Forest and Woodland Firefighting

The UK is classed as a low fire risk area, as we have a fairly regular rainfall pattern and no designated dry season unlike many other countries, particularly those in the tropics. However in the event of a prolonged hot dry spell we do have the potential for wildfires and these can have drastic results.

Heather particularly has the potential to be combustible as it dries out rapidly in all seasons and is what is known as a “fine fuel”.

There are three types of fires that can occur in forest and heathland, these are:

• Surface fires where the fuel burns at or near ground level, these are the most common fires in the UK.

• Ground fires where in dry conditions the organic soil layers themselves catch fire, these are difficult to detect and extinguish.

• Crown fires where the surface fires ascend into the tree canopy, which can move very quickly and become very intense, this is often caused where “ladder fuels“ which are vegetation linking the ground to the crown of the trees lets the fire spread upwards. These are not very common in the UK.
  

There are various ways of tackling the fires including the use of water and or chemical foams to put out the fire and also dampen the surrounding areas preventing the fire spreading. Also fire breaks can be made by using shovels or mechanical diggers to remove the vegetation and make a bare earth barrier across which the fire cannot spread. The oxygen supply can be interrupted by the use of beaters.

Beaters can be broken down into three basic classes; Short handled approximately 1.9m to 2.2 m with a belt head, the head is manufactured from conveyor belt material; Long handled approximately 2.8m with a wire mesh head and Long handled with a flat metal plate sometimes these have additional chains attached. The long handle obviously keeps the person further back from the heat, but can sometimes be difficult to handle and unwieldy to transport.

Fatigue

Firefighting is a strenuous activity which normally takes place in difficult conditions, and can lead to heat stress, heat exhaustion and possibly heat stroke.

Everyone involved should be aware of heat-induced illnesses and know how to treat the symptoms and call for help when necessary.

The symptoms of heat stress are weakness, dizziness and nausea. Where a firefighter is removed from the fire front and given water, rest and shade, recovery will usually take place quite quickly.

Medical treatment may be required for these heat-induced illnesses and the patient should be given water and kept cool. Often firefighters may fail to sufficiently replace body fluids even when they have drunk sufficient to quench their thirst.

The fluid replacement taken in may be only half of what is actually required. Plenty of water should be drunk as soon as sweating occurs, before fire suppression starts and often more than is felt necessary. The recommended amount is 1 litre of cool (not chilled) plain (sugar free) water per hour.

To reduce fatigue carbohydrate foods such as bread, pasta and cakes are recommended.

Managers should ensure that teams have sufficient suitable food and water on site during prolonged fire suppression.

Awareness

When working in these conditions it is absolutely essential for all involved to remain aware of what is happening around them. Be particularly aware of moving around on terrain whilst visibility is reduced because of poor light smoke and water sprays.

Watch out for changes in conditions for example shifts of wind direction and speed, look out for the fire moving onto steep slopes or circling behind you, look out also for changes in the type of vegetation.

Always maintain line of sight and communication with your colleagues.

Remember the following safety aid “WATCH OUT” that can be found on the AFAG leaflet 803
Weather dominates fire behaviour
Actions must be based on current and expected fire behaviour
Try out at least two safe escape routes
Communications must be maintained with your crew leader and adjoining crews
Hazards to watch for are steep slopes and the amount of fuels
Observe changes in wind speed and direction, humidity and cloud
Understand your instructions
Think clearly be alert and act decisively before your situation becomes critical

Personal Protective Equipment

As with any activity where there are safety issues the correct PPE must be worn:

• A brightly coloured Flame Retardant cotton boiler suit i.e. Proban complying with EN 531, is recommended do not use non FR synthetic clothing particularly nylon.

• Also recommended is the use of a protective neck cloth.

• Protective boots with good grip and ankle support complying with EN ISO 20345. It is suggested that these should also be heat resistant.

• Suitable protective gloves, non-synthetic e.g. leather.

• Safety helmet complying with EN 397.

• Eye protection complying with EN 166, to prevent eye damage from particles and embers. Helmet mounted face shields can also protect from radiant heat.

