How important is it to have properly trained employees who perform quality inspections? Saturday we got the call. A swing stage scaffold failure occurred in downtown Denver. Two employees were suspended 100 feet in the air after a suspension cable failed. The cause of the accident is still under investigation but, the employees were properly connected with their personal fall arrest systems. This, most likely, saved their lives. One employee was rescued with an aerial lift but the other needed assistance from Denver Fire Rescue. Both were safely brought to the ground without injury.
Do you have a rescue plan? Does your post fall recover rescue plan meet the requirements of ANSI Z359?
This is an area where we typically fail in construction, we assume that in the event of an accident, the Fire Department will perform the rescue. What if the fire department is not properly trained or does not have the equipment needed to perform the rescue? ANSI Z359.4- 2013 is where you will find your written rescue criteria, procedures, and plan requirements.
The purpose of a rescue plan is to establish company-wide guidelines for responding to falls from height. A rescue plan is intended to reduce risks to an employee’s health after a fall arrest event. The rescue plan should also minimize the amount of at-risk behavior of the rescuer during the rescue attempt, and help to ensure that the rescue is conducted promptly in a safe and professional manner. A written rescue plan should be prepared and maintained by the Competent Rescuer when employees are working at height. The plan should include provisions for self-rescue and assisted rescue. Employees conducting the rescue shall be trained accordingly.
Who are your Competent and Authorized Rescuers?? Did you know you needed rescue trained personnel??
MSC Safety Solutions is currently investigating why this accident happened. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration was investigating the incident, KMGH reported. Training and inspections will be heavily scrutinized and retraining will be required. Do your people have the training and skills needed to work safely on your site? Call us, we can help. www.mscss.us – 303-477-1044
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