Safe Working at Height Group Rod Hammerton r-hammerton@southwales-fire.gov.uk
The Safe Working at Height Group Structure Vice Chair Chris Bilby Chris.bilby@lfrs.org Secretary Phil Crook Phil.crook@hantsfire.gov.uk Service Reps and Interested Partners 107 members of the Community
What Do We Do (1) Identify any changes to national or international legislation that may affect the UK Fire and Rescue services in this area of work
Legislation and Guidance Produce any appropriate updates to the Working at Height manual as instructed by CFOA The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR)
HSE - Planning for Emergencies and Rescue Proportionate to the risk Reasonably foreseeable situations such as stuck equipment, deployed fall arrest, fall into water Suspension trauma Do not rely on the fire brigade
What We Do (2) Identify and highlight to CFOA any areas of working at height that may require a task and finish group. To form task and finish groups as directed by CFOA
Task and Finish Groups Time Critical Rescue of Casualties by Ladder Use of FRS Aerial Appliances for Rope Access and Rescue Peer Review Toolkit Lifts (?) Team Typing
What We Do (3) Provide a forum to: Explores and shares good or notable practice Examines new techniques and equipment Shares advice on height specific issues Holds practical workshops Review incidents of interest
Norfolk Interoperability
South Wales Bariatric
South Wales Bariatric
Leicester Tower Crane
Leicestershire Tower Crane
Sharing Notable Practice
International Standards on Fall Restraint!
SWAH Community Climbing structure for training Posted on Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:42 2 Replies Review of Working at Height bags Posted on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:43 1 Reply Contamination of PPE by body bags Posted on Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:59 4 Replies Cage Operator - Fall Arrest or Work Restraint? Posted on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:58 2 Replies Ideal angle for ground anchor pins Posted on Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:26 1 Reply Hands free communications Posted by on Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:55 1 Reply Working on roofs Posted on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:33 3 Replies Suspension trauma Posted on Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:35 2 Replies
Team Typing Guidance (In Draft) It documents the minimum requirement for each identified level of operational response for working at height, from a team working safely at height through to conducting complex rescue operations
Purpose of Team Typing Detail a standard framework of competencies Provide minimum guidance for FRAs that wish to declare a sector competent resource. Set a standard to allow FRAs that wish to request a resource of this nature to assist in the resolution of an incident. Lead to greater standardisation. Enhance responder safety. Improve the time taken to resolve incidents
Level 1 Safe Working at Height Work Restraint of Fall Arrest
Level 2 Rope Access and Stabilisation Capability Description: The identification and use of suitable anchorages to create two-rope access and egress systems, enabling individuals to be raised or lowered vertically, and to traverse on structures primarily to access and stabilise casualties. A rope team at this level of skill would be capable of meeting the majority of access and rescue requirements. With a two-rope capability the team is capable of implementing a safe system of work to access casualties for stabilisation or vertical rescue.
Level 3 - Technical Rope Rescue Capability Description: The identification and use of suitable anchorages and the creation of access and egress systems, enabling individuals and teams to ascend, descend and traverse on, over or under structures or features to include the rescue and transportation of casualties. This level of skill may be required by Incident Commanders to meet the specific demands of a complex rescue. This may include, for example, extreme height, lack of obvious anchor points or difficult access and / or operations in a non-vertical orientation.
Non Vertical Orientation?
Other Capabilities USAR Line Access and Casualty Extrication (LACE) (Level 4) Wire capability specifically for USAR environment Subject Matter Advisor (SMA) FRSs may consider the provision and use of a SMA to support the Incident Commander with the identification and use of rope teams.
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Safe Work at Height Team Two-Rope Access & Stabilisation Team Technical Rope Rescue Team USAR/Line Access Casualty Extrication Team Capability overview Knowledge, skills & fall protection equipment to work safely at height in order to carry out operational duties. This is not technical rope rescue. Knowledge skills & equipment to access and stabilise casualties. Lowering and raising capability. Vertical only. Top down rescue capability. Knowledge skills & equipment to rig complex rope access and rescue systems, to include rope access work in suspension, lowering, descending, raising, ascending and traversing non-vertically by deviation / cableway. Full technical rope rescue capability. USAR trained personnel operating specific USAR Wire rope based systems and ability to create artificial rated anchors (eye bolts). This provides a capability for a specific operational environment does not meet the full criteria for technical rope rescue. Safe system of work To include sector competent supervisor and the ability to recover team members from suspension Work restraint. Fall arrest. Work restraint Work positioning. Fall arrest. Two-rope working. Work restraint Work positioning. Fall arrest. Two-rope working. Rope access techniques. Work restraint Work positioning. Fall arrest. Two-rope working. Wire rope systems. Minimum equipment should include Fall arrest harness and lanyard. Work restraint system. Low stretch kernmantle rope minimum 50m x 2. Rope control devices x 2. Rope capture device. Selection of slings and strops. Selection of connectors and pulleys. Low stretch kernmantle rope minimum 100m x 3. Rope access equipment to allow access at height and work in suspension. This may require equipment including dynamic rope, Tripod, frame, Stretcher. As per national USAR issue.
How Far We Have Come!
Thank You and Questions