• Hearing protection complying with EN 352 where the noise level exceeds 85 dB.

• Respiratory masks where there is a danger of dust or particles.

As well as these essential items each person should carry water for personal consumption and to wash any burns, also a personal first aid kit, not specifically for burns. A specialised burn first aid kit must be available on site.

Granite Workwear offer a number of items that are suitable for use in these conditions including Proban Cotton Overalls in Orange, Sip Protection Firefighters Chainsaw Protective Trousers, Peltor Hearing Protection, Fortec Boots that are Heat Resistant to 300° C, Hard hats, Venitex Respiratory Masks, Bolle Eye Protection, fire retardant neck tubes & balaclavas and Venitex gloves.

Rail Industry Standards for Personal Protective Equipment

PPE generally covers a wide range of clothing and equipment that can be worn by a person at work to protect them from one or more risks to their health and safety. PPE can include; eye protection, safety helmets, hi-vis vests or jackets, gloves or safety footwear.

For the Rail Industry however there are certain items that have specific requirements, for example Network Rail basic PPE Requirements for persons working on or near the track shall wear as a minimum:

• High visibility upper body clothing with reflective tape which complies with BS EN 471: 2003 class 2 and Railway Group Standard GO/RT3279.
• A safety helmet which complies with BS EN 397: 1995.
• Safety footwear which complies with BS EN ISO 20345: 2004, providing effective support to the ankle, mid-sole protection and a protective toe cap.
• Network Rail have also introduced a ’Full Orange Policy’ where high visibility trousers must also be worn.

Particular requirements

The outer layer of the upper body clothing must be clearly marked between the vertical retro-reflective bands on the back with the name or logo of the individual’s Sentinel sponsor or other name or logo agreed with Network Rail (e.g. project, sponsor’s parent company or trade association). This can be in colour or black and either screen-printed or incorporated within a panel, which may be retro-reflective although this is not mandatory.

Safety helmets shall be provided with chin straps where there is a risk of them falling off, short peak helmets may be provided where close or hot work is required.
Holders of a Track Visitors Permit (TVP), a person with a Track Safety (PTS) card with a ‘green square’ symbol on it, or those people involved in the Network Rail Standard Maintenance Procedure NR/PRC/MTC/SE0089, New Starters Mentoring (Passport Scheme) must wear a blue helmet so that all workers can see that they may be inexperienced. All other workers must wear white, any other colours are not allowed.

The name or logo of an individual’s Sentinel Sponsor (or other name or logo agreed with Network Rail) may be marked upon a safety helmet. These markings must not exceed 10% of the safety helmets visible surface area.

Rigger boots do not meet the requirements for ankle protection and must not be used.

In addition to the above, foul weather clothing must be provided to any person whose duties require them to hold Personal Track Safety certification and shall comprise at least the following:

• High visibility jacket or coat which meets the requirements of BS EN 471:2003 class 3 and GO/RT3279 for colour and visibility and of BS EN 343: 2003 class 3 for water vapour resistance and water penetration.
• High visibility over-trousers or leggings which meet the requirements of BS EN 471: 2003 and GO/RT3279 for colour and visibility and of BS EN 343: 2003 class 3 for water vapour resistance and water penetration.

General work wear and sunglasses

Any employee or contractor of Network Rail who goes on or near the line or on the lineside shall be required to wear full-length trousers to protect against the risks from lineside vegetation and the consequences of slips, trips and falls.

Upper body clothing must not be sleeveless, garments such as singlets or vests are prohibited. Full length sleeves are recommended to protect from risks of injury from vegetation and sunburn.

Sunglasses or photochromic lenses may be worn, but care should be taken when using photochromic lenses as they can take a long time to clear when going into darker conditions.
Heavily tinted lenses may reduce the ability to accurately distinguish colours.

Ear Defenders should be worn where there is any risk of noise that reaches levels that could cause damage to hearing.

