Falls from height are the single biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the main causes of major injury, this applies across all industries. By nature of the work, arborists often have to climb to high points and unlike the construction industry often it is difficult or impossible to use working platforms or scaffolding.
Therefore the most practical way of ensuring safety is the use of personal fall protection equipment i.e. a fall arrest harness, for example the Komet Miller Dragonfly and Butterfly II harnesses on the Granite Website in the Forestry Tools & Accessories section.
The regulations applicable to this subject are The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (as amended) obtainable from the Health and Safety Executive.
Fall arrest systems are designed to limit the impact force of a fall and ensure that the user cannot hit the ground. The anchor point must be as high as possible above the feet of the user thereby limiting the distance that they can fall.
Of course the anchor point must be strong enough to hold the impact force of the faller, taking into account the distance and the weight of the person. Always check the condition of the tree and suitability of anchor points before committing life and limb.
There are a number of actions that must be taken when using this type of equipment as explained below.
Risk Assessment
Work at height must be properly planned and organised and should take into account weather conditions, all personnel must have received appropriate training and be competent and healthy.
They should also have read the manufacturers product information literature.
Wherever possible try to minimise the height from which a person can fall and be fully aware of the consequences if they do fall.
All the work must be supervised, never carried out alone.
Selection and maintenance of equipment
The equipment being used must be suitable for the task being carried out, within the design limits. It must comply with BS EN 361 for a full body harness. All components being used must be compatible with each other.
All equipment must be checked even when new and then before each use to ensure that it operates correctly and that it is in good condition. The checks should be both tactile and visual, passing the equipment slowly through the hands to feel for cuts, abrasion or any contaminants as well as softening or hardening of the fibres. Ensure that the visual checks are carried out in good light conditions, also do not hurry these checks, your life may depend on it...
In addition to the pre-use checks a more comprehensive check should be carried out by a trained and competent person on a regular schedule and these checks should be documented. Particular attention is required where the equipment can come into contact with acids or alkalis.
Any damaged equipment must be taken out of operation immediately, even small cuts or abrasions will have a serious effect on the performance.
If the equipment has become wet in use it must be dried thoroughly before storing it in clean dry conditions.
Action to be taken in case of a fall
This topic was covered in the article Aerial Tree Rescue published on 9th November 2009 but we feel that it is important to bring attention to the risk of Suspension Trauma which is little understood by most people even though it has been known about for quite a few years.
It is a natural reaction in the body to being held in an upright position with immobilised legs. Normally the use of leg muscles helps to return blood to the heart, if the legs are immobilised which would be the case in using a fall arrest harness, this process starts to fail and blood starts to pool in the legs, this causes the brain to receive less blood and starts to be starved of oxygen. Loss of consciousness can occur in less than 6 minutes. Research has suggested that death can occur in as little as 10 minutes. If the fall has been caused by a trauma like a bad cut or a head injury then this timescale can be more rapid.
Suspension is therefore a life threatening situation and urgent rescue is needed within 10 minutes. However when the accident victim is rescued certain things have to be considered.The blood that has pooled in the legs contains toxins, which if released into the circulation could damage internal organs and in extreme cases stop the heart from beating. This is known as Reflow Syndrome and traditional first aid techniques could be fatal in this case. Casualties must not be laid flat at any time in the rescue or when on the ground. The casualty should be kept in a sitting position with their legs either straight out or pulled up to the chest for a minimum of half an hour even if they are unconscious.
It is important that all workers know of the dangers of the risks of Suspension Trauma and the correct techniques for handling it, anybody who has been suspended for more that 3 minutes should be treated as if they have it.
Of course prevention is always better than cure and all measures to reduce the risk of falling should be employed wherever possible, including regular breaks to reduce fatigue and the use of the correct protective clothing to reduce heat stress.
Showing posts with label tree climbing safety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tree climbing safety. Show all posts
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Monday, 9 November 2009
Aerial Tree Rescue
Aerial Tree Rescue
Hopefully if the operators adhere to the safe working practices outlined in “Tree Climbing the Safe Way” which we published on 29th October 2009, there will be few occasions when there would be need to undertake Aerial Tree Rescue. However we would like to give some information on how this should be carried out.
Immediate Actions
Everyone involved in Aerial Tree Rescue must have had appropriate training, the most important thing to be aware of is that the rescuer’s safety has to be the immediate priority, there is no sense in ending up with two casualties.
When an injured climber needs to be rescued, immediately make sure that any other members of the work team and anybody who might enter the site are all safe and are not in the area where the rescue is taking place.
One of the most important things to ensure is that there are no overhead cables involved, if the correct procedures for planning the climbing have been carried out then they should not be, however mistakes can happen. If cables are involved then the relevant electricity company must be contacted before doing anything.
It is critical that the casualty’s condition is assessed and the appropriate emergency services contacted, so that they can be getting to the site whilst the rescue is under way. Ensure that they have all the relevant information; location, access problems if any, name of casualty and any known relevant medical history, time of the accident and if any chemicals are involved.
Equipment
Certain equipment must always be available at the worksite; some of these items are to be found in Forestry Tools & Accessories on the Granite Workwear web site.
First Aid Kit; this should be as comprehensive as possible not just the basic minimum required under the HSE regulations, for example it is useful to have Celox which is a haemostatic granule which when poured into a bleeding wound, links to the red blood cells promoting rapid coagulation.
Climbing Equipment; a suitable harness, ropes, karabiners, strops and any other equipment that the rescuer has experience of and training in, to assist in climbing safely. Other items would be ladders, climbing irons, ascenders and decenders.
Knife; a sharp knife with a retractable blade that will be able to quickly cut ropes or snagged clothing. However care must be taken when cutting tensioned ropes as this can cause injury to the casualty or the rescuer. Of course it is essential to be careful not to cut the wrong rope and also be careful not to cause cut injuries.
