A new training checkpoint for working at heights was launched at the Northern Finland Safety Park in Oulu during Safety Week. The checkpoint, designed for professional use, is used to practice proper fall protection in safe conditions.
Fall prevention is one of the new vital safety practices in the construction industry.
Although safety harnesses and other fall protection equipment are increasingly used on construction sites, their correct use is not always self-evident. The industry has identified a need for practical training where safety at height can be practiced in realistic situations.
During the joint Construction Industry Safety Week, the Northern Finland Safety Park received a checkpoint for fall protection training. The checkpoint is not only intended for the construction industry, but is also suitable for industrial and maintenance companies, for example.
The training checkpoint intended to simulate working at height has been designed in collaboration with Rakennusliike Lapti Oy, NCC Suomi Oy and Pohjois-Suomen Turvapuisto.
The new training environment has been built in the hall, next to the previous tools, scaffolding and hoists control. The hoist, trestle, A-ladder and scaffolding contents of the previous control are also closely related to training related to the risk of falls.
Instructions for practical implementation
"The primary goal in fall protection is always to completely eliminate the risk of falling. If that is not possible, structural solutions such as railings and other technical protection are used. Personal fall protection equipment such as safety harnesses are a last resort in situations where there are no other options," says the Safety Director Jukka Moilanen Construction company from Lapti.
The practice task transforms safety instructions into practical tasks. The training takes place in conditions that correspond to real work situations, without risk.
Participants will work on a simulated roof, learn how to properly don a harness and use it on an inclined surface, and learn how to choose the right, safe anchor points and understand the difference between a fall arrest system and a fall prevention system.
How does it feel to be stuck in a harness?
The fall protection checkpoint also offers the opportunity to experience in a controlled manner what it feels like to be stuck in a harness. The experience helps you understand how important proper equipment and foresight are in real work situations.
"Practical training in situations similar to those in the past is rarely available in such a safe and realistic environment. At the same time, the safety park offers construction professionals the opportunity to network and exchange experiences about the safety of working at height," NCC's Safety Manager Matti Kinnunen says.
Read more
More information
Olli Airaksinen, Sinenkaari Oy, olli.airaksinen@sinenkaari.com