Work at Height Rescue Kit

Successfully arresting a fall does not mean the emergency is over.

A worker who remains suspended in a harness may be injured, disorientated or unable to assist with their own recovery. Delays can increase the complexity of the rescue and make it more difficult to reach the casualty safely.

Rescue Must Be Planned Before Work Begins - The rescue method should be considered during the planning stage of any work where fall arrest may be required.

This means identifying:

• Who will carry out the rescue
• What equipment is needed
• Where the rescue kit will be stored
• Where rescue anchors will be located
• Whether the casualty will be raised or lowered
• How the rescuer will reach the casualty
• What happens once the casualty is recovered

Having equipment on site without a practical plan is not enough.

Rescue Equipment Needs to Be Immediately Available - Work at height rescue equipment should be accessible to the people who may need it.

A kit stored in a remote location, locked room or inaccessible area may provide little value during an emergency.

Rescuers Need to Be Competent - Anyone expected to use a rescue kit should receive suitable instruction and training for the equipment and rescue method being used.

The rescue itself must not introduce unnecessary additional risk to the rescuer.

Work at height must be properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 also require planning to include emergencies and rescue where relevant.

This means rescue arrangements should be considered before work starts rather than improvised after an incident.

Rescue Should Form Part of the Risk Assessment

The risk assessment and method statement should consider credible rescue scenarios.

For example:

• What happens if a worker falls from a roof?
• Can they be reached from a safe location?
• Is there sufficient rope length?
• Can the system raise as well as lower?
• Is there a suitable anchorage point?
• Who is available to operate the kit?

Do Not Rely Solely on Emergency Services

Emergency services may ultimately provide assistance, but they should not normally be the only planned rescue method for a foreseeable work-at-height incident.

Where a rescue kit is the identified method of recovery, the equipment should be available on site and suitable personnel should know how to use it.

A Rescue Kit Is Part of the Solution

UK legislation does not simply state that every person working at height must carry one particular commercial rescue kit.

The legal requirement is to plan for emergencies and rescue where necessary. The correct equipment depends on the work, system, building and rescue strategy.

The Safesite Work at Height Rescue Kit is designed to help recover a casualty who is suspended following a fall arrest event.

The exact rescue procedure should always follow the approved rescue plan and the instructions for the equipment, but the system can be used to establish a controlled connection to the casualty and raise or lower them to safety.

1. Establish a Safe Rescue Anchorage - The rescue system must be connected to a suitable anchorage point capable of supporting the planned rescue.

The anchorage and rescue method should ideally be identified before work begins.

2. Deploy the Rescue System - The rescue equipment is set up from an appropriate position so the rescuer can establish control of the casualty.

3. Connect to the Casualty - The rope grab or appropriate rescue connection is attached to the casualty or their existing system in accordance with the planned procedure.

4. Raise the Casualty if Required - In some situations, a casualty may initially need to be raised slightly to release tension from their existing fall arrest equipment.

This can allow the rescuer to safely transfer them onto the dedicated rescue system.

5. Transfer the Load - Once the casualty is securely supported by the rescue equipment, the load can be transferred from the original fall protection system where the rescue method requires it.

6. Raise or Lower to Safety - The casualty can then be moved in the safest direction available.

Depending on the building and incident, this may involve lowering them to ground level or raising them to a secure platform or roof.

7. Provide Appropriate Aftercare - Following recovery, the casualty should receive appropriate first aid or medical assessment according to the circumstances.

The precise contents of a rescue kit depend on the system and intended rescue method.

A Work at Height Rescue Kit can typically include:

• Rescue line or rope
• Rescue hub or controlled descent device
• Rope grab
• Suitable connectors
• Equipment for controlled raising or lowering
• Storage and carrying bag

The equipment should be compatible and selected as a complete rescue system rather than assembled from unrelated components without proper assessment.

The correct specification should also consider working height, anchorage arrangements, rescue distance and the fall protection system already being used.

Work at height rescue equipment can be required across a wide range of industries and working environments.

