Personal fall protection systems
CDM (Jersey) Knowledge Base
Please note this topic relates to the CDM (Jersey) 2016 Regulations. If you are looking for the CDM 2015 (Great Britain) Regulations, please see the CDM (GB) Knowledge Base
Schedule 6 refers to (Regulation 27(2)(b)) and states that all personal fall protection systems have specific requirements.
A personal fall protection system may be used in relation to work only if:-
- A risk assessment has demonstrated that the work can so far as is reasonably practicable be performed safely while using that system and the use of other work equipment that would offer a better control of the risks is not reasonably practicable
- The user and a sufficient number of persons available on the construction site have received adequate training specific to the operations envisaged, including rescue procedures
A personal fall protection system must:-
- Be suitable and of sufficient strength for the purposes for which it is being used having regard to the work being carried out and any foreseeable loading
- Where necessary, fit the user
- Be correctly fitted
- Be designed to minimize injury to the user and, where necessary, be adjusted to prevent the user falling or slipping from it, should a fall occur
- Be so designed, installed and used as to prevent unplanned or uncontrolled movement of the user
A personal fall protection system designed for use with an anchor must be securely attached to at least one anchor, and each anchor and the means of attachment to the anchor must be suitable and of sufficient strength and stability for the purpose of supporting any foreseeable loading.
Suitable and sufficient steps must be taken to prevent any person falling or slipping from a personal fall protection system.
Additional requirements for work positioning systems
A work positioning system may be used on a construction site only if:-
- The system includes a suitable backup system for preventing or arresting a fall, and, where the system includes a line as a backup system, the user is connected to the line;
- Where it is not reasonably practicable to comply all reasonably practicable measures are taken to ensure that the work positioning system does not fail
Additional requirements for rope access and positioning techniques
A rope access or positioning technique may be used only if:-
- It involves a system comprising at least 2 separately anchored lines, of which one (“the working line”) is used as a means of access, egress and support and the other is the safety line
- The user is provided with a suitable harness and is connected by it to the working line and the safety line
- The working line is equipped with safe means of ascent and descent and has a self-locking system to prevent the user falling should he or she lose control of his or her movements
- The safety line is equipped with a mobile fall protection system which is connected to and travels with the user of the system
Seat required
If it is appropriate to do so, taking into account any relevant risk assessment, the duration of the relevant job and the relevant ergonomic constraints, provision must be made for a seat with appropriate accessories when a rope access or positioning technique is used.
Single-rope system
A rope access or positioning technique used by a person may consist of a single line where:-
- A risk assessment has demonstrated that the use of a second line would entail higher risk to the person using the technique
- Appropriate measures have been taken to control the risks to the person using the technique.
Additional requirements for fall-arrest systems
A fall-arrest system used on a construction site must incorporate a suitable means of absorbing energy and limiting the forces applied to the user’s body.
A fall-arrest system must not be used in a manner that:-
- Involves the risk of a line in the system being cut
- Does not provide for a sufficient clear zone in those cases where there may be a pendulum effect
- Otherwise inhibits the system’s performance or renders its use unsafe
Additional requirements for work restraint systems
A work restraint system must:-
- Be so designed that, if used correctly, it prevents the user from getting into a position in which a fall can occur
- Be used correctly