SAEMA Document No. SDN

Transcription

1 SAEMA Dcument N. SDN Issue Date: 6 th Nvember 2012 Guidance dcument n facade access mechanical/ electrical breakdwn, rescue and rescue planning. Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Assciatin (SAEMA) Page1 f 7

2 CONTENTS: 1. Intrductin This dcument has been prepared t assist duty hlders (e.g. facilities managers, building wners, main cntractrs and ther persns acting as duty hlder fr prvisin f temprarily and permanently installed suspended façade access systems, wh may cntract thers t wrk at height and all equipment users. The aim is t prvide sme guidance t assist with pssible actins and planning in the case f mechanical / electrical breakdwn and rescue planning fr facade access equipment. Duty hlders have a respnsibility fr having a rescue plan in place (WAHR:2005, regulatin 4, all wrk at height shuld be prperly planned, this planning shuld include planning fr rescue) This respnsibility cannt be transferred t the equipment users hwever their Risk Assessment and Methd statement dcumentatin shuld incrprate their means f fllwing the rescue plan and reducing any remaining risk s. 2. Regulatins and Standards. The regulatins and standards used when cmpiling this Guidance Nte are listed belw. The list used is nt claimed t be cnclusive, ther regulatins and standards may exist that ffer further advice that shuld be cnsidered regarding the Health & Safety f façade access equipment users when develping Rescue Plans. WAHR 2005: Wrk at Height Regulatins: 2005 LOLER 1998: Lifting Operatins and Lifting Equipment Regulatins 1998 (LOLER) PUWER 1998: Prvisin and Use f Wrk Equipment Regulatins Open learning guidance BS :2003 Cde f practice fr the planning, design, installatin and use f permanently installed access equipment Suspended access equipment BS :2004 Cde f practice fr the planning, design, installatin and use f permanently installed access equipment Travelling ladders and gantries EN361 : 2002 Persnal prtective equipment against falls frm a height Full bdy harnesses EN358 : Persnal prtective equipment against falls frm a height Wrk psitining equipment EN813 : Persnal prtective equipment against falls frm a height Sit harness BS 7985:2009 Cde f practice fr the use f rpe access methds fr industrial purpses HSE OC 282/31 Rpe evacuatin frm mechanical handling equipment City f Lndn, Envirnmental Health Wrking at Height - Emergency Rescue Planning Vide. 3. SAEMA psitin. The Specialist Access Engineering & Maintenance Assciatin (SAEMA) recmmends that the Duty Hlder respnsible fr the upkeep f all the equipment that frms the façade access system n any specific building r structure shuld have a written Rescue Plan available n the site at all times. The persn respnsible fr the emplyment f the users f the abve mentined system must als be aware that a rescue plan exists and be aware f it s lcatin n the specific building r structure, shuld the need arise fr a Rescue Prcedure t be implemented. 4. Purpse. The purpse f this SAEMA Guidance Dcument is t help t make Duty Hlders alert t the imprtance f adequate Rescue Planning and hpefully pint them in the right directin shuld they feel they need help n this subject. Index 1. Facade Access breakdwn & rescue guidance flw chart 2. Assistance ntes t be read in cnjunctin with flw chart 3. Reference dcuments / reading (standards, guidance ntes and regulatins applicable t these subjects) Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Assciatin (SAEMA) Page2 f 7

3 Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Assciatin (SAEMA) Page3 f 7

