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PPE is your last resort

|  | Readtime: 1m 45s

 

When we have to perform work tasks at height, the planning of personal safety is often sparse or completely absent. But proper planning can often prove to make things a lot easier and safer.

Gennemgå arbejdsopgaven og eventuelle risici, inden du går i gang.

In Denmark, more than 42,000 occupational accidents were reported in 2019. Over 6000 of these accidents involved a vertical fall of some kind. The number has been increasing over the past five years, despite the fact that we generally become more and more aware of protecting ourselves and each other when we are at work.

42000

Work accidents

6000

Vertical fall accidents

What we are often too bad to see is that far down the road we can become much better at taking care of if only we think about it before we get started. When it comes to occupational safety today, personal protective equipment is quick to steal the picture. Of course, this also applies to fall protection such as harnesses, lines, fall blocks and the like. But just when it comes to fall protection, the PPE part can be included as a solution.

There are options that must be considered and assessed in terms of safety before we, as professionals, put on a sling.

 

Remove the risk

Try to eliminate the risk of falls. This is best done by not working at height. In the construction industry, it can be the construction of substructures on the ground and then hoisting them up and assembling. It eliminates the risk of falls.

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Replace / reduce risk

Sometimes you and your colleagues, whether you like it or not, are forced to work at height. But that still does not mean that we need to close our eyes to the opportunities for fall protection that present themselves. An example might be the filming of a movie scene that is to take place several meters above the ground. By filming from a different angle, one can reduce the height significantly, without the audience being able to see it on the finished result. Here, one circumstance is replaced with another, which significantly reduces the risk of serious injuries and accidents.

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Controll the risk

Another effective way is to build a safe framework when carrying out work at height. It could be in the form of railings, support belts and liners. Solutions that are easy and relatively inexpensive to use. In a country like Denmark, one of the most obvious solutions is to use a crew lift. The lift is relatively mobile and can be raised to significant heights, while the user can be secured against the danger of falling.

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Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Fall protection in the form of personal equipment such as harnesses, lines, fall blocks requires training in use and maintenance. The equipment must be included and supported by general considerations and controls when working at height. In short, PPE requires training and education.

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Think about the specific situation

All work situations are different and require consideration and careful assessment and consideration. Start from the top and work purposefully to implement appropriate safety precautions.

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