HSEinformationsheet

Preventingfallsfromboomtypemobileelevating
workplatforms
HSEInformationSheetMISC614
Introduction

Thisinformationsheetexplainshowtopreventfalls,not
justmitigatetheeffectsonceafalloccurs.Italso
explainshowtoselectsuitablefallprotection
equipmentwheretheriskcannotbeadequately
controlled.Alltypesofboom(articulatedand
telescopic)mobileelevatingworkplatforms(MEWPs),
commonlyknownascherrypickers,arecoveredby
thisguidance,includingonesthatare:

overloadingacarrier;
carrierstruckbyaload.

TheriskoffallingfromaMEWP isfromsudden
movementscausedbyanimpact,groundmovement,
failureofastabilitycriticalpart,oroverreaching.The
wearingofappropriatefallprotectionequipmentcan
provideprotectionagainsttheresidualriskoffalling,or
beingthrownoutofthecarrier.
Inpractice,workrestraintwilloftenbethemostsuitable
formofpersonalfallprotection(seetheTypesoffall
protectionequipment sectionforadefinition).

vehiclemounted;
selfpropelled;
trailermounted.

Theguidanceisnotintendedtocoverrisksassociated
withworknearto(oron)overheadpowerlines, people
climbingoutoftheMEWP(thisisnotnormally
allowed), andthedetailedrequirementsfor
information,instructionandtrainingassociatedwiththe
operationofMEWPs.
Thisinformationsheethasbeenproducedin
consultationwiththeInternationalPoweredAccess
FederationLtdandtheConstructionPlanthire
Association.
Background
Between1995/96and2001/02fivefatalaccidents
involvingMEWPswerereportedtoHSEsField
OperationsDirectorate(FOD).TheMEWPsinvolved
hadbeenstruckbyvehicles,sufferedafailureorthe
groundhadgivenway.

Assessingtherisk

Ananalysiswasmadeof FODsreportedand
investigatedincidentsrelatingto:

Employersandothersresponsiblefortheuseof
MEWPsmustassesstherisksofpeoplefallingfromor
beingthrownfromthecarrier, ortheMEWP
overturning,andtakeprecautionstoeliminateor
controlthoserisks.Thefollowingpointsshouldbe
considered:

MEWPscollapsing;
MEWPsoverturning;
peoplebeingthrownfromthecarrier;
thecarrierbeingtrappedagainstfixedstructures
(thecarrieriscommonlyreferredtoasthebasket
orcage).

Thefollowingprimarycauseswereidentified:

equipmentfailure;
groundconditions;
outriggers(notusedorfaulty);
trappingagainstfixedstructure;
MEWP beingstruckbyvehicle;
load/unloadofMEWP underpower;

Whatothervehicles,mobileplantorwork
equipment(egoverheadcranes)couldbeclose
by?
Couldpartsprotrudebeyondthesiteboundary(eg
buseshavestruckMEWPs)?
Whatare/willbethegeneralgroundconditions(eg
softness,slopes)?
Arethereanylocalisedgroundconditionsthat
couldbeahazard?
HastheMEWP beenexamined,inspected,
maintainedanddailycheckscarriedout?

Couldthecarrierbecaughtonprotrudingfeatures
(egsteelwork,treebranches)?

Controllingtherisk

Firstlyassesswhetherriskscanbe eliminated, for

example:

removeunevengroundorexcavations(eg
adjustingthephasingofthework);
removesoftgroundbycompacting.

Ifeliminationisnotreasonablypracticablethenassess
themeasuresthatshouldbeputinplacetominimise
theriskoffallingfromorwiththecarrier.

Examplesofcontrolmeasures aredividedintothree
categories:safeplant;safesite;andsafeoperator.