If in the course of the rescue there is a need for further equipment that is not immediately available then this must be sent for, communication should be available at all times by mobile phone or two way radio.
Reassurance
Keep up communication with the casualty if they are conscious, offering reassurance and encourage them to help themselves to get more comfortable if it is appropriate or possible.
Climbing to the Casualty
Choose the most efficient method of climbing to reach the casualty as quickly as possible but also safely. Use whatever climbing aids that you have available and that are appropriate.
Look for hazards for example broken, severed or hanging branches and also the casualty’s equipment that may create risks.
Assess the tree or trees and select the appropriate equipment to remove the parts that may impede a quick and safe rescue. If available use other trained operators to assist in this, but be mindful of not getting in each other’s way.
When you have reached the casualty make an immediate but thorough assessment of immediate needs for first-aid treatment and making them safe.
If there are indications of fractures, crush injuries and most importantly possible spinal injury, if possible wait for medical supervision from a paramedic or doctor.
Rescue
Maintain close contact with the casualty and monitor any changes in their condition, reassure them and control them if necessary.
Remain securely anchored at all times; it is important not to put your own safety at risk. Make sure that your anchor points are capable of taking not only the load of yourself but of the casualty too.
When bringing down the casualty, it is essential to ensure that you and the casualty descend together to ease their movement through the branches and also enable you to monitor their condition constantly.
Stay with the casualty until he has been safely transported from the site by the paramedics.
After the Incident
Ensure that all personnel have left the site and that it is safe and secure. Take names and contact details of witnesses before they leave.
It is a good idea to take pictures of the site, using a digital camera or mobile phone noting the date and time.
In no circumstances use any of the equipment that has been involved in the accident until it has been thoroughly checked by a competent person.
Notify management of the incident and clearly record all details in the accident register, before reporting the incident to the HSE in accordance with the rules of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).
Hopefully if the operators adhere to the safe working practices outlined in “Tree Climbing the Safe Way” which we published on 29th October 2009, there will be few occasions when there would be need to undertake Aerial Tree Rescue. However we would like to give some information on how this should be carried out.
Immediate Actions
Everyone involved in Aerial Tree Rescue must have had appropriate training, the most important thing to be aware of is that the rescuer’s safety has to be the immediate priority, there is no sense in ending up with two casualties.
When an injured climber needs to be rescued, immediately make sure that any other members of the work team and anybody who might enter the site are all safe and are not in the area where the rescue is taking place.
One of the most important things to ensure is that there are no overhead cables involved, if the correct procedures for planning the climbing have been carried out then they should not be, however mistakes can happen. If cables are involved then the relevant electricity company must be contacted before doing anything.
It is critical that the casualty’s condition is assessed and the appropriate emergency services contacted, so that they can be getting to the site whilst the rescue is under way. Ensure that they have all the relevant information; location, access problems if any, name of casualty and any known relevant medical history, time of the accident and if any chemicals are involved.
Equipment
Certain equipment must always be available at the worksite; some of these items are to be found in Forestry Tools & Accessories on the Granite Workwear web site.
First Aid Kit; this should be as comprehensive as possible not just the basic minimum required under the HSE regulations, for example it is useful to have Celox which is a haemostatic granule which when poured into a bleeding wound, links to the red blood cells promoting rapid coagulation.
Climbing Equipment; a suitable harness, ropes, karabiners, strops and any other equipment that the rescuer has experience of and training in, to assist in climbing safely. Other items would be ladders, climbing irons, ascenders and decenders.
Knife; a sharp knife with a retractable blade that will be able to quickly cut ropes or snagged clothing. However care must be taken when cutting tensioned ropes as this can cause injury to the casualty or the rescuer. Of course it is essential to be careful not to cut the wrong rope and also be careful not to cause cut injuries.
If in the course of the rescue there is a need for further equipment that is not immediately available then this must be sent for, communication should be available at all times by mobile phone or two way radio.
Reassurance
Keep up communication with the casualty if they are conscious, offering reassurance and encourage them to help themselves to get more comfortable if it is appropriate or possible.
Climbing to the Casualty
Choose the most efficient method of climbing to reach the casualty as quickly as possible but also safely. Use whatever climbing aids that you have available and that are appropriate.
Look for hazards for example broken, severed or hanging branches and also the casualty’s equipment that may create risks.
Assess the tree or trees and select the appropriate equipment to remove the parts that may impede a quick and safe rescue. If available use other trained operators to assist in this, but be mindful of not getting in each other’s way.
When you have reached the casualty make an immediate but thorough assessment of immediate needs for first-aid treatment and making them safe.
If there are indications of fractures, crush injuries and most importantly possible spinal injury, if possible wait for medical supervision from a paramedic or doctor.
Rescue
Maintain close contact with the casualty and monitor any changes in their condition, reassure them and control them if necessary.
Remain securely anchored at all times; it is important not to put your own safety at risk. Make sure that your anchor points are capable of taking not only the load of yourself but of the casualty too.
When bringing down the casualty, it is essential to ensure that you and the casualty descend together to ease their movement through the branches and also enable you to monitor their condition constantly.
Stay with the casualty until he has been safely transported from the site by the paramedics.
After the Incident
Ensure that all personnel have left the site and that it is safe and secure. Take names and contact details of witnesses before they leave.
It is a good idea to take pictures of the site, using a digital camera or mobile phone noting the date and time.
In no circumstances use any of the equipment that has been involved in the accident until it has been thoroughly checked by a competent person.
Notify management of the incident and clearly record all details in the accident register, before reporting the incident to the HSE in accordance with the rules of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).
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