Rescue After a Fall Arrest Event - The most obvious application is recovering a worker who has fallen and is suspended by their fall arrest system.

Rooftop Lifeline Rescue - Workers using horizontal lifeline systems may require rescue if they fall over an edge and remain suspended outside the building.

Overhead Fall Arrest - Workers operating beneath an overhead fall arrest system may need to be recovered from vehicles, machinery or elevated structures.

Vertical Fall Protection - A worker using a ladder or vertical fall arrest system may become stranded or injured at height.

Industrial Structures - Maintenance on steelwork, plant and industrial structures can create rescue situations where normal access is difficult.

Vehicle-Top Work - HGV, tanker, rail and bus maintenance may involve workers operating on top of vehicles where rescue following a fall requires a specific plan.

Plant and Maintenance Areas - Complex plant rooms and rooftop equipment can create restricted rescue routes that need to be considered in advance.

Choosing rescue equipment requires a proper assessment of the work environment.

Working Height - The length of rope or rescue line needs to accommodate the potential rescue distance.

Anchorage Availability - Suitable rescue anchors need to be identified before the equipment is required.

Existing Fall Protection System - The rescue kit should be compatible with the fall arrest, lifeline, rigid rail or anchor system already being used.

Raise or Lower Requirement - Some locations allow straightforward lowering, while others may require the casualty to be raised.

Access to the Casualty - Consider whether rescue can be completed from a safe position or whether a rescuer must approach the casualty directly.

Number of Workers - The rescue strategy should consider how many people may be exposed to the same hazard.

Working Environment - Different equipment may be required for:

• Roofs
• Warehouses
• Vehicle bays
• Towers
• Industrial structures
• Plant areas
• Confined environments

Rescue Team Competence - Equipment should match the capabilities and training of the people expected to use it.

A successful rescue strategy relies on more than equipment alone.

1. Rescue Plan - The plan explains:

• What could happen
• How the casualty will be reached
• Which rescue method will be used
• Who is responsible
• Where the casualty will be moved

2. Rescue Equipment - Suitable equipment must be available, accessible and appropriate for the rescue method.

3. Trained People - Workers need the competence and confidence to carry out the planned rescue safely.

If any one of these three elements is missing, the rescue strategy is incomplete.

Owning a Work at Height Rescue Kit does not automatically make an organisation prepared for an emergency.

The people expected to carry out a rescue need suitable training.

Training can include: Rescue kit setup, Anchorage selection, Casualty connection, Controlled raising, Controlled lowering, Load transfer, Communication, Rescue roles, Equipment limitations, Emergency procedures.

Training should be appropriate to the equipment, working environment and foreseeable rescue scenarios.

Competence should also be maintained through suitable refresher training and realistic practice.

A Work at Height Rescue Kit should be considered alongside the fall protection system being used.

Fall Arrest Systems - Any work involving fall arrest should include suitable rescue planning.

Kee Line® Lifeline Systems - Horizontal lifeline users can potentially fall beyond a roof edge, requiring an appropriate recovery method.

Kee Track® Overhead Systems - Overhead rigid rail applications may require rescue from machinery, vehicles or industrial equipment.

Vertical Fall Protection - Workers on fixed ladders and vertical systems may need specialist recovery if they become incapacitated.

Anchor Systems - Individual anchor point arrangements should include consideration of how the user would be recovered following a fall.

Davit Arm Systems - Davit systems can form part of dedicated access and retrieval arrangements in suitable applications.

Mansafe Systems - Existing mansafe and lifeline installations should always be reviewed alongside the associated rescue strategy.

Safesite provides complete fall protection, rescue and working-at-height solutions for commercial and industrial organisations throughout the UK.

Our services can include:

• Site surveys
• Fall protection assessments
• Rescue planning support
• Work at Height Rescue Kits
• Fall arrest systems
• Lifeline systems
• Anchor systems
• Rescue equipment inspection
• Work at height training
• At Height Rescue training
• Ongoing technical support

Rather than treating rescue equipment as an isolated product, Safesite can assess how the rescue strategy fits with your existing fall protection systems and the way people actually work at height.