In certain conditions that will be apparent from the Risk Assessment gloves to protect from chemicals, cold or vibration also need to be worn. Also where there is a danger of fumes or dust the correct respiratory masks are needed.

If operating chainsaws or brush cutters then the correct protective clothing must be worn, all these of course must conform to the GO/RT3279 standard. Also the safety boots worn must achieve the EN ISO 17249:2004 Class 1 standard as a minimum.

Accessories

In certain situations there is a need for particular accessories for example; warning flags chequered and plain, rail incident armbands (8 different wordings), Lookout Bags and Rail Handsignal Bags.

Duties and responsibilities

Requirements for PPE and workwear shall be documented in work activity risk assessments and safe systems of work. Any PPE identified as necessary through work activity risk assessments must be provided by the employer, this may include hearing protection, eye protection, masks and gloves. They must also ensure that this equipment is worn.

Employees are responsible for using PPE and workwear as required, for keeping it clean and maintaining it in a reasonable condition and for requesting its replacement if it becomes ineffective.

A full range of the items mentioned above can be found on the Granite Workwear site, under the Hi Viz Railway (Orange), Safety Boots, Forestry Footwear, Hardhats, Safety Glasses, Ear Protection, Gloves and Respiration categories.

Chainsaw Boots from Arbortec

Granite Workwear has recently added a range of Arbortec® forestwear chainsaw protective boots. These boots have been designed to incorporate a number of technical and comfort features, that we believe make them an outstanding addition to our range.

They are designed to exceed CE standards in Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 giving a full range of protection.

The range includes the brand new Lightning boot that importantly gives Class 2 protection all round the boot even at the back; this boot is especially good for heavy duty use but is also extremely comfortable thereby reducing fatigue which is important to improve safe working. This also comes in X Large sizes 13, 14 and 15.

Also in the range are the Aquafell® Xpert™, Hydrofell®, Fellsman® Xpert™, Fellsman® Basic and the Challenger™ which is a Class 3 Wellington boot.

The Fellsman® Basic is particularly aimed at the more casual user with a very competitive price but does not compromise safety still giving full Class 1 protection.

Chainsaw Protection Standards

The EN ISO Standard 17249:2004 is specifically designed for Forestry Footwear and tests for three levels of protection:

Class 1 - the footwear has to withstand a chainsaw blade moving at 20 metres per second.
Class 2 - the footwear can withstand a blade moving at 24 metres per second.
Class 3 - the footwear can withstand a blade moving at 28 metres per second.

This protection can be afforded in a number of ways; obviously if the boot has a steel toecap then this gives a very good protection in that particular area. On the rest of the boot there is normally a padding inside made up of multiple layers of synthetic fibres that when the blade touches them causes snagging that clogs the blade and stops it. In a number of the boots in the Arbortec® range these are made of polyester.

In the Aquafell® Xpert™ and the Fellsman® Xpert™ the clogging system is the use of six layers of Kevlar® fibre which has a very high strength and is often used in body armour.
Comfort and Safety

Comfort is a very important part of a quality boot as they are worn for long periods of time and often in less than ideal weather conditions. If the boots are not comfortable then fatigue will happen quickly and this then causes loss of concentration which significantly increases the risk of accidents.

The Arbortec® range has shock absorbing properties built in and the soles have an anti-twist steel insert so that there is less danger of damage to the foot. Apart from the Challenger™ which is made from rubber the range has breathable properties and in most cases moisture absorbance to reduce the build up of sweat. For ease of use they all have speed lacing systems and padded collars.

The soles all feature specially designed tread patterns to reduce the risk of slipping and all the leather boots have a specially defined heel to fit spikes.

All the boots have steel toecaps and conform to the EN ISO 20345:2004 standard for Safety Footwear.

We at Granite believe that these boots are of exceptional standard and worthy of inclusion in our Forestry range in line with our philosophy that we offer the best products that we can find for use by professionals who are discerning in their choice of equipment.

Slip Resistant Soles

Statistics show that slips, trips and falls on the same level are a major cause of workplace accidents in the UK - almost 11,000 are reported each year to the Health and Safety Executive, they account for 39% of non-fatal major injuries. It has been estimated that these accidents cost the UK economy as much as £750 million per annum, £300 million of which is directly attributable to UK employers.

