Stage Crew L2A WaH Trainers Notes
Stage Crew Level 2A WaH Training
Trainers Notes
Overview
This training is aimed to make persons aware of the correct methods and considerations of working
at height in fall-arrest situations. It covers the use of appropriate PPE and accessories, and
explanations of different allowable configurations for various situations.
This training allows trainees to be safer whilst working in the space-frame of the University hall and
on the T2 truss system. The skills are also transferable to other locations.
The working at height activities required for completion of this training are covered by the generic
University of Surrey Students’ Union Working at Height risk assessment, and as such, trainees are
required to read and understand it.
In line with our training guidelines this course should be taught by a L4A WaH person, which requires
Rescue at Height Training. Demonstrators need not be L4A, but it is preferable they are L3A.
Structure
Short taught theory section, including demonstrations
Multiple-choice theory test (separate document)
Practical session inspecting PPE
Practical session tying knots as ground crew
Practical session walking on the T2
Practical session waking in the Hall space-frame
Theory
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1
Aims of the course
o Relevant training, PPE and supervision are requirements for this type of work
o This training goes some way to showing competency, and improves the likelihood of
good supervision
o Teach you how we work in the roof, and what is considered ‘good practice’
Course Structure
o We will do this short ‘classroom’ section, then see how well you listened, then we will let
you get hands on
o The practical section is optional, but required to officially complete the course
Overview
o We will cover these sections on this course [look at slideshow]
Relevant H&S Regulations
T. Dyer (2012)
Stage Crew L2A WaH Trainers Notes
o
In general, the Regulations simply say work at height should be avoided wherever
possible
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Where work at height cannot be avoided, it must be carried out in safety
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Under 'acceptable ergonomic conditions from a suitable surface'
o
Equipment should be appropriate to the nature of the work
o
There are 19 regulations and 8 schedules in the document
o
Definition of "work at height": [On slideshow]
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Work equipment includes anything used at work as a means of access
Regulation 4. Organisation and planning
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Like LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations. more in L2B), requires the
employer to ensure that work at height is properly planned, supervised, and carried out in a safe
manner
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The planning includes emergency planning and rescue plans
Regulation 5. Competence
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Employers must ensure people are competent to organise, plan, supervise and engage in any work
activity, and in selecting equipment for work at height
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The regulation includes the requirement for trainees to be supervised by competent persons
Regulation 6. Avoidance of risks
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It is the duty of employers to make sure that work actually needs to be done at height
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See the conditions are suitable in terms of ergonomics, and that fall prevention measures and falls
distances are minimised
Regulation 7. General principles for selection of work equipment for work at height
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Equipment should be selected by considering:
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Collective protection measures in preference to personal protection measures
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Frequency of use,
and ease of evacuation or rescue
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Any extra risks in installing, use, removal or evacuation or rescue from the equipment
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Part 2 of Regulation 7, requires the employer to ensure working locations are large enough and
strong enough for all foreseeable uses
Regulation 8. Requirements for work equipment
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A selection of notes, including:
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Provision of guard-rails, toe-boards, etc
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Net, airbag or collective safeguard for arresting falls not part of a personal fall protection
system
Regulation 9. Fragile surfaces
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To do with preventing falls through roof surfaces and or delicate structures
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The regulation calls for adequate guardrails and other means of preventing a person falling
through the material and warning notices be sited at the approach to fragile surfaces
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Ceilings on sets and exhibition stands, scenery and stage construction in general are all examples
of the application of this
Regulation 10. Falling objects
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Employers should ensure that objects or materials cannot fall from a height
