Multiple hazards: working at height in the army
Morton Burdick looks at the challenges of keeping soldiers safe during work at height, particularly on operations.
Most people will recognise that working at height in the army will involve the Royal Engineers as they erect and dismantle bridges, put up scaffolding or build military structures. They will also recognise that the Royal Signals will work atop communications masts and aerials. As professional tradesmen, soldiers in these two Corps are highly trained to be aware of the proper practices and safe procedures for Working at Height (WaH).
However, a working day in other military units, (infantry and logistics for example), particularly on operations, is often an unpredictable and mixed bag of tasks. Regular duties will require soldiers to climb in and out of raised sangars (observation posts), climb onto the tops of large patrol vehicles to carry out servicing, mount additional heavy equipment (machine guns) or drape camouflage nets. They may have to check out elevated TV cameras, IR sensors, aerials and antennas around a forward base. While on patrol – and very heavily laden – they will regularly use ladders to cross over mud walls or raised obstacles. All these tasks have the potential to cause an injury from a fall – yet they are considered to be routine and will often be carried out, at short notice, by day and night and in all weathers.
Soldiers tend to be ‘wilco’ (will comply) types and just get on with it, solving the problems, dynamically assessing the risks and mitigating them as necessary. Tasks involving work at height are not seen as exceptional – and are a regular part of most soldiers’ daily duties. Potential dangers arising from ‘tasks at height’ therefore, are that soldiers become overconfident, complacent or are not properly supervised.
It is a constant challenge for unit leaders to keep reminding soldiers that gravity, unseen, is just waiting to catch out the unwary. It has to be the commander’s operational considerations at the time however, that dictate the practicalities of the situation, and, if suitable, when WaH PPE needs be worn.
All army commanders are issued with a pocket guide to operational safety. This includes simple guidance to working at height safely. Leaders must ensure conditions are as safe as practicable, without compromising the ability to complete the task. Regular articles are published about WaH safety in the Army’s internal Safety Magazine, the most recent entitled ‘Ladders – Low Tech High Risk’.
While the great majority of these tasks are carried out safely, falls and accidents do occasionally happen. They are monitored and recorded at the army HQ in Andover by the Army Incident Notification Cell. If an accident requires further investigation, this will then be carried out, and a Lessons Learned report published and circulated.
Certain WaH problems faced by the army cannot be made safer without compromising the actual task, ‘fast roping’ down from a helicopter for example.
There is a tri-service cell of RN, army and RAF representatives who, with a team of civil servants, make up the MOD’s Working at Height Support Cell (WaHSC). The team is based at MOD Abbey Wood. The cell’s Service SMEs (subject matter experts) are able to visit units with WaH issues and will advise on the most suitable and practical solutions.
The WaHSC is currently staffing the introduction of soft landing systems into service for use by personnel likely to fall from lower levels. These collective measures can be placed around vehicles, aircraft and helicopters and provide protection from serious injury, should someone slip. The cell is also looking at suitable work restraints and fall arrest kits. They control the issue of WaH PPE, ensuring units have personnel who are competent and trained in its use – as well as the necessary support to maintain the equipment for its in-use life.
Lt Col (Retd) Morton Burdick is the safety communications officer at the army HQ in Andover. He also edits the army Safety Magazine.
Article courtesy of BSC