Employers use a variety of control measures to reduce the risk of slips, however due to the working conditions there may be cases where a significant slip risk remains. Introducing footwear with slip-resistant properties may be the only effective way they can further reduce the risk.


There are many safety boots and shoes that claim to have slip resistant soles; however are they truly slip resistant and what standards are they tested to?

Footwear marketed as 'slip resistant' may not perform as well as expected, so care has to be taken when choosing footwear from brochure descriptions alone.

Although footwear may be marketed as 'slip resistant', some have not been tested for this. Check with your supplier if the footwear has actually been tested for slip resistance then request the test details and results. Although the footwear may have been tested, the results from the test may not be an accurate guide as to how footwear will perform in the conditions that you want to use it in.

BS EN 13287 is the current European standard for footwear slip resistance.
This standard is a simple pass/fail test. However most footwear tested will pass testing and can therefore be marked as slip resistant. But the marking system used does not distinguish between footwear with low slip resistance and very good slip resistance. Simply passing this standard does not guarantee that the footwear will be effective in a particular workplace.

Depending on the test conditions chosen, footwear tested according to the EN standards is now marked with one of the following codes, SRA, SRB, or SRC.

The codes indicate that the footwear has met the specified requirements when tested as follows:
SRA – tested on ceramic tile wetted with dilute soap solution
SRB – tested on smooth steel with glycerol
SRC – tested under both the above conditions

Footwear products once tested and certified are stamped with the CE mark. The manufacturer also provides user information indicating the applications for which the footwear is suitable.

To provide more detailed information, the Health and Safety Laboratory have carried out a series of tests for the Health and Safety Executive, on soles that are claimed to be slip resistant and those that don’t. They use a ramp test that does not give a pass/fail but classifies footwear as exhibiting poor, average or good slip resistance where there is a particular contaminant on a given surface.

The tests were carried out on five different surface/contaminant conditions; water on steel, glycerol on steel, glycerol on quarry tile, water on 5 bar aluminium chequer plate and glycerol on 5 bar aluminium chequer plate.

The feedback from the end users is that the footwear that performs well on the test also performs well in the workplace. The study also showed that some footwear marketed as slip resistant gave a high slip risk when tested on the HSL ramp, further demonstrating that no one product will be suitable in all situations - a risk assessment should always be carried out when selecting footwear.

The detailed results of this testing can be found in the Research Report RR780. This project is a continuation of previously published work by HSE. When significant new safety, protective or occupational footwear is marketed as slip resistant or becomes widely used in the work place, HSL procures and tests it in order to assess its slip potential. This combined report now includes 86 pieces of footwear as a further 30 items were tested.

The report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy. The HSE considers that by publishing this information there is an increased likelihood that buyers will obtain good slip-resistant footwear on the basis of informed choices.

This testing focuses on slip resistance on hard indoor flooring surfaces; it does not mean that these findings can be extrapolated to show the slip resistance of footwear on the variable outdoor surfaces that can be encountered, where other factors may come into play.

Safety Helmets

Every year, in the workplace, particularly in the construction industry, workers are killed and many others injured as a result of head injuries. If you wear a safety helmet your chances of being seriously hurt are greatly reduced. Wearing one could save your life.

Regulations

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is always the last line of defence. Wherever possible, other measures should first be taken to reduce or control the risk.

HSE regulations require that suitable head protection i.e. safety helmets, must be provided and worn where there is a risk of injury. If you are in control of a site you need to assess the risks of head injury. There may be risks from falling materials or from knocking into low scaffolds or items of plant. If there is risk of injury you must provide your employees with safety helmets and decide when, where, and how they should be worn. Safety helmets must always be worn in designated "hard hat" areas.

Industrial safety helmets should be designed and manufactured to European Standard BS EN 397, and carry the CE mark. They are intended primarily to provide protection to the wearer against falling objects and are not intended to provide protection against off crown impacts. The mandatory requirements for these helmets includes for them to have flame resistant properties.

