Lanyards

[aidso]

Quick one. My other half has started a job where she needs to go up a MEWP. Her work has provided her with a fall arrest harness which is ok. For the lanyard they have given her a basic adjustable restraint lanyard (the sort for work positioning) with not shock absorber on it and have not provided a separate one. The Lanyard is marked EN354:1993. I was just wondering if this is allowed as I was under the impression that fall arrest systems must have a shock absorber.

[ianl]

Quick one. My other half has started a job where she needs to go up a MEWP. Her work has provided her with a fall arrest harness which is ok. For the lanyard they have given her a basic adjustable restraint lanyard (the sort for work positioning) with not shock absorber on it and have not provided a separate one. The Lanyard is marked EN354:1993. I was just wondering if this is allowed as I was under the impression that fall arrest systems must have a shock absorber.

 

 

yes a fall arrest system should include a shock absorber. however this is not a fall arrest system it is a fall provention system, the adjustable lanyard would be set such that it was imposible to fall out of the mewp and need aresting

[dmoffat]

In driving a MEWP, you are only required to have a lanyard, not a fall arrest.

See:

http://www.ipaf.org/fileadmin/user_upload/...s/en/H10505.pdf

 

and note

 

" Work restraint system

A work restraint system for use on a MEWP should

normally be a combination of a full body harness

(BS EN 3612) and a lanyard (BS EN 3543). It does not

normally have shock-absorbing capability."

 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/misc614.pdf

[aidso]

Thanks for that. I was under the impression that you need a fall arrest for everything.

[Tom]

But was this not covered in her training to use the MEWP?

[grahamdking]

But was this not covered in her training to use the MEWP?

 

My other half has started a job where she needs to go up a MEWP.

 

Go up, not operate.

 

Graham

[Simon Lewis]

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, require that PPE:

 

"- is properly assessed before use to ensure it is suitable;

- is maintained and stored properly;

- is provided with instructions on how to use it safely; and

- is used correctly by employees."

 

(emphasis mine)

 

(see here and here)

 

For a MEWP both driver and passenger would be required to wear a harness and positioning lanyard. If the girlfriend has been given a harness to wear by her employer, then they have a duty of care (together with the other guidance points) to provide instruction on its correct use.

 

 

Simon