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Where this is not reasonably practicable, measures must be taken that prevent any person from
being struck by falling materials or objects liable to cause injury
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The regulation also contains the phrase "Every employer shall ensure no material or object is
thrown or tipped from a height in circumstances where it is liable to cause injury to any person"
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Therefore anything being removed from the roof should be under control, i.e. not
dropped
Regulation 11. Danger areas
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Identify areas where people might fall a distance or where objects may fall and strike people
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These areas must, so far as is reasonably practicable, be "equipped with devices preventing
unauthorised entry" and be "clearly indicated"
Regulation 12. Inspection of work equipment (for work at height)
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Equipment must not be used unless it has been inspected
T. Dyer (2012)
Stage Crew L2A WaH Trainers Notes
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3
Generally all equipment used in work at height must be inspected at 'suitable intervals'
particularly equipment likely to be damaged from normal use, i.e. slings, grillons
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Written evidence of inspection should be available. This covers all our PPE and rigging equipment
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Inspection is generally just visual as equipment is designed so any damage can be seen
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Inspections must be carried out by a competent person, so we get someone in to check the WaH
kit every 6 months
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We also check every item before EACH use
Regulation 13. Inspection of places of work at height
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Employers should ensure that all surfaces of workplaces at height are visually inspected prior to
each use
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Checks for structural integrity, permanent rails or other fall prevention measures are still in place,
since the last inspection
Regulation 14. Duties of people at work at height
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A person will not jeopardise 'the safety of himself or any other person’
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All employees must use equipment in the way in which they where trained and in accordance with
any instructions given to him
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Either by employer instruction or from manufacturer instructions
Regulations 15-19 are not relevant to us
Regulation Summary
o
Like LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations. more in L2B)
o
The planning should include emergency planning and rescue plans
o
Employers must ensure people are competent and supervised
o
It is the duty of employers to make sure that work actually needs to be done at
height
o
Equipment should be selected by considering collective protection measures in
preference to personal protection measures
o
Employers should ensure that objects or materials cannot fall from a height
o
The regulation also contains the phrase "Every employer shall ensure no material or
object is thrown or tipped from a height in circumstances where it is liable to cause
injury to any person
o
Identify areas where people might fall a distance or where objects may fall and
strike people
o
Generally all equipment used in work at height must be inspected at 'suitable
intervals' particularly equipment likely to be damaged from normal use, i.e. slings,
grillons
o
Inspections must be carried out by a competent person, so we get someone in to
check the WaH kit every 6 months
o  We also check every item before EACH use
WaH Pyramid
o Always start at the bottom, only progress up if you have to
WaH in the industry
o No two people will have the same definition of ‘working at height’
 E.g. a cleaner may consider it going up a short step-ladder
o Ladders
T. Dyer (2012)
Stage Crew L2A WaH Trainers Notes
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4
 Designed as ‘access to work location’ equipment
 Only suitable for short-duration work position jobs
o Scaffold towers
 Much more stable platforms,
 Kick-boards allows for the use of tools
 Good for longer duration jobs
o MEWPs
 Often more convenient and quicker to reach the working height
 Same uses as a scaffold tower
o Grids
 ‘Safe’ areas but objects can fall
 Nothing should be carried in pockets or elsewhere where it could fall
 Beware of larger gaps or trap doors
o Alcohol and drugs
 No work at height, rigging or lifting operation is to be conducted by someone
under the influence of alcohol or drugs
o Planning the work
 Something bring dropped or a slip can cause serious injury or death to the
worker or a person below
 Always consider if the work is required
 Do you have the skills, training and experience for the particular job?
 Is there a usable rescue plan in place? Are the people involved in the rescue plan
aware of the work being undertaken?
 Do you need to barrier off the area beneath?
 Do you have enough PPE, including hard hats for people passing through the
area?
 Is the kit in inspection?
 Have you read the risk-assessment? Does it cover the work?
