Fall Protection Training - Planning, Safe Work and Rescue - 2 Days

About the training

This two-day training course provides participants with the knowledge, risk awareness and practical skills required, based on their role, to plan, lead or carry out work and rescue operations using personal fall protection systems.

The training covers the entire work process – from the work task and risk assessment to the selection of appropriate measures and personal fall protection systems, inspection and safe use, as well as rescue preparedness and rescue.

The purpose is for participants to understand how the work task, risks, protective measures, personal fall protection systems and rescue preparedness are interconnected, and to be able to apply this understanding when making safe practical decisions. Participants therefore gain both theoretical understanding and the opportunity to practise and demonstrate the practical skills included in the training.

Target group

Persons whose role includes:

• being responsible for or leading work where there is a risk of falling.
• planning and risk assessing work where personal fall protection systems may need to be used.
• carrying out work using personal fall protection systems.
• planning or carrying out rescue and evacuation using personal fall protection systems.

Learning objectives

After successfully completing the training, participants shall, within the scope of the training, be able to:

• explain basic regulations, responsibilities and risks associated with work where there is a risk of falling,
• describe the work task, identify hazards, assess risks and select appropriate measures,
• select an appropriate personal fall protection system based on the risk assessment,
• inspect, fit, assemble and use the personal fall protection systems included in the training,
• assess rescue preparedness and carry out the rescue operations included in the training,
• determine when work must not be started or must be stopped,
• reassess the risk assessment when conditions change.

Quality assurance

The training concept has been developed by Hewall Safety since 2008 and is quality-assured within Hewall Safety’s management system, in line with the principles of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. It is based on defined learning objectives, controlled training materials, and theoretical and practical assessment against established criteria.

The content is based on applicable occupational health and safety legislation, relevant regulations and standards, and current instructions for use.

Requirements for successful completion

To successfully complete the training, participants must:

• participate in all theoretical and practical elements,
• achieve a passing result on the theoretical examination,
• achieve a passing result in the practical elements included in the training in accordance with established assessment criteria.

All mandatory assessment criteria must be met for a passing result.

Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites for the training. The course is comprehensive and includes both theoretical and practical elements as well as assessment.

Block 1 – Theory – Laws, ordinances and regulations

• occupational health and safety legislation, roles and responsibilities,
• regulations for work where there is a risk of falling,
• selection and use of personal protective equipment,
• specific requirements for construction and civil engineering work,
• medical requirements and fitness-for-work certificates where the requirements of the applicable regulations apply,
• employee and employer responsibilities before and during the work.

The training covers applicable parts of the Swedish Work Environment Act, the Swedish Work Environment Ordinance and the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s regulations, including AFS 2023:1, AFS 2023:2, AFS 2023:10, AFS 2023:11, AFS 2023:12, AFS 2023:13 and AFS 2023:15. For construction and civil engineering work, applicable parts of AFS 2023:13 are covered.

Block 2 – Theory – Systematic work environment management

• description of the work task and its conditions,
• identification of hazards and possible harmful events,
• assessment of likelihood and consequence,
• assessment of risk level and the need for measures,
• selection and prioritisation of protective measures,
• assessment of whether a personal fall protection system is still required,
• verification of competence and other prerequisites before work starts,
• deciding whether work may start, must be stopped or needs to be reassessed,
• verification that implemented measures actually work,
• reassessment when conditions change,
• scenario-based application.

Block 3 – Theory – Pre-use checks and personal fall protection equipment

• product identification, marking and traceability,
• the importance of the instructions for use, intended use and limitations,
• the significance of CE marking and EN standards,
• pre-use checks,
• the difference between pre-use checks and periodic inspection,
• care, cleaning, storage, service life and withdrawal from use,
• assessment of whether the equipment may be used.

Block 4 – Theory – Personal fall protection systems

• anchorage, harness and connection,
• restraint systems,
• work positioning systems,
• fall arrest systems,
• rescue systems,
• rope access systems – overview only,
• selection of an appropriate personal fall protection system based on the risk assessment,
• compatibility between the components of the system.

The training covers applicable parts of Regulation (EU) 2016/425, relevant EN standards and current instructions for use.

Block 5 – Theory – Risks and limitations of personal fall protection systems

• free fall,
• fall factor and fall geometry,
• clearance,
• swing falls,
• horizontal use,
• falls over an edge,
• risks after a fall has been arrested.

Block 6 – Theory – Rescue preparedness and rescue

• rescue preparedness as an integral part of planning,
• risks after an arrested fall,
• suspension intolerance,
• rescue planning,
• rescue systems and fundamental rescue principles,
• lowering and lifting,
• safety of the rescuer, others and the casualty,
• transfer to a place of safety,
• self-evacuation.

Block 7 – Practical training – Personal fall protection systems

• pre-use checks of equipment and systems,
• donning and fitting the harness and selecting the correct attachment point,
• establishing and checking the anchorage, harness and connection,
• movement on roofs and in vertical structures using different personal fall protection systems,
• use of loaded and unloaded systems,
• work using work positioning systems,
• work using fall arrest systems,
• management of swing-fall risks and other limitations within the work area,
• assessment of clearance, system function, possibilities and limitations,
• deciding to stop, check and reassess when conditions are unsafe or have not been verified.

The practical elements are carried out at different levels of difficulty, including on roofs with different slopes, towers/masts, fixed ladder systems and in confined spaces.

Block 8 – Practical training – Rescue and self-evacuation

• planning and carrying out rescue using personal fall protection systems,
• rescue of a casualty from towers/masts, roofs and confined spaces,
• rescue over an edge and through restricted openings,
• lifting and lowering a casualty,
• self-evacuation from an elevated position,
• safe transfer of load between systems,
• moving the casualty to a place of safety and continued care in accordance with the Swedish Resuscitation Council’s guidelines,
• use of a stretcher when required by the rescue situation.

The practical elements are carried out in realistic but controlled training environments and train participants to select and carry out an appropriate rescue method based on the situation, rescue route and available equipment.

Scope limitations

The training verifies competence within the systems and practical elements included in the course. It does not provide general authorisation for all types of work at height or all types of personal fall protection equipment.

Certain training exercises are carried out in towers/masts. The training does not cover the specific competence requirements applicable to work at height in towers/masts under AFS 2023:13, Chapter 11.

The training does not include:

• periodic inspection as a competent person,
• design or installation of permanent lifeline systems or other permanent anchor devices,
• practical rope access work,
• advanced technical rescue outside the practical elements included in the training,
• work in confined spaces involving, for example, atmospheric hazards,
• general CPR training.