Page 277 - IGC BOOK

Suspended Access Equipment

Suspended access equipment is used to access the exterior of

the building for cleaning and maintenance purpose. It consists
of a cradle lowered from the roof structure. The cradle must be

provided with safe access and egress; the working platform
must have edge protection and toe boards.

Boatswain’s chair can be used, where there is no provision of
mechanically operated suspended access system.

Emergency Rescue

The employer needs to consider foreseeably emergencies that may arise while working at
height. e.g. worker falling with connected whole-body harness, where there no supporting

structure or unbale to reach a safe place. If the worker is not rescued immediately, he may
sustain suspension trauma which could lead to fatal.

The methods to rescue depends on the work, manual aids such as ladders can be used to
be accessed by the fallen person to descent, on the other hand mechanically aided rescue

equipment shall be used such as MEWPs or proprietary rescue systems.

The rescue plans and arrangements must be in place to identify the potential hazards and

to minimise the consequences. Hence the everyone must be trained those who are

involved in working at height and rescue procedures.

The training must include

• Hazard recognition
• Control measures

• Fall protection and rescue procedures
• Inspection regimes for equipment before work starts.

The employees must be familiar in rescue plan in place, whom to be contacted when
something goes wrong. Practicing rescue drills is a key factor.

ENSIGN | General Workplace Issues 10