Consultancy
Height Rescue Procedures
Background
There are three main reasons why employers need to make provision for rescue arrangements when working at height:
- The Work at Height Regulations require this
- The casualty needs to be attended to and recovered quickly
- It is your (employer’s) responsibility and not some other individual or organisations’
Help must be available promptly. The survival of an injured person often depends on the speed of recovery and the level of care subsequently provided. Being suspended for any length of time after a fall can be potentially fatal owing to the effects of suspension trauma.
General Considerations for Rescue
It is essential that there is a specific rescue plan and adequate resources in place for each worksite where work at height is carried out. These should be regularly reviewed and updated as required.
Resources should include not only equipment but also personnel who have been trained in the use of that equipment.
When planning for rescue, consideration should be given to the type of situation from which the casualty may need to be recovered and the type of fall protection equipment which the casualty would be using.
Types of Rescue
There are many options for dealing with an emergency which requires an injured or incapacitated person to be recovered to safety, the survey would consider the risks faced by your organisation and apply the most effective solution.
Creating the Procedure
TAG will ensure the key people are involved in the creation of any rescue procedure in order to ensure the business needs are considered and real life experiences learnt from. The procedure will be tested thoroughly before being clearly documented and submitted to the client for final approval.
