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Health, Safety & Environmental Bulletin No 131

K Parmentier – 26 March 2009

Annual PPE Needs Analysis Review

As part of our annual review of our PPE Needs Analysis, we have discussed our job specific
requirements with the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) and re-appraised the
type of lanyards that we issue.

The outcome of the discussions is that we will be replacing all 1.8m shock absorbing lanyards
that comply with EN 354/355. In their place, we will supply 2m adjustable restraint lanyards
that comply with EN358 and may be adjusted to suit an individual’s height. This therefore
means they prevent you from movement to the extremes of the working platform e.g. standing
on handrails, in order to prevent you falling, rather than saving you if you do.

The new lanyards will be issued by your supervisor and should be used at all times on all types
of mobile elevated work platforms (i.e. cherry pickers, booms and scissor lifts). Lanyards
should be regularly inspected as per the guidance given on your IPAF safety harness training
course.

This means now that EVERY machine should be supplied with an anchor point, and harnesses
and lanyards should be used correctly in all access machines, on all jobs. If a machine is
delivered without anchor points, report it to your supervisor and it will be logged against the
supplier and recorded as a non-conformance.

In addition, following the presentation and interactive glove selection exercise at our December
Safety Awareness Day, we have reviewed all our JSAs and Safety Method Statements to
specifically refer to the type of glove suited to the task, along with the following minimum
performance ratings:-

A - Abrasion resistance
B - Blade cut resistance
C - Tear resistance
D - Puncture resistance

We took details of the samples of gloves that were preferred by each trade/for each task, and
those details will be shared with those involved. Since then, we have arranged for Marigold to
visit all site employees that were not able to attend the safety awareness day to establish their
hand size etc.