o Safe systems of work
 Generally covered by the method statement and ‘good practice’
 Work how you are instructed/trained
Harnesses
o Pre-use check
 Webbing in good order
 Contrast stitching
 Metal abrasions
o Demonstrate how to put one on – and what ‘correct’ looks like
 Get someone to check it
o Uses:
 There are three uses for the harness, which may be used in combination
 We will explain what each use is for in a moment
 Work restraint
 Show connection points allowed
 Work positioning
 Show connection points allowed
T. Dyer (2012)
Stage Crew L2A WaH Trainers Notes
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5
Fall arrest
 Show connection points allowed (‘A’ symbol)
Helmets
o Pre-use check
 Webbing
 Cracks
o Putting it on
 Demonstrate adjustment over different helmet types – and what ‘correct’ is
Carabineers
o Pre-use check
 Metal Abrasion
 Does it open and close and lock
o Axis of load
 Only strong in the long axis
 Often separate loadings given
 Only rated when gate is shut
o Always lock. You don’t want gate opening as you fall or walk about
Work restraint
o Harness doesn’t hold the person or ever take their weight
o It stops them getting to the edge of a roof
o Prevented from the risk of a fall
o Similar to a hand-rail but only protects one person
o Demonstrate someone walking near an ‘edge’
Work positioning
o Person is supported by the harness
o In a position suitable for working
o No risk of falling as already supported
o Demonstrate someone leaning back from grounded T2
o Need to have a system to protect against failure
Fall Arrest
o No load is taken in normal use, but excess load taken to arrest a fall
o Used as a backup to another support
 Persons hands and feet
 Work positioning
o Always needs to be connected if required
o Generally requires a shock absorber
 Protects the user from very high deceleration which could cause serious damage
 Force subjected to body reduced to 6KN
 Energy absorbed by ripping of stitching in most absorbers
 Y-lanyards allow progression
 Never clip back due to expansion of stitching
 Always have one leg connected
 Demonstrate progression lanyard and concept
 Demonstrate T2 ‘puzzle blocks
T. Dyer (2012)
Stage Crew L2A WaH Trainers Notes
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6
ASAP / Rocker
 Vertical line – protects on wire ladders
 Demonstrate how to attach to rope and harness
 Rope should be taught – sand bag
 Shouldn’t be allowed to ‘bunch’
Fall factor
 If the fall-arrest lanyard is above you, almost tight, fall factor = 0
 If it is level with you, fall factor = 1
 It is below you, almost tight, fall factor = 2
 The higher the fall factor the more force will be generated
o Force is proportional to momentum. Momentum = mass *
distance * acceleration. Therefore longer fall, larger momentum,
larger force to stop
o More force, the more it will hurt!
Due to stitching ripping, you will fall further than you expected
 Check how far before you hit something?
 Is that enough?
Rescue Plan
o Be prepared
o Have to have a plan for getting you down if you can’t do it yourself
o If you are hanging after a fall you probably won’t be in a state to rescue yourself
o We send people on rescue training
 There are many ways, some quick and easy, some up to 15mins
o Never work at height without a rescue plan
o Always check the rescue knows what you are doing, so they can be alert and ready
PPE Inspection
o Pre use checks
 As per harnesses and hard hats
 Demonstrate what to look for on a sling, absorbica, grillon
 Check before every use
o As before, all kit is checked by an external competent person every 6 months
Using wire ladders
o Many ways to climb
 Side on, one toe in from either side, one hand each side
 Front on, one toe in, one heal in from other side, both hands behind
 Front on, one toe in, one heal in from other side, both hands in-front
 Combinations
o Some people like a taught ladder, i.e. footed, others do not
 Try both
o Usual way into gantry and onto T2
 There is a fixed ladder alternative to gantry is wanted
 Point to fixed ladder setup on far gantry
o Vertical running line
 Rocker or ASAP, therefore harness required (and Hardhat)
T. Dyer (2012)
Stage Crew L2A WaH Trainers Notes
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7
 In case of a slip or missed rung
o Due to coiling lower rungs can become tangled or twisted
 Always fix before climbing as can damage ladder
o Issues in the past with lace hooks on boots
 Tape over or ‘over-sock’
o Don’t assume you can use these ladders in an emergency unless you know you can
 They aren’t easy, especially if you are rushing
Using Gantries
o They are ‘safe’ work areas
 I.e. they have handrails and kick guards
o No loose items in pockets
 Things could fall on those below
o No need for a harness once in the gantry, unless:
 There are parts of the floor missing, or you are removing bits of floor
 Often motor chains or projector drops need to be run through the floor
 You are leaning out through/below the handrails
 E.g. to plug in lights underneath, pull up a drape, etc
o You are climbing on the handrails
o Do not leave holes in floor unless they are obvious
 E.g. the hole is small with a chain running through
o Do not trap cables in floor – tape/hang them from the handrails
 Grating cables analogy
o Don’t use the window-sills (e.g. to walk between gantries)
Using the space-frame
o Use fall-arrest lanyards on lower box section
 You can push them along with your feet
o Nothing in pockets
o Can sit in nodes
 Best place to rest, coil ropes, etc
o No drinks
 Yes, it will get hot
o Always keep your rope
 The moment you drop it, they will find another job
o Access via the gantries
Using the T2
o Access via wire-ladder
o Grip provided on all four cords for walking
 Don’t recommend walking on the top ones
 Walk on the lower ones, hold onto the higher
o Four locations for attaching puzzle-blocks
 Have to move to the underside ones to hang low
o Maximum of two people
o Be careful of hot or fragile lights
 You could damage them
 Damage yourself
T. Dyer (2012)
Stage Crew L2A WaH Trainers Notes
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 Or get shocked, so let go and fall
o Ideally walk on the opposite side to the one your fall-arrest lanyard is attached to
 Reducing fall factor!
