Fall protection
Fall protection
Fall protection is the most common method of personal protection when working at height if the work area is not secured with fences or has natural physical barriers that prevent the possibility of a fall. The purpose is to have a barrier of equipment at all times that prevents a fall or catches a fall so that one avoids hitting the ground or structures where there is a possibility of injury.
Fall protection equipment
Fall protection equipment consists mainly of a body harness on the user that is connected directly to a structure that is strong enough to stop a fall. The connection to the structure is made using a connecting line with carabiners. The connecting line is a collective term for a number of equipment used for this purpose, and these come in many varieties adapted to different areas of application.
Fall protection training
The training should consist of a theoretical and a practical part. The theoretical part should help the course participants gain a general understanding of the equipment and how it is intended to be used – and not used. The participants should receive information about laws and regulations that include the use of fall protection in work situations. The training also provides knowledge of important topics; fall theory, which tells a lot about the forces that one is exposed to when falling, hanging trauma that can occur by hanging from a harness after a fall and, in the worst case, have a fatal outcome, self-rescue and buddy rescue that are required by regulations, and best practices.
