2. WORK AT HEIGHTS
LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Art. 107 - definition
1. For the purposes of the provisions of this chapter, work
at height: «work activity that exposes the worker to the
risk of falling from a height higher than 2 meters
compared to a stable surface».
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3. FALLS FROM HEIGHTS
• One of the most frequent and serious types of injuries.
• Since the technical and organizational measures capable of
preventing them have been known for some time, falls from
heights represent a typical and worrying example of
sentinel event.
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4. FALLS FROM:
• Falls from roofs.
• Falls from above following the breaking of the roofing
sheets (eternit, plexiglass, etc.).
• Falls from scaffoldings.
• Falls from portable ladders.
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5. What factors determine falls from heights?
• Injured person's activity: procedural error/training deficit.
• Structural inadequacies of the workplace and work
equipment.
• Absence or failure to use collective and individual protective
equipment.
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10. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Article 111
Employer's obligations in the use of equipment for work at heights
1. The employer chooses the most suitable work equipment to
guarantee and maintain safe working conditions, in accordance with the
following criteria:
a) prioritize collective protection measures with respect to individual
protection measures;
b) the dimensions of the work equipment must be suited to the nature of
the work to be performed, to predictable stresses and risk-free
circulation.
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11. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Article 111
Employer's obligations in the use of equipment for work at heights
7. The employer carries out temporary work at heights only if weather
conditions do not endanger the safety and health of workers.
8. The employer supervises that it is prohibited to consume and administer
alcoholic beverages and spirits to workers employed on temporary and
mobile construction sites and working at heights.
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13. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
The employer shall provide for the use of a ladder as a
work station at height only in cases where the use of
other work equipment considered to be safer is not
justified by the low level of risk and the short duration of
use; or existing characteristics of the sites that it cannot
modify.
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14. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9 April 2008, n. 81
Annex XX
a) portable ladders are built in accordance with the standardUNI EN
131 technique;
c) portable ladders are accompanied by asheet or booklet bearing:
•a brief description indicating the constituent elements;
•useful information for correct use;
•instructions for maintenance and storage;
•manufacturer certifications and declarations.
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20. www.seagruppo.it
FALL PROTECTION PPE
Positioning systems (EN 358-354)
• It is a system that allows you to remain positioned in
places at high altitude where it is not possible to have a
good support base that guarantees stable balance
without the aid of your arms.
• The system, thanks to the aid of a positioning cord,
generates a balance point. In combination with the
pushing action of the legs, it allows the operator to free
his hands to carry out work operations.
• This system is not designed to withstand drops.
• The elements that compose it are basically two:
- EN 358 positioning belt
- EN 354 positioning lanyards
Work at heights
21. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Article 112
Suitability of temporary works
Works such as a processing, a structure or an artifact made
provisionally in order to allow the execution of the finished work, which
must be removed.
1. Temporary works must be set up with good material and state-of-the-
art, proportionate and suitable for the purpose; they must be kept in
working order for the entire duration of the work.
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22. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Article 122
Scaffolding and temporary works
1. When working at heights, suitable scaffolding or scaffolding or suitable
temporary works or in any case precautions aimed at eliminating the
dangers of falling people and objects must be adopted following the
development of the works themselves.
Article 123
Assembly and dismantling of temporary works
1. The assembly and dismantling of temporary works must be carried out
under the direct supervision of a work supervisor.
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23. www.seagruppo.it
SCAFFOLDING – section 5, fixed scaffolding
temporary reticular structure (in wood or metal) intended to support the workers and the
materials needed for the execution of work, as well as to give access to all work points.
Work at heights
24. METAL SCAFFOLDING
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Those responsible for assembling,
dismantling and transforming
scaffolding must have completed a
specific training course and
obtained a specific certificate.
Work at heights
25. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Article 135
Manufacturer's mark
1. The scaffolding elements must bear the manufacturer’s mark in a
visible and indelible manner, embossed or engraved.
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26. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Article 134
Documentation
1. In construction sites where scaffolding is used, documentation must
be kept and exhibited, at the request of the supervisory bodies,
(Ministerial Authorization, as per the booklet) and copy of the
assembly plan, use and disassembly (Pi.M.U.S.).
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27. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Article 133
Project
1. Scaffolding with a height of more than 20 meters and scaffolding that
does not provide the specific structural configurations used
with the relevant diagrams of use, as well as other provisional
structures, consisting of metallic or non-metallic elements, or of
considerable importance and complexity in relation to their size
and overloads, must be erected on the basis of a project that
includes:
a) calculation of resistance and stability performed according to the
instructions approved in the ministerial authorization;
b) Executive draw.
2. From the project, which must be signed by a qualified engineer or
architect
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28. TOWER BRIDGES ON WHEELS or SCALES
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29. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Article 140
Tower wheel bridges
Wheeled bridges shall have:
• wide base,
• the running surface of the wheels must be levelled,
• the wheels of the bridge must be firmly locked with wedges on both
sides or with equivalent systems,
• wheeled bridges shall be anchored to the construction at least every
two stories,
• Decks shall not be moved when workers or loads are on them.
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SCAFFOLDING – section 6, movable scaffolding
Work at heights
30. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Article 140
Tower wheel bridges
• wheeled tower bridges must be built in accordance with the technical
standard UNI EN 1004.
• • The instructions indicated by the manufacturer in a special manual
(drawn up in accordance with the technical standard UNI EN 1004)
must be followed.
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SCAFFOLDING – section VI, movable scaffolding
Work at heights
33. Definition
A movable machine designed to move people to working positions
at a height of more than 2 meters above a stable plane, in which
they perform tasks from the work platform, with the intention that
people enter and leave the work platform through a defined
access position and that it consists at least of a work platform with
controls, an extensible structure and a frame.