In addition to the mandatory requirements the helmets may have shock absorption properties at very low temperatures and very high temperatures, have electrical insulation properties, have lateral deformation properties, and provide protection against molten metal splash.
Helmets are tested to provide a wearer protection from a force roughly equivalent to a 16 oz. hammer dropping 40 feet.

Duties of Employees and the Self-Employed

Employees must wear their safety helmets properly and follow the instructions of the rules made by their employer. They should take care of their helmets and not misuse them. Any defects or problems should be reported promptly.

In the case of self-employed contractors if safety helmets are not provided on site, they must supply their own. They must wear them where there is a risk of head injury or when told to do so by someone in control. They also need to follow the rules made by the person in control of the site, and in addition, maintain and replace the safety helmet whenever necessary.

Selection of Suitable Safety Helmets

Helmets come in a variety of designs and it is important that the right type is provided for the work to be done. A properly fitting safety helmet should have the right shell size for the wearer and an easily adjustable headband, nape and chin strap.

The range of size adjustments should be large enough to accommodate thermal liners often used in cold weather.

The harness is an integral part of all helmets and works by stretching which absorbs some of the energy of the impact. The harness also spreads the force of an impact evenly over the head minimising the risk of harm to the user.

The helmet works rather like the crumple zone on a car. The force of the impact will be largely absorbed by the helmet shell, with the harness also absorbing some of the shock by stretching. The shell or harness may well crack, this is part of the design features.

The helmets should be as comfortable as possible, this helps reduce fatigue levels and to limit the risk of people not wearing them, because they find them uncomfortable.

Comfort is improved by the following:
• A flexible headband of adequate width and contoured both vertically and horizontally to fit the forehead.
• An absorbent sweatband that is easy to clean or replace.
• Textile cradle straps.
• Chin straps (when fitted) which:
o fit around the ears;
o are fitted with smooth, quick-release buckles which don’t dig into the skin;
o are made from non-irritant materials;
o can be stowed on the helmet when not in use.

Wherever possible, the helmet should not hinder the work being done. For example, a helmet with little or no peak is useful for a surveyor taking measurements, or to allow unrestricted upward vision for a scaffold erector. In other areas there may be need of a peak and even a visor.

Chin straps should be provided and used if a job involves work in windy conditions, especially at height, or repeated bending or constantly looking upwards. Helmets should be able to be used with any other PPE, e.g. ear defenders or eye protectors, without limiting the effectiveness or comfort of any of the items. Never attempt to modify existing helmets to take these fittings as this may weaken them.

Maintenance

Safety helmets must be maintained in good condition the following points must be implemented:
• Be stored in a safe place, e.g. on a peg or in a cupboard on site
• Not be stored in direct sunlight or in excessively hot, humid conditions because long-term exposure can weaken the shell.
• Be checked regularly for signs of damage or deterioration.
• Have defective parts replaced (if the model allows this). Parts from one model cannot normally be interchanged with those from another.
• Have the sweatband cleaned regularly or replaced.
Before the safety helmet is issued to another person, it should be inspected to ensure it is serviceable and thoroughly cleaned in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, e.g. using soap and water. The sweatband should always be cleaned or replaced.

Damage to the Shell

Damage to the shell of a helmet can occur when:
• Objects fall onto it.
• It strikes against a fixed object.
• It is dropped or thrown.
• Certain chemicals can weaken the plastic of the shell leading to rapid deterioration in shock absorption or penetration resistance. Chemicals which should be avoided include aggressive cleaning agents or solvent based adhesives and paints. Where names or other markings need to be applied using adhesives, advice should be sought from the helmet manufacturer.

Replacement

Normally, helmets should be replaced at intervals recommended by the manufacturer. They will also need replacing when the harness is damaged or if it is likely that the shock absorption or penetration resistance has deteriorated i.e. when the shell has received a severe impact, or if deep scratches occur (i.e. to a depth greater than 25% of the shell thickness) or if the shell has any visible cracks.

