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School aged children on tension wire grid


bricesm

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Hi all. I have read through other threads about school aged children working at height and come across lots of very sensible comment and advice.

One post listed the bullet points of things they could not do (including working over 3m above ground/floor level).

We have a new tension wire grid to get out to the rig (6m above floor), but obviously it is relatively safe as long as properly supervised and used within the weight restrictions etc.

Any advice on whether students can / cannot go up to help on the TWG with good adult supervision?

Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks

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If you have undertaken a Risk Assessment and put in place a Safe System of Work for yourself to access the TWG, then all the same hazards apply to a student.

 

The only additional hazard would, IMO, be the possibility of "horseplay" and students who think they can use it as a trampoline.

 

With a simple training course for using the TWG, highlighting the hazards and necessary control measures to be used, then there is no legal issue with students being allowed access.

ultimately, this will be a call for the school headmaster based on the RA & SSOW to decide if they are happy with the level of potential injury and it's likelihood of happening.

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Used carefully it's just another floor but flexible. Perhaps some consideration is due to shoe/foot size -very small feet may find it a problem. Limiting the number of people on it should reduce the horseplay issue, most school children are lighter in weight than most 20+ year old employees.
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As usual the HSE can help.

If you have an existing RA for work on the grid then adapting it for young people is fairly straightforward.

 

With school age young people the induction process almost certainly needs repeating every term because at 16 they have more important things on their minds than boring old Elf'N'Safety and staying alive. Also note that a 12 year old school pupil and an 18 year old are entirely different beasts from different galaxies and even then no two of them are remotely similar, I ran a business at 15 while Jacob Rees Mogg still had his nanny canvassing for him at 26.

 

They are vulnerable but as long as you account for those vulnerabilities, physical, emotional and intellectual, and maintain supervision I see no problems.

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Of course the real risks will come in whatever they are doing up there to help and whether such activities are covered by your institution's insurance. Looking at climbing frames and what might go on in a shopping mall is no guide at all to what is permissable in a school and what is permissable has no direct relationship to risk either. We simply can't answer your question only your managers can. The younger me c.1976 would have seen absolutely no issues. By the time I left education I would have been more cautious.
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Think point about climbing frames and aerial walks in shopping malls , is it is not at all uncommon for young people to be allowed to climb to height.

 

Fear of height tends to be something that develops with age, as you mention.

 

In reality the grid is just a type of floor, fact can see through it is what makes it disorientating for older people, youngsters just take in in their stride.

 

Would think average wire grid is stronger by several factors than the stage deck it is over,wire grids have been put in to allow wheelchair access for focussing in some venues.

 

Slingco are very close to the O.P. and sure they would be able to offer advice and examples of safe use in education.

 

https://www.thecablenet.net/

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I agree with most replies that with the proper RAs and precautions I can't see a problem.

 

What does intrigue me was the post you referenced

"One post listed the bullet points of things they could not do (including working over 3m above ground/floor level)."

Obviously, I am taking this out of context, but how was that limit determined I wonder? On its own it is nonesensical and doesn't reflect the risk based approach of of Working at Height regs.

A child (or adult) could step backwards off a 6 inch high stage block, hit their head on the floor, and die. Why would 2.8m be safer than 3.2m?

 

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I agree with most replies that with the proper RAs and precautions I can't see a problem.

 

What does intrigue me was the post you referenced

"One post listed the bullet points of things they could not do (including working over 3m above ground/floor level)."

Obviously, I am taking this out of context, but how was that limit determined I wonder? On its own it is nonesensical and doesn't reflect the risk based approach of of Working at Height regs.

A child (or adult) could step backwards off a 6 inch high stage block, hit their head on the floor, and die. Why would 2.8m be safer than 3.2m?

 

 

I would imagine that is a pre 2005 idea. I know I had been told it was 2m for a long time until I checked up the regs.

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Obviously, I am taking this out of context, but how was that limit determined I wonder?

Many years ago I was told by my BT rigging instructor to be wary of this "rule" as it then affected only vertical fixed ladders requiring hoops/cages above two metres but people extrapolated it to all WaH. So yes pre-2005 but more relevantly before the 2012 advice on fall arrest and hooped ladders.

 

Speaking of fall arrest, I was also told then that; "Some people don't even know the difference between fall arrest and fall restraint. Imagine that, ho ho ho!" Assuming that everyone does now know the difference, which of them does and which one does not now demand a rescue plan?

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The Space at Nottingham Girls High School has a tension grid that the students go on. They lock off the area underneath so no one ia under when people are on top, and have the obvious bit of making sure nothing can fall out your pockets/teathered tools.

 

Maybe drop them a line to ask about there risk assessments and insurance.

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