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Fall protection is life saving, contractors see it all the time and use it all the time. The most common of them is anchor points which work by saving rather than preventing, but have you ever wondered what are the most common types of anchor points and how do they work?
When it comes to anchor points, there is a significant amount of different types of anchors for different types of solutions, for different types of substrates or structures. There are:
What is the difference between rope access and fall arrest anchors? – Sayfa Group
In selecting the wrong tool, or only one of the anchor points to use in many different versions. Yes, it is best to use an anchor that is flexible in a lot of different ways, but again, always use the right tool for the job. There are some anchor points that are aimed more at a residential or a roofing contractor, and other ones that are more permanent style, or other versions. We at SECURE HEIGHT SYSTEMS use a range of different anchors and can advise you on the right anchor to use. Contact us for a free consultation.
Our qualified team of specialists and engineers can offer specialized help and technical support tailored for your project during the planning and implementation of the project. This would include the selection of the best suited anchor point for the job and also full roof safety system layouts would be provided to ensure the highest quality of work.
In our current times, falls from height are a major workplace hazard resulting in fatalities and injuries across a broad range of Australian industries, with the construction industry accounting for 27 per cent of all related injury claims. The purpose of the regulations and the usage of safety equipment such as anchor points is to prevent incidents at workplaces involving falls of more than 2 metres, and to prevent or reduce injury resulting from those falls.
So, fall accidents are quite common. One example that is made public by the OHS, is of a company that had a job on Bay Street, Port Melbourne to remove and replace a pitched slate roof with corrugated roof sheets, and to remove and replace a flat roof and its two skylights. On 9 June 2017, the company had a VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Adult Learning) student working with them and he was clearing debris from the flat roof when he stood on a skylight and fell 5 metres through it, hit a steel balustrade and then tumbled 3 metres down a flight of stairs under the skylight. He suffered many injuries due to this but has eventually recovered.
It was concluded that “No Safe Work Method Statement (‘SWMS’) had been prepared for the High-Risk Construction Work, nor was there any appropriate fall protection such as anchor points and a work positioning system. The company had also not provided the necessary information, instruction and training on working from height.”
When considering roof anchor points, it is always about choosing the right anchor point for the job based on the environment that we will be working in. As we go through, there are many different types of anchors, or similar designs that do the same thing for different types of roofs. It all depends on the structure and the design, and some other factors.
All of this is to assure both from the manufacturer side, as well as from the safety installer side that in the case of a fall our contractor will survive the fall.
Height safety compliance starts with the design. Send through your architectural plans and we will advise you with the site specific on-budget solution.
An accredited team of height safety installers with the experience to ensure we over-deliver. Our team of installers is flexible and can be on-site on short notice.
Certification of your height safety system and testing of your anchor points to ensure compliance with relevant Australian standards.
Masters in Height Safety & Access, Serving Metropolitan Sydney & New South Wales