Any helmet that has suffered an impact should be replaced whether damage is visible or not. The internal structure of the helmet may be damaged.

There is a lot of confusion as to what is considered to be an acceptable working life of a safety helmet. There are no hard and fast rules concerning this. There is no test in the European Standard to cover this as there are too many variables to be taken into account.

In use, head protection is generally treated with a lack of care, often being thrown or dropped, used for storing or carrying of all sorts of items, or carried on the rear window shelf of a vehicle. Any of these actions are likely to reduce performance.

It is unlikely that a helmet will be offering adequate protection five years after manufacture. With this in mind the European Standard requires the manufacturer to mark each helmet with the quarter or month and year of manufacture.

High Performance Standards

The EN 397 standard is for general use in Industry it may be that in specific tasks there is need to look at a higher standard.

High performance industrial helmets meeting the requirements of EN 14052 offer greater protection from falling objects, protection from off crown impacts and protection from penetration by a flat blade striker. The helmets also include a retention system that meets mandatory requirements for system release and system effectiveness properties. The helmets have the same flame resistant properties as the industrial safety helmets and offer the same optional protection against other risks with the exception of lateral deformation.

Helmets meeting the requirements of EN 12492 are primarily intended to protect the upper part of a wearer's head against hazards that might occur during activities carried out by people climbing. Although originally intended to protect the wearer against hazards that might occur during mountaineering activities, helmets CE marked to this standard are also being marketed for other uses, for example rescue work in hazardous environments and wild land fire-fighting, these are particularly useful for arborists.

They offer protection from falling objects, including front, rear and side impact, and offer protection from penetration. The helmets are ventilated and also include a retention system that meets mandatory requirements for system release and system effectiveness properties. These helmets have no requirements for flame resistance.

Granite Workwear offers helmets that comply to EN 397, EN 12492 and EN 14052, if you are unsure which would be suitable for you please contact us directly using the contact facility on our website.

Eye Protection for Welding

At Granite we have recently introduced a range of welding helmets and masks from Bolle for protection of the eyes when carrying out welding of all types. We also have Welding Safety glasses suitable for people who are walking through areas where welding is being carried out and for the welders when carrying out tasks when they are not using the masks, these offer protection against flying objects, see Bolle Univis 1011 Welding Safety Glasses on our website.

Risk of Injury

While most welding-related eye injuries are reversible, more than half of injured workers return to work in less than two days and 95 percent in less than seven days, some eye injuries are irreversible and permanent visual impairment occurs. This is especially true with infrared and visible spectrum (bright light) radiation. Both can penetrate through to the retina and can cause permanent retinal damage, including cataracts, diminished visual acuity, and higher sensitivity to light and glare.

Welders are not the only workers at risk. While the welding arc is the principal source of ultraviolet radiation, other workers in the area can sustain eye damage from the radiation as far as 50 feet away with the radiation reflecting off shiny surfaces, concrete, or unpainted metals. To counteract this reflection, you should install shielding curtains where practical or require that all workers in the area wear appropriate eye protection.

Selecting the right helmet

To make the right choice in selecting a helmet, it is important to understand the meaning of arc flash and what types of emissions radiate from the welding arc. Arc flash is simply the unexpected exposure of the eyes to the welding arc. The welding arc emits several forms of light including ultraviolet, infrared radiation and high-intensity visible light. Both infrared and ultraviolet radiation can cause permanent damage to the eyes, such as retinal burns. While high-intensity visible light may not cause permanent eye damage, it may leave the operator with temporary discomfort, similar to being exposed to the flash of a camera bulb.

Many people mistakenly think that the lens shade number corresponds to the amount of protection that is provided to the eyes and hence the higher the number, the better the protection. In reality, all properly constructed quality welding lenses, have a screen that filters out 100 percent of the harmful ultraviolet (and infrared) wavelengths and provides protection to the eyes. The number just denotes the amount of darkness provided by that particular lens and should be used by operators as a guide to select the one that is most comfortable but still provides good visibility for carrying out the operation.