4 1. General Guidance In all cases Façade access equipment shuld nly be used by trained and experienced peratrs. The Wrk at Height Regulatins 2005 state ; Thse invlved in wrk at height are trained and cmpetent. Operatr training shuld include:- General wrking at height, use f fall prtectin equipment, including it selectin, inspectin, fitting and use in cnjunctin with the applicable fall risks. Specific user training fr the safe use f the installed façade access equipment n building including but nt limited t; Safe Access and Egress t and frm the equipment Access System verview Access system safety devices and checks Access system peratin Access system emergency prcedures 2. Ntes t be read in cnjunctin with flw chart Nte 1 Machine stpped wrking When equipment stps wrking in mst cases the cause is f a minr nature r by design i.e. safety device has activated. By using a methdical apprach, the prblem can usually be slved by the trained equipment peratives n site. Nte 2 Is pwer available at the equipment Initial site assessment There are many types f Suspended Access Equipment, which differ frm ne anther in many ways, hwever mst equipment will have a pwer indicatr light n the frnt f the electrical cntrl panel. Check this is activated if fitted. If there is n pwer t the equipment, check all cnnectins t the building pwer supply and if pssible that the building electrical pwer supply is still present. This applies nly where the in-huse team is fully cnversant with simple fault-finding prcedures and/r is qualified t deal with pwer utages. Nte 3 Cntact maintaining engineer If the cause f breakdwn is nt immediately apparent the maintaining engineer must be called. The duty hlder n site shuld be infrmed f the breakdwn, s they are aware that the façade emergency rescue plan may need t be used. Nte 4 Des the nature f breakdwn put peratives in peril if nt immediately recvered? The Duty Hlder must assess whether the speed f respnse by the maintaining engineer is apprpriate given the nature f the breakdwn. At this stage the Duty Hlder shuld mnitr the situatin and if they believe the perative s situatin is deterirating, then cnsideratin shuld be given t implementing the rescue plan. Nte 5 Are the peratives expsed t a mre imminent hazard that cannt be cntrlled? In the event f serius mechanical failure, rapidly deterirating weather r where immediate medical attentin is required the Duty Hlder shuld initiate the rescue plan. Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Assciatin (SAEMA) Page4 f 7

5 Nte 6 Operate manual ascent/decent system Manual-descent/ascent prcedures shuld be implemented. Pwer perated suspended access equipment shuld have a means f manual descent designed int its systems fr emergency rescue purpses. Manual-descent shuld nly be undertaken by trained and qualified persnnel and nly when satisfied that the platfrm can be lwered t a place f safety withut increasing the risk t peratives r indeed members f the public. In the majrity f cases the manual descent system has been prved sufficient t recver peratives. Nte All equipment shuld be regularly maintained in line with the applicable legislatin, by a reputable cmpetent rganisatin. Operatives have suitable and sufficient specific equipment training. Operative cmplete full pre use checks f the suspended access equipment prir t use, in line with the equipment manufacturer s recmmendatins. Including the manual descent system. Rf rescue perative Whilst the façade access equipment is in use, a third party shuld be n site that is trained in the use f the equipment rescue prcedure. Nte 7 Nte 8a Manual Descent. T allw fr the unlikely scenari where the manual-descent is inperable r the perative(s)is/are incapacitated, an alternative rescue slutin is required. Sme suggested rescue ptins are listed belw but these ptins may have serius implicatins. When assessing alternative frms f rescue, yu shuld satisfy yurself that yu are nt intrducing unacceptable risk int the equatin. Determining the mst apprpriate means f rescue is a risk assessment prcess and yu will need t cmplete ne as part f the planning prcess. Use remte cntrls t recver peratives Sme equipment may have cntrls installed, t allw the cradle /platfrm t be remtely perated, allwing it t be raised r lwered t safe psitin, t allw the user t be rescued. This culd be due t perative(s) being incapacitated fr instance. NOTE: A trained third party will use the cntrls t rescue peratives frm the equipment in the case f cntrl being lst frm within the cradle. Nte 8b Use Mechanical Access Platfrm t recver peratives. The mechanical access platfrm wuld need t be n standby, in rder t ensure callut respnse times are acceptable in the emergency. Can a machine be used t reach all areas where a rescue may be required? Is the grund able t supprt the lads applicable t the size f machine required? Are the areas belw subject t traffic flw r ther hazards? Thught and planning shuld als be given t the recvery f the suspended access equipment nce the peratives have been rescued. Nte 8c Call ut emergency services t perfrm perative evacuatin. In general the emergency services will nt allw themselves t be used as a pre-planned rescue ptin fr suspended access equipment. A rescue plan shuld nt be reliant n calling ut the emergency services withut having cnsulted with them in advance and agreed that they have the necessary equipment and capabilities t cmplete a rescue. That they are able t prvide the required respnse times. Thught and planning shuld als be given t the recvery f the suspended access equipment nce the peratives have been rescued. Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Assciatin (SAEMA) Page5 f 7

