Completing Working at Heights Requirements to Reduce Risks
As we all know, equipment for working at heights or personal protective equipment for working at heights is regulated in Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 9 of 2016. However, many still disregard this for various reasons. For you, friends of SpanSet, it is essential to maintain safety and comfort while working at heights by using the appropriate personal protective equipment.
Requirements for Working at Heights
Before delving further into personal protective equipment or working at heights gear, we must first understand what requirements there are for working at heights so that SpanSet friends comprehend this work. This is because working at heights entails potential dangers that should not be taken lightly.
Therefore, in every effort to work at heights, at a minimum, SpanSet friends should be able to implement five main procedures for working safely at heights. What are they?
Planning
Whatever task SpanSet friends will undertake must have thorough planning, especially if working at heights of more than tens of meters. Starting from planning what work equipment will be used, how to handle things if something happens while working at heights, to planning to minimize the risks that may occur.
By proper planning, it is hoped that SpanSet friends can minimize whatever may happen while working and until they return safely to the ground.
Work Procedures
The second thing to consider when about to work at heights is work procedures. What are the minimum procedures that workers at heights should know?
- Fall protection techniques and methods.
- Equipment management procedures.
- Techniques and methods for supervising work.
- Workplace safety.
- Preparedness and emergency response.
Safe Working Techniques
After the two aforementioned points, planning and work procedures, the next thing SpanSet friends should know is how to work at heights safely. There are at least five safe working techniques according to Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 9 of 2016 mentioned in paragraph (1), i.e.:
- Working on Fixed Work Platforms.
- Working on Temporary Work Platforms.
- Moving vertically or horizontally towards or away from work platforms.
- Working in inclined positions.
- Working with rope access.
Certainly, knowing safe technical techniques will ensure that all SpanSet friends bring working at heights equipment according to their needs. Besides ensuring your own safety in your work, it will also ensure the safety of your colleagues who are at the same height.
Workforce
The next thing to consider is the workers themselves. Certainly, working at heights should not involve untrained individuals. They must have good competence in working at heights.
In other words, workers who will work at heights must have the skills or abilities to use work equipment, as well as the knowledge and awareness to work safely for themselves and those around them.
How to do it? One of them is to participate in training programs held by SpanSet Indonesia. This training is for those who work at heights but still have access while performing their tasks.
What about those who work with rope access? Don't worry, SpanSet Indonesia also provides Work at Height and Rope Access (TKPK) training that SpanSet friends can attend to enrich their knowledge and minimize risks while working at heights using only ropes.
Personal Protective Equipment / Working Equipment
Lastly, after knowing the above four points, SpanSet friends must use personal protective equipment (PPE) or appropriate working equipment to work more safely and minimize risks. What equipment is needed?
Actually, the types of personal protective equipment (PPE) or equipment needed depend on the specific tasks that SpanSet friends will undertake, whether it's working on buildings, containers, crane usage, and so on. To minimize unwanted incidents when working at heights, it's advisable to use some of the following equipment:
- Full Body Harness. This equipment is designed to protect the entire body of the worker. In the event of a fall incident, the full body harness will safely 'catch' our body, preventing both minor and serious injuries, thus making working at heights safer. For more information about full body harnesses, SpanSet friends can read here.
- Lanyard & Shock Absorber. These two tools can be separate or already combined into one upon purchase. According to EN355: 2002 standards, the shock absorber can increase the length of the lanyard by up to 1.75 meters when subjected to a load of 100 kg and falling from a height of twice the length of the lanyard. Click here for purchase.
At least, the above working at heights equipment should not be overlooked when working on gondolas, cranes, towers, or other locations. If SpanSet friends are still unsure about personal protective equipment (PPE) or working at heights equipment when wanting to acquire them, SpanSet friends can contact our team via email sales@spanset.co.id for consultation.