High quality auto-darkening helmets provide UV and IR protection even when the helmet is not activated, you are always protected. However, for maximum comfort, look for a high quality helmet that has a response darkening time of 0.4 of a millisecond or less. Less than a millisecond is not perceivable by the human eye and will provide the most comfort. The auto-darkening helmets in the Bolle range work between 0.2 and 0.25 milliseconds.

Helmets come with either battery power or solar power as is the case with the Bolle range. In most cases, it simply is a choice of personal preference and what is most convenient to the operator. With a battery powered helmet there is a chance however of being flashed. These helmets offer a feature that will automatically turn off the battery after the helmet has been sitting idle, or the batteries may have lost their charge. If the welder isn't careful, he could get arc flash thinking that his helmet is still dark. Solar powered helmets do not suffer from this and also eliminate the time and cost of recharging.

Fixed or variable shade

If you are always using the same arc welding process on the same material, a fixed shade is sufficient. But if you, like most welders, are using a variety of materials and welding a number of different applications, your best bet is a variable shade, which will adjust to the correct darkness for your particular process. As an example, when you are TIG welding at lower amperages, you may need to lighten up the lens to see what you are doing, a variable shade will allow this while a fixed shade will not.
Types of Welding

MIG is short for Metal Inert Gas welding. The system uses a metal wire fed through the gun surrounded by an inert gas such as Argon, because the cost of inert gases are high this system is not generally used for welding steel, but is more used for aluminium.

MAG is short for Metal Active Gas welding. The system here also uses a metal wire but in this case is surrounded by an active gas such as carbon dioxide. The lower cost has widened the use of this system to include steel welding.

TIG is where an arc is formed between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the metal being welded. Gas which can be Argon, Argon and Hydrogen, or Argon and Helium, is fed through the torch to shield the electrode and the molten weld pool. If there is a need for filler wire then this is added to the pool separately.

The benefits of this type of welding are: superior quality welds, the welds can be made with or without filler metal, there is fine control of heat and there is no splatter and low distortion.

Plasma welding is very similar to TIG as the arc is formed between a pointed tungsten electrode and the work piece. However, the electrode is positioned within the body of the torch allowing the plasma arc to be separated from the shielding gas envelope. Plasma is then forced through a fine-bore copper nozzle which constricts the arc. By increasing welding current and plasma gas flow, a very powerful plasma beam is created which can achieve full penetration in a material, as in laser or electron beam welding. During welding, the hole progressively cuts through the metal with the molten weld pool flowing behind to form the weld bead under surface tension forces. This process can be used to weld thicker material (up to 10mm of stainless steel) in a single pass.

Post and Wire Fencing

This article aims to highlight the safe working practices to be carried out when erecting or dismantling post and wire fences only, not wooden fences.

Post and wire fences tend to be used to enclose large areas where a wooden fence would be too expensive, time consuming or too weak. These fences may have ordinary wire, barbed wire or wire mesh, depending on what the fence is intended to keep in or out.

Materials

Line wire can be made of mild steel, high tensile steel or spring steel, barbed wire and woven mesh is normally mild steel or high tensile steel, welded and hexagonal netting is usually only made of mild steel.

Spring steel is the strongest followed by high tensile steel and the weakest is mild steel. Spring and high tensile steel cannot normally be strained to breaking point manually. Mild steel stretches before it breaks. Any kinks, twists and surface damage will cause a reduction in the strength of all types of steel.

High tensile and spring steel will recoil more dangerously than mild steel when cut, broken or just released.

Personal Protective Equipment

The following PPE must be used to comply with HSE rules:
• Gloves to protect against barbed wire, splinters, cuts and scratches.
• Non-snag outer clothing appropriate for the prevailing weather conditions, in certain cases it is recommended that high visibility clothing is used.
• Protective boots with a sole giving good grip, ankle support and must comply to EN 345-1. Although not mandatory thought should be given to using boots that have a puncture proof midsole and are also waterproof.
• Eye protection safety glasses to EN 166 because of the danger of flying debris when dismantling old fences and also if there is an incidence of wire recoil.
• If using power tools then use ear protection, visors and anti vibration gloves.
• If handling preservatives or preservative treated timber where the preservative has not dried, chemical resistant gloves should be used, and depending on the product respiratory masks should be used if the safety instructions on the product specify it.
• Each person should carry a first-aid kit including a large wound dressing.
• Hand cleaning material such as waterless skin cleanser or soap water and paper towels should be available.

