Working at high altitudes is considered to be extremely dangerous. Not only the fire department needs to conduct safe rescue operations - safe working conditions are equally important for anyone working at solar or wind farms, in the forestry industry or at a brewery. Technical regulations are therefore in place, ensuring the provision of suitable equipment and training. The complete range of innovations in fall protection on the PPE market can soon be seen at A+A, the world’s leading trade fair and congress for occupational health and safety, held in Düsseldorf Germany from October 17 to 20, 2017.
Transmission poles, bridge pylons, industrial stacks, giant trees, rescue operations in the mountains – it seems that the higher a person has to climb, the more they need to be protected from falling. Yet there is no need to aim quite so high. Even a fall from a relatively low height can lead to severe injuries or death. The same applies to depths, for example in a well. “Anywhere a person might need to enter and where they are then completely enclosed,” says Klaus Bornack, President of A+A 2017 and Board member of the German Association of Manufacturers of Personal Protective Equipment (IVPS). “Take a brewery, for instance, where barrels need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Sadly, it keeps happening that an employee faints while performing this task. This may be because they’re short of oxygen, or it may be because of toxic gases descending to the bottom of the barrel. Anyone rescuing them and getting down into the barrel would then also faint.” This makes it essential to use rescue equipment with proper fall protection where a person can be suspended in an upright position if they faint.