working at height working around/in pits and holes
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Working at height Working around/in pits and holes. Corporate Health & Safety 2011. Contents. Introduction Main causes of accidents HIRA - Solutions Questions. Introduction. December 2010 Fatality Work: removal of a hanging charge (cleaning of bunker from batch mixture), - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Working at heightWorking around/in pits and holes
Corporate Health & Safety 2011
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Contents
• Introduction
• Main causes of accidents
• HIRA - Solutions
• Questions
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Introduction
December 2010
Fatality
Work: removal of a hanging charge (cleaning of bunker from batch mixture),
by a team of 3 men.
The victim was in a danger zone of possible charge coal collapse at the bottom
of the bunker at the height of 3m and was staying on a metal ladder installed
in the bunker (height of ladder – 12 m)
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May 2010
Fatality
Work: install an additional drain pump
on the concrete roof (slab) of the pumping station
The worker falls from the roof 6.2 m high
Introduction
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Lack of guardinga floor opening,
or unreliable covering
Not wearingfull body harness
Not using a controlled and well locatedanchorage point
Wrong selection and useof ladder
Not checking if the pit mustbe considered as a Confined Space
Not working with rescue plan and safety watch
Main causes of accidents
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ArcelorMittal Regulations• Group Companies will, as a minimum, follow the prevailing local regulations for
elevated work where there is a risk of falling. Where this ArcelorMittal standard is more demanding, then it will apply.
• In any case, fall prevention or protection shall be used for elevated work above 1.8 meters (6 feet). However, for any task where the risk assessment highlights a danger of falling, proper actions have to be taken, even if the distance one can fall is less than 1,8 m.
• Access to pits and holes, as well as working around the top of pits and holes, is working at height. Same requirements apply.
• More: some pits and holes are complying with the definition of a confined spaces. Access and working inside must consider the related risks too.
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Hazard or Risk Prediction
Example:
• How will we get to the work area?
• What are the hazards inside and around the work area?
• How deep is the work area?
• Are there holes or openings below or around the work area?
• Is the surface on which people are to walk stable and strong enough ?
• Are there slip or trip hazards around the work area?
• How to rescue someone if a fall?
• How to rescue someone if injured inside the pit?
• Is every employee / contractor on the job warned about the hazards and risk control measures?
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Solution Choices
• Use the Hierarchy of Control
– Elimination
– Substitution
– Engineering
– Administrative
– Collective Protective Equipment
– Personal Protective Equipment
• Each choice has its place and time. Standard solutions don’t apply systematically.
• Before making the choice(s), Evaluate the effectiveness of the control against the potential problems.
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• Floor opening: An opening measuring 30cm (12 inches) or more in its least dimension, in any floor, platform, pavement, or yard, through which persons may fall.
• Removing a cover without guarding = Floor openings can be a killer on a construction project, on a maintenance work…
• Main hazards are: the fall from an elevation, and being struck by objects falling through the hole.
• If you remove a section of a steel grating floor or a hole cover, guard the area. These openings are particularly hard to see when the floor below is also steel grating.
• Temporary cover: must be strong enough for the usual trafic (people, loads, vehicles). It should be marked with a danger warning.
• If covering a hole is impractical and if open for access and work, guardrails shall be installed with toe-boards.
• Never leave an opening uncovered or unprotected.
5) Floor openings
Example of a vehicle maintenance pit protected by removable posts and rope at distance, and strong full guardrails
on the crossing bridge (HSE)
Example of a protection kit for standard round manholes
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• Work Scenarios vs. Rescue Scenarios– Different planning– Different equipment– Different skills
• Do you plan for rescue at your facility?
• Each time PPE is used, there must be a rescue plan!– You must be able to rescue someone in a minimum amount of time
(<10 minutes).
For a rescue operation, every minute counts. It is known that for severely injured people a risk of death exists if not acted quickly : beyond 15 minutes 50% of patients will have died.
– Identify the Normal Conditions and Allowances.– Define the plan during the Hazard Identification
and Risk Assessment, defining proper mitigation actions.
• When preparing the rescue plan, always check if a confined space, and if a risk of entrapment.
6) Rescue Plan
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Questions1. What is a floor opening?
A. A space that has restricted access and has potentially a hazardous atmosphere or could cause entrapment.
B. Any accessible, open floor.C. An opening measuring 30cm or more in its least dimension, in any floor,
platform, pavement, or yard.
2. If I have to work in a pit and if I use collective protective equipment, what are the minimum requirements?
A. Complete floors, guardrails, toe boards and safe access and egress.B. As determined by the maintenance inspector.C. As determined by a competent fire brigade representative.
3. When I work in a pit considered as a confined space, I have to be assisted by a “stand by person”. What is the role of this person?
A. To monitor the air quality in the confined space.B. S/He must have no other duties than to monitor and stay outside of the
confined space.C. To communicate progress with the area supervisor.