What to take with you in the roof?
o Don’t take the kit of the rigging trunk in the roof with you, it will get in the way
o If you take a rope, you should need very little – just the stuff to keep you up there safely
Rope work
o This is important as you go into the roof generally to hang things, and they will be roped
up
o You don’t want the rope to cause danger to yourself or others
o Keep it tidy and untangled
o Never tie it to your harness – you want to be able to drop it if it gets caught
o There are a few ways to coil them – doesn’t really matter so long as you can undo it
 Demonstrate a few examples of coils and how to carry to roof
o As per Level 1, only two knots are needed, Clove Hitch and Bowline. More later in the
practical
Rigging Tips
o This isn’t rigging training, but as a minimum you should be able to correctly assemble
and use an open basket
o ‘Open’ as it is roped into the roof ‘open’
o It gets closed around a beam in the roof to take the weight
o We generally use spansets (fabric slings) for the primary points
o Demonstrate an open basket and where to tie rope (and where not to!)
o You will do this later in the practical
All this training is great, but you won’t always have the right kit, so we do sometimes improvise
o Only one of these pictures involved ‘height’ but they all include a risk of falling
o They are not recommendations, just solutions to past problems – some are very stupid
Theory Test
The separate Theory Test should be handed out, and completed under exam conditions.
The pass mark is 60% (9/15)
Practical Session – Inspecting PPE
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Demonstrate what to look for to inspect on:
o Slings, Karabiners, grillon, absorbica, hardhat.
o Highlight contrast stitching, loose fibres, wear marks, inspecting even
covered areas
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8
Get the trainees to have a go
T. Dyer (2012)
Stage Crew L2A WaH Trainers Notes
Practical Session – Tying knots as ground crew
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Demonstrate:
o Tying a bowline and a clove hitch
o Making an open basket, tying the rope on
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Get the trainees to have a go
o Rope a basket up to the roof
o Receive a point from the roof
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Emphasise good communication with the roof crew
Practical Session – Walking on the T2
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Demonstrate hands-on use with the puzzle-blocks, walking on the T2, grillon
attachment
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Get the trainees to (at ground level and at roof level – intermediate level optional if
trainee is nervous. Trainer stays on truss with trainee):
o Walk along one side and back down the other on the T2
o In the middle stop and attach a grillon. Lean back in a ‘feel and grillon’ work
position
o Use a grillon to hang just below the T2 (can be done by leaning back with legs
hooked, or by lowering down onto grillon)
o Puzzle-blocks used at all times – will need repositioning at least 3 times
Practical Session – Walking in the Hall space-frame
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Demonstrate:
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Use of wire rope ladder into gantry
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Entering space-frame from gantry
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Progression around space-frame
T. Dyer (2012)
Stage Crew L2A WaH Trainers Notes
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10
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Use of Y-lanyard
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Use of ropes whilst at height
Get trainee to:
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Enter space-frame
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Walk at least two bays out into the centre of the hall to a pre-hung basket
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Drop that point using ground crew and rope directly over space-frame
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Walk parallel to gantry at least three bays
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Drop rope on ratcheting pulley (ratcheting the correct way!)
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Ground crew pull open basket into roof, trainee ties point, coils rope
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Leaves space-frame
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Y-lanyard with slings used at all times, points tied one foot from a node
T. Dyer (2012)