4.6 The user and working conditions

A fall protection system is not used in a laboratory. It is used by a person in a real working environment.

Factors affecting the user's ability to work safely must therefore also be considered.

The user

The working method and equipment must suit the user.

Relevant factors may include:

• knowledge and experience,
• physical capability,
• state of health,
• body size and weight within the product's permitted range,
• working position,
• required movement,
• fatigue,
• stress and time pressure.

Personal protective equipment must be suitable for the user and should not itself create unnecessary risks.

Working conditions

The working environment can affect both the risk and the performance of the equipment.

Examples include:

• wind,
• rain,
• ice and snow,
• heat or cold,
• dirt and contamination,
• chemicals,
• sharp or abrasive surfaces,
• confined spaces,
• traffic or machinery,
• poor visibility,
• simultaneous work activities.

The equipment must work under real conditions

A solution that works on paper or under ideal conditions may not work equally well when the person:

• carries tools,
• works in an awkward position,
• has to move around obstacles,
• wears protective clothing,
• works in cold or wet conditions,
• is exposed to distractions or time pressure.

Planning must therefore be based on the actual work, not an idealised situation.

When conditions change

If the working conditions change so that the planned solution no longer functions safely, the work must be reassessed before it continues.

Remember

Fall protection must work for the real person in the real working environment.