Height Safety Equipment Inspection Tips
Posted on: 5 February 2021
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Height safety equipment includes scaffolding, safety harnesses, scissor lifts and ladders. This equipment is used in construction and industrial settings to ensure the safety of employees working at heights. Before using height safety equipment, employees are encouraged to conduct inspections to ensure that they do not have defects that might cause accidents at the site. Below is an article discussing how to conduct height safety equipment inspections.
Scaffolding
Scaffolds are commonly used in construction sites to help bricklayers, electricians and plumbers to work at heights. Consider the following when inspecting scaffolds:
Inspect the installation. For instance, the scaffold should have a firm footing. Otherwise, it could sink or collapse. Additionally, the poles and platforms should be well-fitted.
Cracks, rust and bends on the scaffold's braces, ledgers and standards will weaken your equipment.
Employees should clean the scaffold after every shift. Leftover debris and tools could cause slips as they use the platform.
Beware of overhead risks such as electrical cables and tree branches.
Safety Harness
A safety harness is a series of straps that prevent you from falling as you work at elevations. Ideally, you should check the weight rating of the harness before use. An overloaded harness could break under stress. Inspect the straps for tears and rips. Also, check the hooks and buckles for cracks and rust. The anchorage point of the harness must be rigid. Test it to ensure it can support suspended weights.
Scissor Lifts
A scissor lift is an aerial working platform that has a motor that raises or lowers the platform. Below is a guide to help you inspect your scissor lift:
The lift's motor should be fully functional. Inspect it for leaks, strange sounds and too much smoke.
Do not use the scissor lift on weak or uneven surfaces. Additionally, the area that you intend to use the scissor lift should be free of hazards such as low-lying electrical cables.
Access the functionality of the lift cylinders when the platform is loaded. Strange sounds and hydraulic leaks could cause the scissor lift to collapse.
The lift's guard rails and arms should not have any cracks or bends.
The scissor lift's outriggers and stabilisers should extend and retract with ease. If not, you need to service the valves, solenoids and hydraulic filters.
Inspecting height safety equipment at your site should now be an easy task. As a rule, you should train your employees on how to use the equipment. Besides, they should not use faulty equipment.