DEVELOPING AND CONDUCTING RESCUE PLANS

LJB University™ has been approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Association forContinuing Education and Training (IACET), 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, VA 22102. .

Moderator: Speaker:KIM MESSER THOMAS E. KRAMER, P.E., C.S.P.

KMesser@LJBinc.com TKramer@LJBinc.com

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BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

Rescue is often THE most overlooked aspect of fall protection.

“911” is not the only answer to your fall protection rescue.

Suspension time:> How long do you think someone can safely suspend in a full body

harness?

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BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

Rescue is often THE most overlooked aspect of fall protection.

“911” is not the only answer to your fall protection rescue.

Suspension time:> How long do you think someone can safely suspend in a full body

harness?

> How long do you want to suspend?

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Discuss regulations and standards relevant in rescue

Assist in analyzing a facility’s capabilities to perform “prompt” rescue

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AGENDA

Regulatory requirements

Prompt rescue

Preparing for a prompt rescue

Closing

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OSHA REQUIREMENTS

29 CFR 1926 (Construction)> 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(20)

“The employer shall provide for prompt rescue of employees in the event of a fall or shall assure that employees are able to rescue themselves.”

Proposed 29 CFR 1910 (General Industry)> 29 CFR 1910.140(c)(21)

“The employer must provide for prompt rescue of employees in the event of a fall.”

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ADDITIONAL OSHA REFERENCES

Safety and Health Information Bulletin (2004)> Prolonged suspension … can result in serious physical injury, or potentially,

death.

> Research indicates that suspension … can result in unconsciousness, followed by death, in less than 30 minutes.

Letters of Interpretations> August 14, 2000

• “While an employee may be safely suspended in a body harness for a longer period than from a body belt, the word “prompt” requires that rescue be performed quickly -- in time to prevent serious injury to the worker.”

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OSHRC vs. East Texas Coating

> Compliance officer sequenced the events subsequent to a confined space incident to determine whether the employer had acted appropriately

ADDITIONAL OSHA REFERENCES

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ANSI Z359

Prompt rescue (Z359.2 §6.1)

Written rescue procedures (Z359.2 §6.2)

Summoning rescue services

> Professional (Z359.2 §6.3.1)

> In-house (Z359.2 §6.3.2)

ANSI Z359.4

> Components and systems

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ANSI A10.32

6.2.1 Employees shall be trained in self-rescue or alternate means shall be provided for prompt rescue in the event of a fall.

6.2.2 A project-specific rescue plan shall be developed which will provide for a form of rescue for employees.

6.2.3 All rescuers shall be provided with adequate training, equipment and personal protective equipment where needed.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

USAF> 1987 research at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

NIOSH> International fall protection symposium, 2008> Research report> FACE reports

HSE> Contract research report 451/2002> HSL/2003/09

Articles

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AGENDA

Regulatory requirements

Prompt rescue

Preparing for a prompt rescue

Closing

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PROMPT RESCUE

Factors to consider in planning for response

> Hanging vertically in a harness can cause loss of consciousness even in the absence of trauma or blood loss

> The body’s tolerance to suspension trauma varies from person to person

> Rescuing a worker quickly post fall is at least as critical as protecting the worker from a fall

From “Does 911 Work for Rescue?” by Robert N. Aguiluz (September 2003)

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POST-FALL SUSPENSION

Wright-Patterson AFB study

AP Photo by Janet B. CampbellErie Times-News, 5/25/2004

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HARNESS SUSPENSION – MOTIONLESS

1987 Study - Wright Patterson Air Force Base > Phase 1 - Body belt, chest harness and full body harness

> Phase 2 - Four types of full body harnesses

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Phase 1, termination time (in minutes)

> Body belt: 0.35 – 4.76

> Chest harness: 0.62 – 13.13

> Full body harness: 5.08 – 30.12

> Mean averages: 1.63, 6.08, 14.38

HARNESS SUSPENSION – MOTIONLESS

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The primary causes of termination of the tests were:

Body belt: difficulty in breathing and pressure

Chest harness: cardiovascular symptoms and pressure

Full body harness: cardiovascular symptoms and nausea

HARNESS SUSPENSION – MOTIONLESS

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Phase 2

Four types of full body harnesses, termination time (in minutes):> A: 3.47 – 32.00> B: 5.50 – 37.5> C: 10.20 – 49.80> D: 4.33 – 60.00> Mean: 17.05, 18.36, 28.36, 26.66

HARNESS SUSPENSION – MOTIONLESS

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AGENDA

Regulatory requirements

Prompt rescue

Preparing for a prompt rescue

Closing

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PROMPT RESCUE

Pre-work> Internal and external capabilities

> Types of hazards

> Types of systems used

> Rescue options

Procedures

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WHO DOES THE WORK?

External capabilities> Local emergency response

> Meeting to discuss response

> Availability

Internal capabilities> Volunteer emergency response

> Other rescue needs at site

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HOW ARE THEY EXPOSED?

Types of hazards> Confined space

> Construction

> Elevator

> Institutional

> Manufacturing

> Office buildings

> Petrochemical

> Utilities

> Vehicle and aircraft maintenance

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WHAT ARE THEY USING?

Types of systems that include:> Fall restraint

> Self-retracting devices

> Vertical systems

• Lifelines

• Ladder climbing systems

• Window cleaning

> Horizontal lifelines

> Confined space retrieval

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HOW DO I GET THE VICTIM DOWN?

Rescue options> Elimination

> Self rescue

> Assisted rescue

• Ladder or aerial lift

• Personal protection equipment

> Response rescue

• Fire department

• High angle rope access

> Special case: evacuation

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NEW PRODUCT

U-RES-Q LADDER: “The Cure for Suspension Trauma”

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PROMPT RESCUE

Pre-work

Procedures> Pre-use

> During use

> Post fall

> Incident investigation

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HOW SHOULD I PLAN THE RESCUE?

Pre-use> Type of system

> Ability/need to raise/lower

> Anchorages identified

> D-rings on harness

> Training

> Procedure prepared

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HOW SHOULD I PLAN THE RESCUE?

During use> Procedure reviewed

> Training

> Changes

> Buddy system

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HOW SHOULD I PLAN THE RESCUE?

Post fall> Status

> Contact emergency services

• State: “I require a rescue from heights at the lower roof of the main building. The worker is suspended above the ground 30 feet and is conscious.”

> First, do no harm

> Orthostatic intolerance

> Rescue worker and provide medical assistance

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WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER THE RESCUE?

Incident investigation> Authorized person

> Competent person

> Qualified person

> Program administrator

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AGENDA

Regulatory requirements

Prompt rescue

Preparing for a prompt rescue

Closing

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Discuss regulations and standards relevant in rescue

Assist in analyzing a facility’s capabilities to perform “prompt” rescue

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THANK YOU FOR JOINING US

To learn more about fall protection from LJB Inc.

Blog> http://www.ljbfallprotectionblog.com

Podcasts – 60 Seconds for Safety> http://www.ljbinc.com/safetybydesign

YouTube video> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk7F8UJxnLU