Personal fall protection system

[edit] Definition

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (which were updated as the Work at Height Regulations 2007 in that year) define a ‘personal fall protection system’ as:

• (a) a fall prevention, work restraint, work positioning, fall arrest or rescue system, other than a system in which the only safeguards are collective safeguards; or
• (b) rope access and positioning techniques.

[edit] Fall systems

In general personal fall protection systems are considered as the next option if a collective fall protection systems are not possible. The reasons for not being able to install collective systems may be as a result of planning constraints, rights of light, viewing corridors or local restrictions etc. Specifying a system that meets both the EN 795:2012 standard (updated from the 1997 standard) for single user anchor devices and the CEN/TS 16415:2013

Both collective fall systems and personal fall systems generally sit in one of two categories, restraint systems and arrest systems as described here;

[edit] Collective fall protective systems

• Collective fall restraint systems, such as guardrails, working platforms, scaffold systems.
• Collective fall arrest systems, such as net systems, airbags, fall breaks.

[edit] Personal fall protective systems

• Personal fall restraint systems, such as anchor points with harnesses at fixed lengths and lanyards preventing hazards from being reached. Usually defined as perimeter systems and ridge systems.
• Personal fall arrest systems are usually the same but with harness that extend beyng the hazard but arrest a fall if it occurs.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• BS 7883.
• BS 7883 guide released.
• Collective restraint systems.
• Dynamic self-retracting lanyard.
• Fall arrest system.
• Fall prevention systems.
• FASET.
• Hoists.
• Injuries on construction sites.
• Safety in high places.
• Site safety.
• Work at height checklist for managers.
• Work at height regulations.
• Work at height.
• Working at height - our duty to prevent harm and protect each other.
• Work at Height Regulations.
• Working at height training.