other equipment eg,due to its complexity or innovation ,or where safety critical
knowledge is needed in the dismantling ,reassembly or assessment of PPE or other equipment ,and
may need to have that training updated due to modification
And upgrades
Detailed inspections
These are formal, comprehensive inspections that should be carried out from time to time at intervals as
set out in the employer’s inspection regime. There should be a detailed inspection before first use and
then at least every six months or after circumstances which might jeopardize safety have occurred
For equipment which is used frequently it is suggested that the frequency of detailed inspections is
increased to at least every three months, particularly when the equipment is used in arduous
environments (e.g. demolition, steel erection, scaffolding, steel masts or towers with sharp edges)
Roy ROgers MIOSH Cert Ed
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Posted By p winter
ok chaps and chapesses - where does it say in legislation that you must inspect an attchment point.
Consider a scaffolder who must change his attachment point from place to place.How could inspection be achieved?
I take your point William -but if someone falls the eyebolt will not necessarily be used to lift and rescue the person.
Come on tell me I'm wrong
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Posted By William
An eye bolt is classed as a lifting accessory, and if it was to be used for lifting or suspending people its inspection would be 6 months, check LOLER 9:3.
As for it being used for lifting, LOLER would apply to the suspension of loads as well as the lifting.
Also this thread is not about ancorage points it is about the inspection of equipment under LOLER, which the eye bolts are.
You also say that the eye bolt will not "necessarily be used to lift and rescue the person", does that mean that under no circumstances it will be used even if there are no other options???????
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Posted By Karel Simpson
Thanks again everybody,
Mixed views, a general good debate though I feel.
My view with regards to LOLER is the wire restraint system and eye-bolts holding the system in place would be used to aid the rescue operation in a fall arrest situation, to which our lifting equipment would then be locked off onto the wire restraints, this in my opinion would then become an accessory to lifting a person so you could tie it under LOLER 9(3), however I have spoken to a consultant who believes that the main regulations in force would be PPE regs and WAH2005 regs, it is also believed that it could be argued for PUWER as well.
I have been pointed in 12 month direction and 6 month direction for which arguments for and against are available, in the WAH2005 and PPE it mainly points towards 12 months so I will take this as minimum standard and 6 months as good practise. However I am going to be spending today and tomorrow at available chances compiling everything together, regs, BS standards etc to see if I can find any agreement between these.
Regards and thank you to everyone who has so far contributed, Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.
KS
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Posted By GT
I see some comments about inspections etc that may not come from an active involvement. Under scafftag arrangements scaffolding is inspected weekly and signed off.
In respect of life lines used to attach lanyards of people wearing harnesses and working at height to prevent falls, I would think that these should come in line with Scaffolding and be inspected weekly.
Not built from Legislation / Guidance or Cleverness but think about it?
Do you need this life line for a particular purpose?
Has the secure point been changed during the past week, during the night work etc?
Has it been satisfactorily been reconnected?
Would you be happy to have it inspected every six months through changing seasons ( maybe in harsh conditions, freezing fog etc ) when your life may depend on its integrity?
Suggest to some members, not all, (the shiny bottoms) that you get your minds away from the books and into practical applications.
Hope I havent offended but I do get annoyed when people continually quote the written word without any experience of reality.
Think about it!!
GT
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Posted By Karel Simpson
GT, I can see the point you are making,
The problem being the system is not on our premises and that of a clients, the manager of the premises was trying to take away any inspection duties that were his responsibilities and I was looking for something in writing to go back and prove my point to him, I have since found that BSBS EN 795 and BS 7883 do state the infomation required.
As for not just looking at books for information etc I actually went up to this location and onto the roof, which is a ledge around 4 foot wide with an open edge drop of around 30-40 feet i icy condition. I never just look at quoting from books or legislation I always try to make my judgements based on physical evidence and attend most jobs, our employees know this and feel free to ring me with concerns as they know my approach is not coming from just the office. I have even been out at 2 am in the morning when an employee on call was unsure of a task.
Again to all thank you for your contributions, I have found the information I needed from this forum.
Regards
KS
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Posted By Karel Simpson
On the above comment, I actually went to look at the ledge from a perch above that had a secured and certified lock off point to which I was connected.
Just thought would clear that quickly up.
regards
KS
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Harness lock off points/eye bolts inspection regime
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