Safeplant

SelecttherightMEWP forthejob(consider
groundconditions,workingheight,thetask
includingtherange/sensitivityofmovement,the
anticipatedload,egpeopleandtools).A MEWP
mustnotbeusedasacrane.
EnsuretheMEWP hasathoroughexaminationby
a competentpersonatleastonceeverysix
months.Inspectionsmaybemorefrequent
dependingontheuseandoperatingconditions.
Inspectionintervalsshouldbestatedinthe
examinationscheme.NormallyaMEWPhas
dailychecksandaweeklyinspection.
Ensurecompetentpersonnelundertakeplanned
maintenanceinaccordancewiththe
manufacturersinstructions.Thesearecomplex
piecesofworkequipmentthatneedtobe
maintained.Inparticular,inadequatelubrication
andelectricalrepairshavecausedproblems(ega
faultfromanelectricalrepairhascaused
outriggerstoraisewhileinuse).
Afterahydrauliclevellingsystemhosefailure,
establishwhetherthecarrier tiltwilllockwhenitis
broughtbacktogroundlevel.Ifitdoes,peopleare
atriskofbeingtippedout.
CheckifadifferentmakeormodelofMEWP is
deliveredtothesite.Checkthatitissuitablefor
thetask.Thisisimportantwithpoorground
bearingcapacities.Controlsystemscanvary,
leadingtooperatorerrors.MEWPsdesignedtobe
usedonfirmlevelslabsshouldnotbeused
elsewhere.

Safeoperator

Safesite

Checktheworkareaforlocalisedfeatures,eg
manholes,serviceducts,potholes,etc(egahole
75 mmdeepcausedanoverturn).
Checktemporarycoversarestrongenoughto
withstandtheappliedpressure.
Checktemporarycoversaresecuredandmonitor
them.Takesimilaractionforpermanentcovers.
Establishtheloadbearingcapacity(generaland
pointloading,egoutriggers)whenworkinginside
inabuildingoronastructure(egajetty).
Ensurethereissupervisiontoensuresafe
systemsofworkareappropriateandbeingused.
Checkforoverheadcrushingorcontacthazards.
Haveagreedsystemsofcommunication(eg
betweenMEWP operatorsandbanksmanduring
steelerectionwork).
Checkweatherconditionshavenotalteredground
conditions(egheavyorprolongedrain).
Establishlimitsforsafeoperation(egmaximum
windspeed).Rememberconditionscanchange
internally(egifrollerdoorsareopened).
Complywithpermittoworksystemswheresites
havethem(egchemicalplants).
Ensureyouhavearescueplanagreedandin
placeforafall.Aretrainedpeopleandrescue
equipmentonsite?Doalloperativesunderstand
whattodo?
Assessotheralternativeworkmethodsor
equipmentbeforeoperatingnearasteepslopeor
edge.Ifyoumustoperatenearanedgeorsteep
slope,canbarriersbeprovidedthatwillretainthe
MEWP?Ifthisisnotpossible,whereshoulda
barrierbepositioned(youneedtoknowthe
brakingperformance)?Ifthisisnotpossible,how
willtheworkbesequencedsothattheMEWP can
operateinasafemanner(eginlinewiththeedge
ratherthantowardsit)?

Segregateothersitetraffic(deliveryvehicles,
dumpers,etc)fromtheworkarea.
EnsurepartsofaMEWP cannotprotrudeinto
roadsorothertransportroutes.Ifthisisnot
possible,youneedtousesystemsofwork
(egtemporaryroadclosureatquiettimes).

Ensureyouhaveproceduresforloading/unloading
duringdelivery/removalfromsite.Doesthis
procedureapplytoallyourMEWPs(egsomedo
nothavebrakingonallwheels)?
Ensureoperatorsaretrainedandfamiliarwiththe
performanceandcontrolsoftheMEWP theygoing
touse(egdotheyknowthetypesofground/slope
itcanoperateonorwhenoutriggerswillrequire
packing?).
Ensureoperatorshaveanytaskspecifictraining
(eguseofachainsaw).
Ensuredailychecksaredone(inaccordancewith
themanufacturersinstructions).
Ensureoperatorsknowwhenfurtheroperation
wouldbeunsafe.Dotheyknowhowtoposition
theMEWP foroptimumuse?
Ensurethereisasystemforrecordingfaults,
repairsandmaintenance.Whattypesoffault
wouldpreventfurtheruseofmachine(egcontrols
notrespondingcorrectly)?

Useoffallprotection
Ifthereisstillaresidualriskofimpactorpersonsfalling
afteryouhaveassessedtherisksandputthecontrol
measuresinplace,thentheuseoffallprotection
equipmentshouldbeconsidered,forexample:

whenworkingnexttoorinalivehighway(eg
streetlightingworkortreecrownlifting)where
thereisariskofavehiclehittingtheMEWP;
whentravellingwiththecarrierinaraisedposition
whereitmaystrikefixedobjectsinitspath(eg
branches,steelwork);
whentravellingwiththecarrierinaraisedposition
overunevenground;
steelerectionwherethecarrierhastomovein
andaroundthesteelwork.