6 Nte 8d rescue. IRATA-trained rpe access technicians t prvide third-party The rpe access team wuld need t be n standby, in rder t ensure callut respnse times are acceptable in the emergency. The rpe access cmpany will have t pre plan and assess the rescue techniques and equipment required in advance f any rescue being required. Suitable tested and inspected, rpe access suspensin pints will be required arund the rf f the building in all areas where a rescue culd be required. Nte it is nt acceptable t assume that the BMU (Rf Trlley)/r cradle tracks can be used as a rpe access suspensin pint This will need cnfirming with the system designer, manufacturer, installer r access equipment maintaining rganisatin. Thught and planning shuld als be given t the recvery f the suspended access equipment nce the peratives have been rescued. Nte 8e Egress frm a balcny r pening windw r sme ther aperture n the building The welfare f peratives must remain the primary cncern and it may n ccasins be necessary t plan fr the ptential fr having glass remved t facilitate recvery f persnnel int the building. This may be at height but als at intermediate rf levels where there is n rf access in place. It may be pssible t use this methd but it will nt nrmally be used as part f a rbust plan. Nte 8f Self-rescue / persnal evacuatin kits. These items f equipment are increasingly being put frward by rganisatins lking fr a quick fix t rescue, hwever they are ften nt apprpriate. The fllwing must be cnsidered / allwed fr by the duty hlder prir t their use. Has the manufacturer f the facade access equipment verified that the planned anchrage pint n the façade access equipment is capable f sustaining the impsed lads that culd be applied t it during a rescue peratin when the rescue kit is used? Has the facade access equipment manufacturer verified that the rf suspensin f the access equipment system is designed t accmmdate the pssible lads f the rescue kit when in use? Rescue kit s are used t lift / lwer peple; Lifting Operatins and Lifting Equipment Regulatins (LOLER) 1998, (3) Subject t paragraph (6), every emplyer shall ensure that lifting equipment which is expsed t envirnmental cnditins that culd result in deteriratin, which is liable t result in a dangerus situatin is (a) Thrughly examined - (i) in the case f lifting equipment fr lifting persns r an accessry fr lifting, at least every 6 mnths. Operatives using the rescue kits shuld be suitably trained t safely use the equipment in an emergency situatin. If the reasn fr rescue is an incapacitated perative they will nt be able t use this methd f rescue. The rescue kit will have t be supplied by the duty hlder in rder fr them t cntrl the suitability f anchrages / suspensin system as detailed abve. The harness nrmally used by the peratives in the access equipment may nt be suitable t use with the self rescue equipment. The harness will need t be suitable fr wrk psitining rather than fall arrest. Rescue equipment shuld be stred in a cl dry envirnment. Where practicable, the rescue equipment shuld be subjected t pre-use checks by a cmpetent persn. Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Assciatin (SAEMA) Page6 f 7

7 Extract frm - HSE OC 282/31 Rpe evacuatin frm mechanical handling equipment: The HSE psitin is that Rpe evacuatin is a last resrt, which is nly t be used nly in in exceptinal circumstances where; 1 The equipment is immbilized and cannt be repaired, lwered r lng travelled in a reasnable time; OR 2 An alternative safer means f escape cannt reasnably be prvided; OR 3 The peratr is at risk frm anther mre imminent hazard, which cannt reasnably be cntrlled t allw rescue withut using the rpe evacuatin system. Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Assciatin (SAEMA) Page7 f 7