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I have observed a mnethod of lifting concrete planks from the back of a lorry on site. The slinger is attahced to a cherry picker basket with an inertia reel and the basic raised. So, should they fall they will be arrested by the inertia reel. I havce never seen this means of working before. Is this a standard method of fall prevention these days?
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Struggling to follow your description so I will paraphrase: An operative attached to an inertia reel in a cherry picker basket - not sure an inertia reel is appropriate as the restraint should be to stop them exiting the basket and not preventing descent to a variable ground level. The basket is then being used to undersling a concrete form. Whilst I can understand the basket having a "working capacity" I always understood this to be for occupancy within the basket and not for actually lifting a suspended load. What does the rating plate actually say?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Struggling to follow your description so I will paraphrase: An operative attached to an inertia reel in a cherry picker basket - not sure an inertia reel is appropriate as the restraint should be to stop them exiting the basket and not preventing descent to a variable ground level. The basket is then being used to undersling a concrete form. Whilst I can understand the basket having a "working capacity" I always understood this to be for occupancy within the basket and not for actually lifting a suspended load. What does the rating plate actually say?
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I think the scenario is more along the lines of this;
Slinger is wearing a harness and is positioned on the back of the delivery vehicle.
A cherry picker Mewp has been positioned adjacent Tito the trailer with the basket raised over the trailer bed
An inertia reel is connected to the MEWP. With the line connected to to the operative on the trailers harness.
The system is supposed to be acting as a high level fall arrest. The MEWP will not be designed to take the load of the slinger falling. There is also the risk of the concrete slab striking the MEWP should load swing occur.
Never mind the slinger having to move around the trailer whilst the lifting activity is taking place.
Sadly, all too common a practice to avoid having to get a proper fall restraint or arrest system in place
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You are correct Arnold. My thoughts exactly. I am new to my job and it is not my site but it concerns me. If the slinger falls there is a shock loading on the MEWP etc. I am not sure how to challenge this.
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 1 user thanked PDarlow for this useful post.
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Originally Posted by: arnoldisnumerouno  I think the scenario is more along the lines of this;
The system is supposed to be acting as a high level fall arrest. The MEWP will not be designed to take the load of the slinger falling.
But the point of the inertia reel is to minimise the magnitude of the shock (by minimising the distance of the drop), and the MEWP will (probably) be designed for more than one person and the possibility that they might not be carefully tiptoeing about in their socks. I also observe that people in the MEWP are supposed to be clipped on (in most circumstances), and what's the point of that if the basket can't take any shock loading? I wouldn't be worrying about the shock loading on the MEWP globally, though the attachment arrangements between the reel and the basket would need consideration.
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Originally Posted by: achrn I also observe that people in the MEWP are supposed to be clipped on (in most circumstances), and what's the point of that if the basket can't take any shock loading?
Because clipping on is about restraint to keep operators in the basket NOT to arrest a fall (with associated shock loading) should they fall.
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Originally Posted by: Holliday42333 Originally Posted by: achrn I also observe that people in the MEWP are supposed to be clipped on (in most circumstances), and what's the point of that if the basket can't take any shock loading?
Because clipping on is about restraint to keep operators in the basket NOT to arrest a fall (with associated shock loading) should they fall.
So are you saying the 'MEWP catapult effect' doesn't exist, or that it doesn't result in shock loading on the lanyard? https://www.ipaf.org/en/resource-library/mewp-catapult-effect
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Hi achrn I doubt if anyone at IPAF would be queuing up to give the thumbs up to what appears to the scenario in this thread! Can think of much cheaper and safer ways of doing the task. For example you could have a relatively simple mobile scaffold platform erected on the far side of the lorry from which a person could access the planks to sling and then retreat. Depending on how the planks are configured on the lorry, it might even be practical to avoid the need to consider whether leading edge protection was needed (AND reasonably practicable). Much cheaper than bringing in a MEWP for a purpose it wasn't designed for.
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Thanks PD Arlow. The document does not answert the question. But it does clarify a few issiues.
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Originally Posted by: peter gotch Hi achrn I doubt if anyone at IPAF would be queuing up to give the thumbs up to what appears to the scenario in this thread! I don't recall saying they did / would. In fact, they very clearly say don't do it: https://www.ipaf.org/en-gb/resource-library/do-not-use-mewps-overhead-anchor What I said was that arguing that you shouldn't do it because the MEWP couldn't take the shock loading resulting did not make sense. Sayting a particular argument doesn't make sense doesn't mean I think using a MEWP as a fall arrest anchor point is a good idea.
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Not sure the cherry picker will be affected if an inertia reel is in use. An inertia reel works bit like a seat belt but a bit slower. The reel will travel up to 2 metres before arresting the fall. Add the height of the person1.8 metres then the reel will not have arrested the fall before the guy hits the floor. Lorry beds tend to be less than 2 metres high. Even a fixed point attachment is unlikely to stop the person falling unless they are on a very short lanyard.
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Originally Posted by: achrn Originally Posted by: Holliday42333 Originally Posted by: achrn I also observe that people in the MEWP are supposed to be clipped on (in most circumstances), and what's the point of that if the basket can't take any shock loading?
Because clipping on is about restraint to keep operators in the basket NOT to arrest a fall (with associated shock loading) should they fall.
So are you saying the 'MEWP catapult effect' doesn't exist, or that it doesn't result in shock loading on the lanyard? https://www.ipaf.org/en/resource-library/mewp-catapult-effect
Not at all. What I am saying is that being clipped on doesn't corrolate to the basket being capable of withstanding shock loading. It apeared that what was being asked was related to the very common misconception that harnesses and lanyard use in MEWPS is for fall arrest should an operator fall out rather than fall restraint to keep an operator in the basket. This is stated more than once in the very informative link provided.
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1 user thanked Holliday42333 for this useful post.
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I would advise you to look on the precast flooring federation (part of british precast) for their excellent free publication. the PFF code of Practice for erection of precast flooring and associated components. Its is industry standard and was put together with expert inductry knowledge from the market leaders.
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1 user thanked bradaz1 for this useful post.
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