PPE for work at height needs to be reassessed

The model used to test personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers who work at height is outdated, according to new HSE research.

At present, PPE is tested using a mass of 100kg to represent the weight of a worker; official statistics indicate that only 5% of the UK adult population exceeds this weight. However, researchers found that significantly more than 5% of workers weigh over 100kg. Their results also suggest that the torso dummy currently used during testing generally under-represents the size of people who work at height.

Revision of body size criteria in standards - protecting people who work at height (RR342) is available from HSE Books, price £30.00 - call 01787 881165 or visit www.hsebooks.com. It is also available free from www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr342.pdf