Posted By Bernie Rogers Your risk assessment will identify the need to employ properly trained and supervised people. I suggest that having trained users in the use of such equipment that regular tool box talks remind them of the dangers of the hazards involved at working at height. It is important to rememeber that the assessment must identify the right person(s) for the job.

Posted By STEVE HI ADRIAN WITHOUT A DOUBT IF PERSONS ARE NOT TRAINED IN THE PROPRE USE OF SAFETY HARNESS THEN A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY WILL HAPPEN. I HAVE JUST DONE A SURVEY ON 20 DIFFERENT WORKERS ON SITE WHO JUST HAPPEN TO WEAR A HARNESS ,THEY WERE ALL FROM DIFFERENT COMPANYS. EVERYONE OF THEM KNEW HOW TO PUT A HARNESS ON BUT IT ENDED THERE. THEY DIDNT KNOW HOW LONG THEIR LANYARD WAS, HOW MUCH ABSORBER WAS RELEASED,HOW MUCH STRETCH THEIR WAS ON THEIR HARNESS,HOW TO USE THE CALCULATION OF HARNESS USE,HOW FAR THE D-RING WAS FROM THER FEET YET THIS IS THE ANCHORAGE POINT. THIS REALLY SCARED ME AS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS TRUE. IT IS ALL TO EASY TO THINK THAT WITH A HARNESS ON YOU ARE SAFE. WHY DO MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT WHEN WORKING AT 2M OR ABOVE YOU NEED A HARNESS ON WHEN THIS SHOULD BE THE LAST CHOICE OF PROTECTION AGAINST FALLS FROM HEIGHTS. WHY DONT WE THINK IN THE TERMS OF FALL PROTECTION INSTEAD OF FALL ARREST, THEN WE WOULD THINK DOWN THE LINES OF GUARD RAILS,SAFETY NETS,COVERING OF GAPS WITH STURDY BOARDS. I HAVE JUST BROUGHT MY FINDINGS UP AT OUR SAFETY COMMITEE AND THIS HAS BEEN ACTED UPON STRAIGHT AWAY.. ANYONE NOW WANTING TO USE SAFETY HARNESSES HAS TO HAVE BEEN ON A SAFETY HARNESS COURSE AND SIGN A LOGGING BOOK TO SHOW THEY HAVE DONE THE NECESSARY CHECKS. PERSON WORKING AT 2M HEIGHT=6FT 6" LANYARD[SMALLEST] 1M= 3FT 3" SHOCK ABSORBER 1/2M= 1FT 8" D-RING-toFEET 11/2m= 4ft 11" Harness Stretch min.6" 6" = 10ft 4" AS YOU CAN SEE IF THE PERSON DOESNT KNOW THE WORKINGS OF THE HARNESS AND THE LANYARD IS CLIPPED ANYWHERE OTHER THAN DIRECTLY ABOVE HIMSELF THEN HE IS IN DEEP ----. I AM NOT THAT GOOD ON CONVERSIONS BUT IT IS TO GIVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. ALSO I HAVE GONE FOR THE MINIMUM LANYARD LENGTH WHAT IF HE DIDNT REALISE AND PICKED UP A 2M LANYARD. BELIEVE ME IT CAN HAPPEN AS I FOUND OUT ON MY SURVEY.[HE WAS A SCAFFOLDER AS WELL] THINK FALL PROTECTION NOT FALL ARREST AND I AM SURE THE WORKERS WILL SEE WHAT WE MEAN. HOPE THIS IS OF USE STEVE

Posted By Adrian Knight Thanks Nigel, The web page crashed so have yet to read the guidance, as you've picked up, the in-field aspects of percieved risk and applied controls are the root causes of poor safety behaviour to protect against falls.

Posted By Ken Taylor The CITB position is to strongly recommend the use of safety harnesses attached to a secure anchorage point within the the platform to prevent personnel from being catapulted out of the platform in the event of vehicle strikes, hitting obstacles, wheels going into potholes, and the whiplash effect of undulating ground. This should be in addition to the edge protection to the working platform and not an alternative. The earlier comments on the need for workers to know the working and performance of fall-arrest equipment when working at height generally are very valid and I believe that this should be considered after safer alternatives (including fall-restraint systems).