Where to use the Fall Protection System
The Lorry Bag is produced principally to offer protection to an individual in unloading a lorry, particularly when on, or above the load bed of the vehicle. It offers the potential of reducing the dangers of a fall by providing an energy absorbing area surrounding the vehicle.
Checking fall bags
Prior to installation the bag should be inspected. It is important that the outer casing is intact and free from damage such as tears or rips. Cups and straps must be undamaged and fully operational. The general appearance of the bag should be assessed principally to ensure that the energy absorbing fill material is intact and not crushed.
Installation
The area of installation should be level and free from rubbish, particularly sharp objects which may affect the performance of the bag. Loops and ties are interal with the bag structure to facilitate the use of fork lift trucks for site handling. The firt bag should be offered up to the side of the vehicle and fixed, using the claw hooks, on to the rave. The strap adjustment should be used to position the bag firmly against the vehicle. Subsequent bags should be clipped to each other and other and the vehicle rave. A second strap is provided to clip the bags at the rear to those on the side, together with the claw hooks, which should be fixed to the rave on the tail of the vehicle. Once installation is complete, it is recommended that an overall inspection of the system is made by a competent, trained individual.
Straps
Care must also be taken when moving the bags as the straps that are used to secure the bags to the lorry can swing back and forth and the hook could potentially strike a person. To minimise the chance of this the strap should be adjusted so that the hook is left tight up against the cam-buckle.
Caution
The Lorry Bags are extremely robust but should only be impacted in extreme circumstances. Continued compression will effect the efficiency of the energy absorbing fill and, thus, reduce the life expectancy of the system. The casing and inner fill material could burn if direct flame is applied, so we recommend storage of the bags in a secure location away from any fire source.
Installation supervision
Only competent personnel, trained and certified by Fall Protection staff, or their appointed agents, should carry out the installation of the Lorry Bags. Once the installation is complete a designated person employed by the main contractor/developer should approve it. Each company will have its own system for signing off the installation; however, we have a sample form that can be used if required and these are available from our head office.
Reporting system
Whenever someone has fallen into the Fall Protection System the details of the fall should be reported to our office. This is in order that we may analyse the data. This information is useful in improving the design of our system. A sample reporting form is available from our head office.