Construction and the built environment
Fall protection technician
Highly technican role involving autonomous working and supervisory responsibilities.
Summary
Fall Protection Technician is an occupation found in mulitple environments and sectors. Locations can be urban or rural, within buildings or outdoors. It is a highly technican role involving autonomous working and supervisory responsibilities to undertake safety critical work typically in small teams of 2-4 persons installing products designed to keep others (maintenance, industrial commercial and cleaning staff and access specialists) safe from injury due to fall hazards in the future. As well as working in teams, technicians are required to work alone and be solely accountable for the work they carry out.
In their daily work an employee interacts with construction sites managers, building managers and a wide range of clients. They will typically report to a Contracts Manager or the technical design team. As technicians are responsible for installing height safety equipment designed to provide lifesaving protection to other, they will need to have technical knowledge of the basic engineering principles behind the products they install and a wide range of practical expertise in the application and interaction this equipment and building structures. They will be able to read and interpret engineering drawings, designs and product documentation to effectively plan and organize their own work, taking responsibility for their own acts and omissions to their level of competency.
The fall protection sector is made up of 150-200 companies ranging from small regional operations to major manufacturers. It operates across all sectors, energy, infrastructure, commercial, industrial, entertainment, retail and agricultural. Fall protection equipment is found numerous public and private buildings across the UK, in addition to commercial and industrial applications.
Typical job titles include
- Fall protection technician
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
Health and safety legislation, requirements and procedures including: Working at Height Regulations, LOLER, COSHH.PAT testing, asbestos awareness, Health and Safety at Work Act, The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Measuring Instruments Regulations, Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, Construction Design Management, relevant current BS/EN standards, manual handling, lone working procedure and precautions.
K2:
Maintenance of tools and equipment including: PPE, harness and roped access, first aid kit, inspection techniques, recalibration regimes, inspection records and additional checks in poor weather.
K3:
The principles of working at height and the different types of height safety (roped access techniques, horizontal and vertical track systems) and access equipment (MEWP, tower scaffold, ladder) including techniques and the limitations of each, permits to work, licencing and storage requirements.
K4:
The range of structural fixings typically used in fall protection (masonry fixings mechanical & chemical, concrete fixings mechanical & chemical, roof sheet fixings, rivet and toggle, steelwork fixings, bolts/ clamps and hollow fix, tension in fixings – required torque, use of sprung washers and locking nuts). The limitations and application of these fixings, bimetallic corrosion, installation techniques, how to deal with varying site conditions, functional tests for installed equipment and completion of mandatory records.
K5:
Engineering principles including: setting out and surveying, forces, mass, weights units of measure and the principle of lever arms, principles of loads absorption, physiology of arresting a fall, identification of building materials including accurate identification of masonry construction, identification of building structure, bimetallic corrosion. Materials sciences including an understanding of why specifications are important and a basic understanding of the characteristics of failure.
K6:
Strutural fixings and installation techniques including: interpreting drawings, setting out, the range of fall protection systems and components, how to deal with varying site conditions, functional tests for installed equipment and completion of mandatory records. System and component identification consequences of utilisng wrong, mismatching or untested.
K7:
The safe use and limitations of access equipment.
K8:
Principles of loads absorption, physiology of arresting a fall, harness fatigue & fall clearance differing, consequences of differing product applications.
K9:
Legal liabilities, following manufacturer's specifications and installation instruction. The importance of record keeping.
K10:
Digital technologies for the transfer and recording of information, BIM, QA systems.
K11:
The range of working environments including construction, industry, retail, residential, energy and infrastructure; the characteristics and hazards associated with each. Working at height, on the ground and in confined spaces, what constitutes a confined space, the training permits required to enter one and when to apply the principles of working at height.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0614: Fall protection technician (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0614
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £31,079 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 3114 Building and civil engineering technicians
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 3114/01 Building technicians
S1:
Undertake standard tool and equipment checks: Identify and inspect the equipment in accordance with the relevant regulations, report any irregularity, understand PAT testing and recalibration equipment’s, inspection of PPE, inspection of harnesses and roped access equipment, inspection of hand and electrical tools, ladder inspection, vehicle inspection – and adverse weather precautions, first aid kit inspection. Keep accurate records.
S2:
Install and set up fall protection systems (structural fix, top fix cable system and handrail), ensure the correct materials and equipment to carry out the installation is present in strict accordance with the design, specification and product instructions.
S3:
Use access and work at height equipment in accordance with training and employer’s/manufacturer’s instructions and relevant regulations: MEWP, safety ladders, horizontal and vertical systems.
S4:
Interpret design specifications: accurately read engineering drawings, details, specifications, quantities; verify that goods on site match the design, verify that the conditions, materials and structure on site match the design, identyfing omissions
S5:
Use digital information systems to communicate and record information in accordance with QA systems and specific client requirements.
S6:
Understand work methods and plan ahead to anticipate potential issues.
S7:
Measure quantities and stocktake, demonstrating accuracy in on site conditions.
S8:
Effective communication and team work, be alert and able to alert others to differing site conditions or potential hazards. Escalate issues appropriately.
S9:
Safe access: Safely select, and utilize the correct equipment for the task and onsite conditions (S5)
S10:
Carry out dynamic risk assessments.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0614: Fall protection technician (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0614
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £31,079 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 3114 Building and civil engineering technicians
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 3114/01 Building technicians
B1:
Promote a positive health, safety & environmental culture through situational awareness and personal example.
B2:
Apply rigor and attention to detail in all tasks.
B3:
Take responsibility for own judgments, actions and standards of work, be aware of the limits of their own competence, take initiative for ensuring their own competence is maintained and update
B4:
Determined to succeed, consistently achieve personal and organisational targets, act to resolve day to day issues, receptive to new ideas and respond well to day-to day challenges.
B5:
Willing to learn and continually develop, keeping up-to-date with current legislative and industry regulations and guidelines.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0614: Fall protection technician (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0614
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £31,079 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 3114 Building and civil engineering technicians
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 3114/01 Building technicians
