Rescue mission

THE WORK at Height Regulations (2005) set out the minimum requirements for the planning, supervision and undertaking of work at height. Key requirements of the regulations, include that all work is properly planned, risk assessed and the identified controls to mitigate those risks are resourced and implemented. This includes the planning and provisions for rescue from height.

The planning and provisions for rescue need to be appropriate for the foreseeable situations that could arise. The procedure and process for rescue should be recorded in a rescue plan which would form part of the task’s safe system of work.  It is generally not acceptable to rely solely on attendance of the emergency services for rescue, although they could of course be part of the wider emergency response plan.

The rescue plan must consider what could foreseeably happen, where it could happen, the hazards that could be present, the possible consequences of the accident and the method or methods of rescue.

It is imperative that those undertaking the rescue must not place themselves or be placed in danger undertaking the rescue.

Rescue Planning

What could go wrong?

When developing a rescue plan, it is important that all foreseeable emergency situations are considered. This would include not only a fall from height but other unplanned situations that could include: the sudden onset of a medical condition, the failure of mechanical access devices, changes in environmental conditions or the compromising of access or egress arrangements. The nature of the emergency and the potential danger the casualty is exposed to following the incident will influence the rescue action taken. For example, an incapacitated person suspended in a harness following a fall on a personal fall arrest system will be in danger from the effects of suspension intolerance (see below) which can begin to take effect within minutes, whereas a person stranded in a failed MEWP (Mobile Elevating Work Platform) or BMU (Building Maintenance Unit) may not be in any immediate danger.  In some situations, the best course of immediate action may be to make safe and stabilize the casualty until further specialist assistance can attend whilst in different situations it would be important to recover the casualty to safety as soon as possible

Suspension Intolerance - what is it?

The subject of Suspension Intolerance is one of much debate, but it is widely recognised that a person suspended vertically in a fall arrest harness can be subject to presyncope leading to syncope (fainting) as a result of the reduction of an oxygenated blood supply to the brain due to blood pooling under gravity in the blood vessels of the legs. This can occur when a person stands for a long period without moving e.g. soldiers on parade. On fainting, a person is usually lying horizontally, and blood flow will normalise throughout the body and the person will quickly recover. However, if this happens to an incapacitated person suspended in a harness, the person  remains vertical following the faint, further restricting the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain which, in some cases, can lead to death.

Planning for an effective response

The effective rescue from height is largely dependent on the timely execution of a properly prepared rescue plan.  A rescue plan needs to be appropriate to the risks. When developing a rescue plan a number of factors need to be considered, these would include:

• Workplace and access / egress.

The rescue plan may be drawn up for a specific task in one location or cover multiple tasks in different locations. For each location, the plan needs to identify: how the work position is accessed, what hazards the location presents and how this will determine the type of rescue response. It is important to remember that working at height can be above, at, or below ground level (e.g., accessing a manhole). Where rescue equipment is required to recover a casualty, suitable anchor points will need to be identified.

• Work activities being undertaken

Along with the location, the type of work being undertaken, the method of work, and the equipment being used will be key to determining what emergency situations are foreseeable. For example, the procedure for a rescue of a casualty undertaking work using a fall prevention system (where the user would retained to the work area, so more accessible, will typically be a lot more straight forward than the rescue of a casualty using fall arrest where an accident could result in the faller being suspended in their harness.

• Who may need rescuing?

Another consideration is who and how many people may need rescuing, what are the possible injuries / condition and how would this determine the appropriate emergency response.

• What are the foreseeable incidences?

Consider every foreseeable emergency incident and plan for the response to the worst-case foreseeable scenario. This need not be an accident but could include a medical incident at height.

Plan the appropriate response to the incident including what resources are required to be put in place.

• Rescue team members

Rescue team members should be selected for their knowledge, skill, aptitude, and attitude and be trained and competent in the rescue techniques and equipment set out in the rescue plan. It is an accepted fact that rapid and significant knowledge loss can occur where the skills and techniques are not regularly practiced. It is therefore important that rescue training is regularly refreshed and skills and techniques practiced to maintain the appropriate level of competence.

• Making the area safe

Some areas may require the actions of an appointed, qualified person to isolate plant or processes to allow the rescue to be undertaken safely. These processes may fall under a Permit to Work system and these procedures, where implemented, need to be incorporated into the rescue plan.

Conclusions

A well-prepared rescue plan is vital for addressing emergencies such as falls, medical issues, or equipment failures. The plan should consider the work environment, activities, potential casualties, and incident types, detailing necessary resources and defining rescue team roles. Team members must be competent and regularly trained to maintain their readiness.

By following some of the steps aforementioned in building a solid rescue plan, you can aid with the provisions for those involved in working at height, ensuring safety and efficient emergency responses.

*The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of 3M Company or its affiliates.

Stephen Morris is application engineer at 3M Personal Safety Division. For more information, visit www.3M.co.uk

Rescue options

There are several methods of rescuing a person from height depending on the situation and location. Below are typical rescue methods set out in general order of consideration.

Self rescue

It may be that the worker is able to get themselves to a place of safety following an incident. For example, a slip on a vertical ladder mounted fall arrest system. The rescue plan must not assume that the faller will always be uninjured, calm and collected enough to safely and effectively rescue themselves.

Rigged for rescue

In some situations, it may be possible to incorporate the method of rescue into the Personal Fall Protection System. The integration of the rescue system into the working system brings may advantages by simplifying the rescue procedure and reducing set up time leading to a more effective rescue. Typical examples of this type of solution include:

• Ground level secondary controls on a MEWP
• Rigging of rope access anchor points through descent devices
• The use of Self Retracting Devices with integral retrieval winches - Commonly used for confined space access.
• Integrated lowering devices which are incorporated into the harness or Retracting Type Fall Arrest (RTFA) device that can be activated by the user or the rescuer.

Deployment of rescue team and equipment

In some situations, a rescue team will need to utilise additional rescue resources to carry out the rescue. This could include the deployment of a MEWP or height rescue kit to rescue a suspended casualty or lower an incapacitated person from a place at height. In the latter case it may be that the casualty has had a medical incident whilst working on guarded platform where the wearing of a harness is not required. This needs to be considered in the task risk assessment and the rescue plan.

Rescue equipment needs to be quick to deploy and effective to use and typically consists of a rescue line to connect to the casualty’s harness, a method of raising and securing the casualty to allow the disconnection of their working system and a means of controlled descent.

Rescue plan document

The rescue plan needs to be clearly recorded and made available to all relevant persons. It should be reviewed periodically and whenever there are any changes to working practices or equipment. Procedures should be practiced ensuring the documented procedures are effective and any lessons learnt implemented into the review process.