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ELEVATING MOBILE WORK PLATFORMS
Work at heights
37. www.seagruppo.it
LEGISLATIVE DECREE 81/08
The operator must
always be equipped with
a harness, with a safety
belt and a lanyard
correctly anchored to the
basket.
Safe operating mode: people carrier mounted on a truck
Work at heights
40. www.seagruppo.it
PPE
Definition
“By PPE we mean any equipment intended to be worn and kept by the
worker for the purpose of protecting him against one or more (residual)
risks likely to threaten his health during work."
Work at heights
41. www.seagruppo.it
FALL PROTECTION PPE
Device designed to secure a person to an
anchor point in order to prevent or safely stop a
fall from a height.
Anti-fall PPE
they are defined
by UNI EN 363
Designed to be used for jobs where a minor fall is
possible. Not suitable for work at heights (it is
only for retention).
It is designed to distribute the fall load over the entire
body.
It can help with falls of up to several metres.
PPE
Safety belts
Harness
Work at heights
42. LEGISLATIVE DECREE 9th April 2008, no. 81
Article 115
Protection systems against falls from heights
• 1. In work at height where collective protection measures have not been
implemented as provided for in Article 111, paragraph 1, letter a), it is necessary for
workers to use suitable protection systems suitable for the specific use
composed of several elements, not necessarily present at the same time complying
with technical standards, such as the following: :
• a) energy absorbers;
• b) connectors;
• c) anchoring device;
• d) lanyards;
• e) retractable devices;
• f) flexible guides or lifelines;
• g) rigid guides or lifelines;
• h) harnesses.
• 3. The protection system must be secured, directly or through a connector along a
guide or lifeline, to stable parts of the fixed or temporary works.
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44. www.seagruppo.it
PPE – THIRD CATEGORY: LIFE-SAVING
PPE of complex design intended to protect against risks of
death or serious and permanent injuries belong to this
category..
Devices against falls from heights
Work at heights
45. www.seagruppo.it
FALL PROTECTION PPE
CERTIFICATION
Personal fall protection equipment must have an information note, a use and
maintenance booklet, CE certification and appropriate labeling containing the
following information:
• name of the manufacturer
• manufacturing date
• product code or its identification
• Reference EN standard (Standard)
• CE mark with certification body numbering
EN 00000
Work at heights
46. www.seagruppo.it
FALL PROTECTION PPE
Use PPE correctly
WORKERS
They take care of
their PPE and do not
make any changes
They undergo the
education and training
program when needed
They report specific
defects or
inconveniences
Work at heights
47. www.seagruppo.it
Fall arrest system composed of 4 elements
Anchor point
Fixed
FALL PROTECTION PPE
Mobile
Connecting
elements
Carabiners,
hooks and
pliers
Connections
with the
operator
Fixed (cord+
carabiner)
Sliding (on
rope or cable)
Adjustable or
retractable
Harness
Harness
(shoulder and
leg straps)
Belt positioning
UNI EN 358
Work at heights
48. www.seagruppo.it
Ensure freedom of movement
FALL ARREST SYSTEMS
Guiding principles
Stop the fall as quickly as possible
There isn’t
a single fall arrest device
valid for all possible occasions.
Each PPE must be chosen carefully
before starting dangerous work.
Work at heights
49. www.seagruppo.it
1. DPC Impossible fall
FALL PROTECTION PPE
Priority of protection levels
3. Limited free fall (max 60 cm.)
2. Prevented fall
4. Free fall (max 150 cm.)
EVENT
SEVERITY
EFFECTIVE
PROTECTION
Work at heights
50. www.seagruppo.it
1. DPC Impossible fall
FALL PROTECTION PPE
Priority of protection levels
EVENT
SEVERITY
EFFECTIVE
PROTECTION
Work at heights
54. www.seagruppo.it
Oscillation of the body with impact
against obstacles of various kinds (pendulum effect)
FALL PROTECTION PPE
Analysis of the risks deriving from falls from a height
Inert suspension of the user's body and time
to remain in this condition
(any conditions of unconsciousness)
Preparation of intervention procedures in case of emergency.
Need to ensure the presence of staff
in possession of operational capabilities (and means)
and capable of intervening independently.
Public Rescue intervention procedures.
Work at heights
56. www.seagruppo.it
FALL PROTECTION PPE
ISPESL guidelines
Body harness
• The body harness is a support for the body that is
intended to help arrest the fall.
• The body harness may include straps, accessories,
buckles or other elements conveniently arranged and
mounted to support a person's entire body or hold him or
her during a fall and after fall arrest.
Work at heights
57. www.seagruppo.it
FALL PROTECTION PPE
Body harness with waist belt
1. Suspender (primary strap)
2. Harness (secondary strap)
3. Seat strap (primary strap)
4.Leg strap (primary strap)
5.Back support for work positioning (belt)
6.Adjustment element
7.Attachment element for the fall arrest
device
8.Buckle
9.Side attachment element for
connection of positioning or retention
lanyard. Not suitable for fall arrest
Work at heights
58. www.seagruppo.it
FALL PROTECTION PPE
Body harness without waist belt
1. Suspender (primary strap)
2. Secondary belt
3.Leg strap (primary strap)
4.Buckle
5.Seat strap (primary strap)
6.Dorsal attachment element for the fall
arrest device
7.Sternal attachment element for the fall
arrest device
8.Harness (secondary strap)
Work at heights
69. www.seagruppo.it
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR ATTENTION
SEA Gruppo Srl
Via Paolo Borsellino, 12/d - 61032 Fano (PU)
Tel. 0721 860053 - Fax 0721 862852
Translated by: Bruno Giovagnoli
