Posted By Christopher Kelly
I have recently started working at a new site with new contractors on a HV substation. I found a lack of awareness about the need to wear fixed length lanyards (adjustable length as minimum)in boom-type access platforms and began to put the message out about restraint instead of arrest.

Historically (although not legally required to) whilst working for other companies we have applied the same principle to scissor lifts. However whilst talking to a a work@height specialist trainer (who is providing training for National Grid) they told me that, if you do manage to fall out of a scissor lift whilst attached with a restraint lanyard the anchor point in the basket will not withstand the shock loading as they are not designed to work with restraint. Accordingly they advised me that when working in scissor lifts we should be wearing shock-absorber arrest lanyards instead of restraint.

I feel this will automatically lead to confusion. Is this true and if so shouldn't scissor lift manufacturers be installing anchor points to work with restraint ? Rather than confuse the operators I would prefer to have personnel working within the scissor platform without anything thereby concentrating their minds on using restraint in boom-type. However this would seem to be a backward step ?

Also many scissor lifts do not have fencing around the bottom so that there is a risk of trapping within the scissor mechanism.

Thoughts / suggestions appreciated.

Regards,
Chris

Posted By CFT
Robert & I managed to respectfully disagree, the post however will be of interest to you. I have reviewed the activities within my Group regarding this practice since contributing to the thread; in a perfect world I agree 100% with Robert; it is of course not perfect and assessment of the task dictates to me if the need for fixed restraint is required.

have a read of the post though.

http://www.iosh.co.uk/in...iew&forum=1&thread=29164

CFT

Posted By Granville Jenkins
There are those that Do and those that Don't (like to use a harness in a mewp) - problems can arise and if you have a need to jump out then the lanyard could rob you of that opportunity.
I have heard of one large mewp 62 metre which inadvertently had one leg of the hydraulic stabiliser sited over a hidden manhole - the platform went up the arm slewed over to position the basket which caused an increase in the point load on the hydraulic feet on one side of the vehicle, the manhole collapsed and the mewp rather ungracefully fell over. By all accounts the arm of the mewp hit a tree which slowed the arm down, the person in the basket was injured but at least he survived to tell the tale!

I have recently been up in a 62metre Bronto which at one time was fully extended and had locked out, an interesting sensation occurs when the operator released the hydraulics, however, at such a height the use of a lanyard becomes purely academic. MEWPS have guardrails which provide some safeguard, but it really depends on the nature of the job and this should be addressed in the risk assessment process, which should identify if a lanyard needs to be used.

Regards
Granville

Posted By Edward H
Chris
I can understand your confusion and your concern. I am certain that this has been made worse by the advice you were given by the W@H trainer [or your recollection of it!].

The length of a fall RESTRAINT lanyard should be so short that it is not possible to fall out of the platform [scissor or boom]. The attachment points provided on/in the platform are for work RESTRAINT only [scissor or boom]and are NOT designed to withstand the forces generated when someone falls and is ARRESTED, whether they are wearing a shock-absorbing lanyard or not.

The problem can arise with the larger scissor lifts where there is a temptation to use a longer restraint lanyard to allow the operative to move about on the platform; the lanyard may then also be long enough to allow them to fall over the top rail when they are close to the attachment point. You are then left with the question: do you consider that the risk of them falling off/out of the platform of a scissor lift is so high, and you have discounted all other means of reducing that risk, that you are willing to provide an untested Fall Arrest System that might fail because anything is better than nothing?

Posted By Christopher Kelly
Edward

Thanks for that - that answers my specific question. The w@h specialist did specifically say that restraint should be used in boom-type; arrest in scissor.

If, as you say anchor points in boom OR scissor lifts are not designed to withstand shock- loading from a fall into arrest or restraint then I know what I am working with.

Incidentally someone mentioned that personnel are just as likely to climb on the guard-rails of a scissor lift as for a boom-type - agreed. The real point of using fall prevention in boom-type is that there have been a number of incidents where the basket has been jolted about for some reason (something falling onto it or, as I saw recently - knocking the elbow of the boom on an obstruction)causing the operator to be thrown out - there is a reduced(?) risk of the platform on a scissor lift moving round in a violent, uncontrolled fashion.

Thanks to everyone for that all the advice, hopefully I can return the favour some time.

Regards,
Chris

Posted By CFT
Christopher

That scenario becomes arrest as opposed to restraint.

CFT

Posted By Robert K Lewis
Still have to firmly disagree. What is the problem with not using a harness in a scissor lift. The guardrails are often substantially better than a scaffold and we do not use them on scaffolds. As I have said sensible assessments mean not going over the top with PPE, ie lanyards, and ensuring proper training and supervision instead.

DWs thread on the alloy tower shows precisely where this "use a harness for all work at height leads us to!!" Mind you most people still think anybody can erect one of these towers properly - but I have lost count of the number of supervisors who, when asked about a tower, will recognise that the erection is incorrect but do not stop the work themselves until encouraged to do so!

Bob

Posted By David AB Thomas
“An energy absorbing lanyard of the correct length may be used for restraint provided that the situation in which it is to be used is such that it will not be subjected to a force that could cause the energy absorber to begin to deploy (i.e. a force in excess of 2 kN)”. (See BS 8437:2005, Clause 8.2.2, Lanyards and anchor lines for restraint systems.)

The key words are, “of the correct length”. In my opinion, you are unlikely to get to 2 kN in work restraint.

By definition, work restraint systems restrict the user’s travel so that access is not possible to zones where the risk of a fall from a height exists.

Retractables? Take care! See, http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2006/e06033.htm

IPAF views: See, http://www.ipaf.org/en/r...es/clunk-click-campaign/

MATs? Don’t attach an energy absorbing lanyard, for fall arrest. See CIS10, http://www.hse.gov.uk/PUBNS/cis10.pdf

Posted By AlB
Bob,

Scaffold is usually always designed so that work occurs on one side only, and quite commonly in contact with some sort of facade - the very nature of the proximity of the working/ internal face scaffold to the structure makes leaning over the handrails unnecesary and of little risk (why lean over the outside, when there is nothing there to work on?). With both MEWP and Scissor lifts there is a danger that the operatieves will need to lean over the handrails to reach their place of work, such as on streetlamps, windows, fencing etc - so much depends on the locating of the machinery, nature of the job etc etc.

Also a scaffold will be designed securely, will be stable and will be much less susceptible to swaying or collapse, whreas MEWPS and scissor lifts are more prone to overturning on sloping or uneven ground, can be located on ground that may slip, or, as mentioned earlier in the thread, come across a manhole cover that gives way - a scaffold, even if one of the legs does give way, is almost inevitably supported by its adjacent standards and ties.

Posted By Robert K Lewis
Scissor lifts do not react to ovement in the same way as cherry pickers - there is NO tendency to catapault! Also the method of use of this equipment is to position the platform such that work is done at waist height. Leaning over is bad practice and must be supervised as such, or sack the supervisor!

You do not move scissor lifts while elevated and a reading of LOLER suggests that they should be checked at each new position. Additional to a weekly as per scaffolds as a place of work and as recommended by the manufacturers.

Bob