Many of these items appear on the Granite Workwear site under the following headings; Gloves, Safety Glasses, Respiratory Masks, Safety Boots, Forestry Clothing, and Ear Protection.

Tools and Equipment

The tools and equipment required will vary depending on the type of fencing being erected or dismantled. However the basic rules are the same whenever tools are being used, they should be appropriate to the task and they must be checked to ensure that they are serviceable.
All cutting edges should be sharp and also guarded when not in use, do not place hand tools on top of fence posts or on the ground, use an appropriate tool belt like the Dickies Deluxe Tool Belt on the Granite Workwear site.

Manual Handling

Always follow the best practices for manual handling, a very useful leaflet is INDG145 'Watch your Back', this is available from the Health and Safety Executive.

Do not try and carry too heavy or awkward unbalanced loads, it is better to make more journeys, also take into account the conditions under foot i.e. uneven, wet, or steep slopes.
Always lift heavy items using the arm and leg muscles with your back held straight.

Organise the delivery of the materials and equipment to be as close to the site where they are needed, wherever possible use mechanised unloading or ensure that there are enough members of the team to help.

Wherever possible use an All Terrain Vehicle or Quad Bike to carry meaterials to the required area.

Preparation

Before starting check the proposed fence line for any underground hazards and services i.e. pipes, cables and any major obstructions.

If you are dismantling old fences look carefully at any vegetation growth that may make the wire or net unpredictable when cutting it.

If you are using a trailer to carry your materials look for a flat surface, if you cannot find one then always ensure that you unload from the top side or the rear if on a side slope.

Sawing

Make sure that the material you are cutting is secured, if you are notch cutting ensure you keep your free hand clear of the saw teeth.

If you are using a chainsaw then you must take all the safety precautions that were mentioned in our article on Using a Rear Handled Chainsaw published 11th November 2009.

Manual Stake Driving

Do not support the stake by hand, you must use a stake holder, also do not adjust or test the stake by using your hand whilst the driving tool is in use.

Always make sure you have sound footing and that your legs and feet are clear of the driving tool.

When you are using a maul ensure that all other people are well away from where you are swinging the maul.

Mechanical Post drivers

Please note that this is always a one person operation, if the post driver is mounted to a tractor by a three point linkage, the tractor must be big enough to remain stable during operation.

The machine must be properly parked and the brakes applied before commencing operations. It must be fitted with a gripping device to hold the post during the operation - never use your hands or a stake holder.

There is a big risk of flying debris so ensure a suitable visor is worn to protect your whole face.

Handling the wire

Always use a dispenser when unrolling the line wires, this avoids kinking and twisting which will have a negative effect on the strength of the wire. Always ensure that the wire is kept firmly in place on the dispenser.

Ensure that one end of the line wire is attached securely to the strainer post before applying any tension.

Knots can only be used on mild steel wire, on other types suitable connectors must be used.
If you are using ratchets make sure that wire has at least two full turns on the barrel.
Ensure wire strainers are properly attached and anchored before tensioning. Never stand astride the wire whilst it is being tensioned.

Never over-tension high tensile or spring steel wire by using extra leverage or more than one person on the strainer and never use a vehicle to tension.

When cutting always make sure that the exposed ends of the wire are secured, always ensure that high tension and spring steel wire is secured on each side of the cut. Make sure that you do not spike your hands or arms on any loose ends.

Always use protective gloves when handling barbed wire and ensure that when it is being dispensed it is kept taut. Always be aware of potential breakage and recoil.
Make sure that all pieces of wire have been removed from the area and that it is disposed of safely.