The Province of Québec established new and impactful ammendments to the Code de sécurité pour les travaux de construction (CSTC). The new amendments are intended to:
The new amendments aim to clarify or enhance the requirements on general contractors for selection of Fall Protection means, and for Rescue of a fallen worker who was performing work requiring a safety harness or a safety net. In this article we will focus on the new amendments concerning rescue of a fallen worker.
Click here to view the CTSC Safety Regulations in their entirety. Otherwise, continue reading for a summary of the new amendments.
Many workers understand the importance of using fall protection equipment such as a harnesses and lanyards when they are performing dangerous tasks at heights, for example: working on rooftops, working on building facades, erecting steel towers, etc. What many fail to realize, however, is that using the fall protection systems correctly only covers part of the objective of helping the worker safely reach the ground.
It is great news when a fallen worker is saved because he donned his harness and used his lanyard properly. But, if he doesn’t have someone nearby to execute a rescue, he could be hanging there for a long time until emergency responders are able to come to his aid. That’s assuming the fall took place in a region where first responders are trained to perform an rescue at heights. Furthermore, it takes as little as 15 minutes for suspension trauma (Orthostatic Intolerance) to begin to set in for a worker who is suspended in his harness.
Suspension trauma occurs when a person is suspended motionless in a vertical position, often after a fall. This can lead to reduced blood flow to the heart and brain, resulting in potentially life-threatening complications.
The new amendments to the CSTC take all of these factors into consideration, and take steps to ensure that employers in the construction industry are considering the obvious hazards related to falls from heights, in addition to the less intuitive requirements around rescuing workers after they have experienced a fall.
The CSTC have established four new amendments to the construction code (S-2.1, R.4 section 2.9.5 – 2.9.5.3) for workers who are required to wear a harness or use a safety net. The amendments are intended to ensure that employers are able to successfully carry out the rescue of a fallen worker.
Section 2.9.5 requires that any worker who, following a fall, is suspended in a safety harness or restrained in a safety net must be freed within a maximum of 15 minutes and that personnel hoists should be prioritized. The safety coordinator must establish a rescue procedure prior to the start of any work requiring the use of the harness or safety net. Additionally, this procedure must cover all activities on the construction site and be updated as work evolves.
A fallen worker who is suspended in his harness has a significant risk of suspension trauma if he is not rescued withing 15 minutes. This new regulation seeks to address that risk by requiring contractors to have a clearly defined plan to bring the suspended worker down. Personnel lifts should be favored in these scenarios due to their reliability and relative simplicity.
These rescue procedures should include all of the equipment necessary for performing the rescue, and step-by-step instructions for carrying out the rescue while ensuring the safety of the rescuer and the victim.
Section 2.9.5.1 says that prior to the start of work, rescue training on the rescue procedure must be given to all workers who will need to apply it. The level of training necessary is dependent on the complexity of the rescue method implemented.
It is crucial that workers understand the procedure for any given rescue scenario that they may encounter, and that they react appropriately given the condition of the victim. They need to know what equipment will be used for the rescue, and the correct methods for using that equipment to bring the victim safely to the ground. That is why it’s so important that workers receive rescue training from a qualified training provider with expertise on the equipment that is being used. The training should favor practical lessons in a controlled environment where students can practice different rescue scenarios, free to make the mistakes necessary for real learning to take place.
Section 2.9.5.1 also requires that the rescue procedure be tested through drills, so that workers are familiar with their roles, the equipment and the communication protocol. The drills must be carried out prior to the start of the work, and must be repeated every six months for the duration of the work.
The purpose of a rescue drill is to simulate an emergency situation, and to test the rescue team’s ability to respond in a timely manner (15 minutes), assign roles, communicate effectively, use the rescue equipment properly, and apply the correct rescue procedures to a given situation. Furthermore, it enhances the ability of work rescue teams to have an effective transition to first response teams upon their arrival at the scene.
While it is difficult to predict where an emergency might take place, it is important that work teams get the appropriate amount of practice so they are more comfortable responding in a real emergency situation. This new regulation is expected to significantly improve rescue response throughout the province.
Section 2.9.5.2 requires that for the duration of the work being performed, that the principal contractor must ensure that all of the necessary rescue equipment is kept on site to perform a rescue following a fall. He must also ensure that at least one trained rescue worker is available at all times to perform a rescue. That worker may also act as a first aider if the rescue procedure allows for it.
In order to ensure that a fallen worker is rescued quickly and efficiently, it is crucial that all of the equipment necessary for carrying out the rescue is on site and easily accessible to the work rescue team. The new regulation clarifies that it is the responsibility of the general contractor to ensure that they have all of the equipment necessary for performing the rescue. That equipment may include, but is not limited to: anchor slings, weight transfer (mechanical advantage systems), descent control devices, ropes, carabiners, stretchers, and more (depending on the complexity of the rescue).
It is important that the rescue equipment is kept in a clean and dry location, free from direct sunlight and away from all chemicals. It is a best practice to keep it in a sealed bag or box. That ensures that all of the necessary equipment will be available in the event of a rescue. Furthermore, lifesaving equipment must be placed in allocation where it is easily available to all workers. This location must be made known to all workers before work begins.
Section 2.9.5.3 states that when a rescue is performed using rope access techniques, the rope and supporting equipment must comply with NFPA 2500, ANSI Z359.4, or articles 2.10.12-13, and 2.10.15 and be available at all times for the duration of the work.
NFPA 2500 standards are meant to ensure that the highest standards are met with respect to safety and rescue equipment. They are rigorously tested on their strength and durability so that you can rest assured that the equipment meets the highest standard of safety.
Under specific circumstances, it may not make a lot of sense to train and equip your workers to perform a rescue for all activities and hazards for the duration of the project. This may be the case with certain very short-term contracts, or special maintenance projects. In that case, an alternative solution is to hire a Standby Rescue Team to sit on standby, ready to respond and perform the rescue in case one is needed. Standby Rescue refers to a team of trained and equipped personnel who are ready to respond immediately in the event of an emergency or accident during work at heights or in confined spaces.
Ultimately it is job of the primary contractor to determine, considering the unique factors of the project, whether to train and equip the workers to perform the rescue, or to hire a standby rescue team and let the workers focus on getting their job done. For a helpful article in deciding, read our blog: ‘Lifeline: The importance of Standby Rescue for work at heights and confined spaces’, which gives some helpful tips in determining the solution that is right for you.
For many years the CNESST has had regulations in place to ensure that workers use the appropriate fall protection systems and PPE to prevent them from falling to serious injury or death when performing work at heights. The newly-added rescue amendments are the logical next step in ensuring that workers are brought safely to the ground. It requires contractors to:
As Canada’s leading experts in safety and rescue at heights and confined spaces, Nouvelle Hauteur can be a valuable partner in helping to ensure compliance with some, or all of the new rescue regulations.
We specialize in offering the following services:
Contact us today if you have any questions or need any help with ensuring the safety of your workforce, or maintaining compliance with these, or any other regulations around work at height or confined spaces.
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