Workrestraintsystem
A workrestraintsystemforuseonaMEWP should
normallybeacombinationofafullbodyharness
(BSEN3612) andalanyard(BSEN3543).Itdoesnot
normallyhaveshockabsorbingcapability.

TheMEWP mustbesuitablefortravellingwiththe
carrierinaraisedposition.

Itisbecomingacommonpracticetouseretractable
lanyardstoprovidetheoccupantswithmaximum
freedomofmovement,togetherwithimmediate
restraintintheeventofimpactorlevellingsystem
failure.Theuseofretractablelanyardsforthispurpose
shouldonlybeconsideredafterdetailedconsultation
withthemanufacturerastotheirsuitabilityandthe
parametersunderwhichtheyhavebeendesignedand,
moreimportantly,tested.Donotuseretractable
equipmentunlessithasbeenspecificallytestedinthe
proposedmannerofuse.

Typesoffallprotectionequipment
Therearetwotypesoffallprotectionthatapersoncan
useinthecarrier:

systemwithafullbodyharness,2.0mlanyard
andshockabsorbingdevicerequiresover5 m
clearanceheighttodeployandarrestafall.
Contactthefallarrestequipmentsupplierto
establishtheminimumclearanceheightforthe
proposedequipment.
Checkthattherearenoprojections(balconies,
canopies)thatapersoncouldstrikeduringafall.
Afterapersonsfallhasbeenarrested,howare
yougoingtorescuethem?Thereshouldbea
rescueplanandpeopleshouldbepractisedin
this.

workrestraintsystem (alsoknownasfall
restraintandincorrectlyreferredtoaswork
positioning)thisstopsapersonfallingfromthe
carrierinthefirstplace(unlessitisaMEWP
overturn).
fallarrestsystem thisstopsapersonafterthey
havefallenfromthecarrier(unlessitisaMEWP
overturn).

Lanyardlength(ofbothfixedlengthandretractable
systems)shouldbecarefullyselectedandmatchedto
thecarrierofthespecificMEWP thatisgoingtobe
used.Theymustbesetshortenoughtopreventa
personreachingapositionwheretheycouldfall.

Whendeciding,aspartofariskassessment,which
systemshouldbeused,thefollowingpointsshouldbe
considered.

Workingnearwater

CheckwiththemanufacturerthattheMEWP can
beusedaspartofafallarrestsystem.Doesthe
carrierhavesuitableanchorpoints?Themajority
ofanchorpointsarecurrentlyratedforwork
restraintandnotfallarrest.Thetestingofanchor
pointsiscoveredinBSEN795:1997.1 Anchor
pointsinthecarriershouldbemarkedforwork
restraintorfallarrestandthenumberofpersons
forwhichtheyarerated(arrestingafallcouldalso
generateenoughforcetocauseanoverturn
checktheMEWP canabsorbthisshockload).
AfterafalltheMEWP willflex,causingmore
severeswingingmovementsthannormal(this
couldleadtoahigherriskofstrikingtheMEWP or
othernearbystructures).
Couldthedynamicimpactofafallarrestcause
otheroccupants,loosematerialsortoolstobe
ejectedfromthecarrier?
Theuserneedstoestablishtheheightthecarrier
willbeworkingatandselectfallarrestequipment
thatwillworkwithinthatheight.A typicalfallarrest

Whenworkingnexttowater,aharnessshouldnotbe
wornduetotheriskofdrowningiftheMEWP fallsinto
thewater.Lifejacketsshouldbeworn.
Instructioninuseoffallprotectionequipment
Operatorswillneedinstructionintheuseofthe
harness,lanyard,rescueequipmentandthe
proceduresforperiodicinspection,maintenanceand
storageoffallprotectionPPE(especiallytextile
equipment).ForfurtherinformationrefertotheHSE
leafletInspectingfallarrestequipmentmadefrom
webbingorrope.4
TheLaw
Ifyouown,hireorotherwiseoperateorcontrolthe
operationofMEWPs(egasprincipalcontractor),you
havedutiesunderhealthandsafetylaw.Thespecific
legalprovisionsare(orwillbe)containedinthe
3

followingpiecesoflegislation:

ProvisionandUseofWorkEquipment
Regulations1998;
LiftingOperationsandLiftingEquipment
Regulations1998;
PersonalProtectiveEquipmentatWork
Regulations1992;
Construction(DesignandManagement
Regulations)1994;
Construction(Health,SafetyandWelfare)
Regulations1996;
Workplace(Health,SafetyandWelfare)
Regulations1992;
TheWorkatHeightRegulations,duein2004.

