World Grain - October 2008 - 69

GRAINOPERATIONS

Reaching new
heights in safety
Hazard assessment, equipment and
system selection, documentation and
maintenance are all part of a successful
fall protection program
by Wayne Donnelly

Railroad cars can exceed 15 feet in height and present a very
unstable walking surface, which is why in many countries the
use of fall protection equipment is mandatory for workers at
grain facilities and other places where trains are loaded and
unloaded.
A quality fall protection program not only makes fall protection equipment and systems available to employees, but
provides them with detailed instruction on how to properly
select, operate and maintain them.
Specific written procedures for the pre-use inspection, attachment to, and use of each specific fall protection system
must be developed and made available to all workers at the
work site, along with a written rescue plan required in the
event that a fall is arrested. Workers should be required to follow the written procedures provided and to use all fall protection equipment and systems provided by regulations, manufacturer's instructions and the employer.
It is imperative that there is full documentation of the worker training as well as the acquisition, inspection, maintenance
and retirement of all fall protection equipment and systems.
A fall protection program must be documented in the manner of a formal policy, which should contain sufficient detail
to ensure that all workers performing work where fall protection is required and used can do so in a safe manner. Specific
subjects should include:
* hazard assessments and recommendations;
* fall protection equipment and system selection and
approval;
* specific written procedures;
* documented, formal and practical training;
* issuance and control; and
* maintenance of the equipment and systems along with
the program's periodic re-evaluation.
Fall protection hazard assessments and recommendations
for improvements and corrections are really the first steps to70

ward proper fall protection equipment and system selection.
Ensuring hazards are identified, assessed and evaluated is vital
in order to select "the right tool for the right job."
An on-site assessment by a qualified person or persons is
required in the hazard evaluation process and should include
assessing risk factors such as location, frequency and severity
of exposure. Once hazards have been recognized and evaluated, a proper fall protection system can be selected, designed
and installed. The equipment and systems must be designed
and installed to protect workers from falling or, in the event
of a fall, minimize the degree of injury. They also must meet
any existing governmental safety standards or be approved by
a qualified person who may be the program administrator or
engineer designated to oversee the task. The type of fall protection systems approved, in most cases, have specific applications and will have some limitations for use.
To remain in use, equipment and systems must be maintained in accordance with all manufacturer instructions and
the company fall protection program. Repair and replacement
parts must be manufactured, approved and, in most cases, installed by the manufacturer. Any interchange of fall protection
parts from one approved device to another should be approved
by the manufacturer or design engineer of the fall protection
system.
All fall protection equipment must be inspected by the user
before each use. It also must be inspected periodically, at least
on an annual basis, by a qualified person other than the user.
A program may specify more frequent, detailed inspections
that are more stringent than the regulations the program falls
under. In addition, each engineered, permanent fall protection
system will require re-certification as specified by the design
engineer, installer, applicable standard or regulation at least
annually.
Specific written procedures also must be reviewed annually for correctness, applicability, reliability, regulatory comOctober 2008 / World Grain / www.World-Grain.com
http://www.World-Grain.com
World Grain - October 2008

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