Posted By Ben Hughes
Could somebody just clarify the legal requirements of anchorage points and the use of work restraint fall prevention?

The background for my question comes from a recent risk assessment looking at working at height in our workplace. There are areas of our workplace that could result in severe injuries/fatalites and therefore we have positioned certified and inspected eyebolts used with fall arrest (at the very very minimum requirement, more usually work restraint).

However there are places that could result in less severe injury but you would still class these as working at height i.e working ontop of major components such as gearboxes (2m high). There is no realistic location to place eyebolts, but these major components have lifting areas (from the crane installation) built into their structure. Where would I stand legally if I recommended that we should be using work restraint principles, bearing in mind that this will physically stop persons getting into a position to fall, on these structural potential hook on points?

Would these need to be inspected under LOLER?

Thanks in advance

Posted By Dave Merchant
Yes, they're fine to use (and on many nacelles, both old and new, they're intentionally painted yellow as per EN50308 to remind people of that fact).

If the point is truly integral (such as the two holes in the front flange of a Bonus 500 gearbox) then LOLER doesn't care about them in the slightest, and there's no formal inspection required even under PUWER. If they're add-on fixings (e.g. on some Siemens 2.3s there's a T-bracket bolted under the yaw ring) then they need inspection, but not under LOLER (for restraint or arrest it's a WAHR inspection).

If you've got a particular turbine in mind, email me.

Posted By Nigel
Ben,

If you're able I recommend getting hold of a copy of BS 8437 - Personal Fall Protection Systems & Equipment. Amoungst much other useful information this states 'Anchor points for restraint systems ... for single person use, it is recommended that the minimum breaking strength of the anchor point should be equivalent to at least 3 times the users' body mass in the direction in which the load is to be applied in service.' For example for someone weighing 100Kg this would be a maximum of 3x100=300Kg or 3KN. In theory anything can be used provided it meets this criterion including structural features of the plant, equipment, etc being worked upon. For example an anchor (or girder) sling can be used to attach to a structural girder.

Cheers,

Nigel

Posted By Richard Hinckley
Ben, if you would like to email me direct I can send you details of a very unique Vacuum Anchor device that we have succesfully used for this type of temporary anchorage on wind turbines (as well as aircraft, tank, vessels and tankers).

Regards

Richard

Posted By Ben Hughes
Hi all,

Hope you dont mind Dave but I have e-mailed a query to you.

Ali, alot of the WAHR heirarchy is physically and realistically impractical in wind turbines for quite afew reasons - all controls were however considered in the risk assessments I can assure you.

Ben

Posted By Dave Merchant
A Campbell - we do (mostly) plan turbines to give protected work areas, and on the larger models the nacelle is often entirely enclosed - you're working in a Portacabin on a stick. The problem comes with the older sub-megawatt models, which have hinged roof doors that have to be opened in order for you to physically fit inside the thing. You'd be hard-pressed to fall over the sides by accident, but you often have to work right at the ends (either to access the hub, or to work the davit arm at the back). In those positions you only have 'edge protection' to about knee level so restraint is the only sensible option.

I'd post pics, but forum rules don't allow it.