References
1
BSEN795:1997Personalprotectiveequipment
againstfallsfromaheight.AnchorDevices
RequirementsandtestingBritishStandardsInstitution
(underrevision)
2
BSEN361:2002 Personalprotectiveequipment
againstfailsfromaheight.FullbodyharnessesBritish
StandardsInstitution

Safeuseofworkequipment. ProvisionandUseof
WorkEquipmentRegulations1998.ApprovedCodeof
PracticeandguidanceL22(Secondedition)HSE
Books1998ISBN0717616266
Safeuseofliftingequipment.LiftingOperationsand
LiftingEquipmentRegulations1998. ApprovedCode
ofPracticeandguidance L113HSEBooks1998
ISBN0717616282
Personalprotectiveequipmentatwork.Personal
ProtectiveEquipmentatWorkRegulations1992(as
amended).GuidanceonRegulations L25(Second
edition)HSEBooks2005ISBN0717661393
Managinghealthandsafetyinconstruction:
Construction(DesignandManagement)Regulations
1994.ApprovedCodeofPracticeandguidance
HSG224HSEBooks2001ISBN0717621391
A guidetotheConstruction(Health,Safetyand
Welfare)Regulations1996 LeafletINDG220HSE
Books1996(singlecopyfreeorpricedpacksof10
ISBN0717611612)Webversion:
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg220.pdf
Furtherinformation

3
BSEN363:2002Personalprotectiveequipment
againstfallsfromaheight.Fallarrestsystems British
StandardsInstitution
4
Inspectingfallarrestequipmentmadefrom
webbingorrope LeafletINDG367HSEBooks2002
(singlecopyfreeorpricedpacksof10
ISBN0717625524)
Furtherreading
BSEN354:2002 Personalprotectiveequipment
againstfallsfromaheight.LanyardsBritishStandards
Institution
BSEN355:2002Personalprotectiveequipment
againstfailsfromaheight.EnergyabsorbersBritish
StandardsInstitution
BSEN358:2000Personalprotectiveequipment
againstfallsfromaheight.Beltsforworkpositioning
andrestraintandworkpositioninglanyardsBritish
StandardsInstitution
BSEN360:2002Personalprotectiveequipment
againstfallsfromheight.Retractabletypefallarrestors
BritishStandardsInstitution

BritishStandardsareavailablefromBSICustomer
Services,389ChiswickHighRoad,LondonW44AL
Tel:02089969001Fax:02089967001
Website:www.bsiglobal.com
HSEpricedandfreepublicationsareavailablebymail
orderfromHSEBooks,POBox1999,Sudbury, Suffolk
CO102WA Tel:01787881165Fax:01787313995
Website:www.hsebooks.co.uk(HSEpricedpublications
arealsoavailablefrombookshopsandfreeleafletscan
bedownloadedfromHSEswebsite:www.hse.gov.uk.)
ForinformationabouthealthandsafetyringHSEs
InfolineTel:08453450055Fax:08454089566
Textphone:08454089577email:
hse.infoline@natbrit.comorwritetoHSEInformation
Services,CaerphillyBusinessPark,Caerphilly
CF833GG.
Thisleafletcontainsnotesongoodpracticewhichare
notcompulsorybutwhichyoumayfindhelpfulin
consideringwhatyouneedtodo.
CrowncopyrightThispublicationmaybefreely
reproduced,exceptforadvertising,endorsementor
commercialpurposes.Firstpublished09/03.Please
acknowledgethesourceasHSE.

BS8460:2005SafeuseofMEWPs: CodeofPractice
BritishStandardsInstitution
BS8454:2006CodeofPracticeforthedeliveryof
trainingandeducationforworkatheightBritish
StandardsInstitution
PrintedandpublishedbytheHealthandSafetyExecutive

MISC614

Reprinted08/06

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