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Important safety consultation – Industrial Fall-arrest systems and devices

  • Important safety consultation – Industrial Fall-arrest systems and devices

    Posted by Hayley Head on 25 July 2023 at 12:35 pm

    Important safety consultation – Industrial Fall-arrest systems and devices, AS/NZS1891.4-2009 Part 4 Selection, use and maintenance

    The EEA is the NZ ESI industry representative on the Standards Australia SF-015 committee, and that committee is currently working on redrafting AS/NZS1891.4-2009 the Industrial Fall-arrest systems and devices – Part 4 Selection, use and maintenance.

    As part of this drafting, there has been a proposal to mandate the requirement of a secondary fall arrest system whenever a pole strap is used.

    This is an important change for our industry and EEA would like your feedback in relation to this proposal so we can promote the NZ Electricity industries position to the Standards Committee.

    Feedback is required by 11th August 2023, comment below or send feedback to admin@eea.co.nz

    Proposed text:

    2.4 Secondary Systems

    A secondary system shall be used when a fall protection system supports the weight of a user.

    EXAMPLE 1: Pole strap

    EXAMPLE 2: Lanyard at an edge

    EXAMPLE 3: Confined space entry

    5.3.2 Pole straps

    The following requirements apply specifically to pole strap

    (a) A pole strap shall be used with a secondary fall arrest system.

    (b) Before loading the pole strap under their weight, the user shall ensure that the connectors to the harness are properly engaged.

    (c) Wherever practicable, the user shall ensure that the pole strap is attached to or over a secure part of the structure where it cannot slip off.

    Hayley Head replied 1 year, 4 months ago 5 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • Brent Dais

    Member
    26 July 2023 at 8:23 am

    Hi, Be good to understand how this would be applied, what would the fall arrest system be attached to (Anchor point) etc?

    • Stephen Small

      Member
      28 July 2023 at 7:48 am

      I agree Brent, we need a bit more context.

      (As it is written above I don’t know how a secondary system is intended to improve safety).

      Is there a history of mechanical failure of pole belts in the industry? Most of the incidents I can recall are about incorrect implementation of the system (particularly failing to correctly secure the strap connectors to the harness which is covered in point b) above). In my opinion addition of a secondary system could very well increase the number of these incidents as the extra complexity adds to the possibility.

      Stephen

  • Stephen Albrecht

    Member
    28 July 2023 at 9:48 am

    I also agree. There isn’t enough context here. More information is required please.

    For work on poles and pole structures, ESI follows the SM-EI ‘attached at all times principle’, which typically means the use of a second pole strap.

    Based on the following proposed wording, it seems we would have to add a third pole strap so that there would be two pole straps attached at all times. I’m sure most of us in the ESI would agree this would be a nonsense situation for our industry.


    5.3.2 Pole straps

    The following requirements apply specifically to pole strap

    (a) A pole strap shall be used with a secondary fall arrest system.


    It would be interesting to know how many incidents there has been within ESI where a pole strap has failed, noting we have requirements of harness periodic inspection and pre-use inspections.

    Regards

    Stephen

  • Bill Doig

    Member
    28 July 2023 at 11:00 am

    For clarity from the standard – Fall arrest system – An assembly of interconnected components compromising a harness connected to an anchorage point or anchorage system either directly or by means of a lanyard or pole strap, and whose purpose is to arrest a fall in accordance with the principles and requirements of this Standard.

    Sounds like our second point of attachment already achieves this

  • Hayley Head

    Facilitator
    1 August 2023 at 3:10 pm

    The EEA would like to offer an interactive webinar to enable discussion on this consultation.

    Tuesday 8th August at 10am

    please reply email admin@eea.co.nz if you would like an invitation to this webinar.

  • Hayley Head

    Facilitator
    5 October 2023 at 2:31 pm

    Industrial Fall Arrest Systems Standard – Review
    EEA received 18 submissions on our recent consultation on proposed changes to AS/NZS 1891.4.2009 Industrial fall Arrests Systems Part 4. Your submissions raised significant safety concerns on the proposed wording for a mandating of secondary fall arrest system to be used whenever a pole strap is used. The EEA submissions were tabled and considered at the recent AS/NZS committee meeting – along with a wide range of others views from across the full range of ‘working at heights’ businesses!

    While the original proposal mandated the use of a fall arrest system, the updated draft requirements do not. The proposed wording changes are as follows…

    Back-up (redundant) fall protection systems shall be used in combination with fall protection systems that are intended to support a user’s weight during use, because there is a risk of a fall in the event of that system’s failure.

    This word change means a secondary pole strap could be used as the back-up system and not just a lanyard (although that remains as an option).

    The Standard will shortly be sent out for ‘public consultation’, so you will have a further opportunity to comment and we will advise when the public consultation draft is available from Standards Australia.

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