Keeping safe when working at height
Oil and gas facilities are among the most demanding and hazardous of industrial settings that require proper lighting to maintain worker safety. Spring-assisted light poles can improve the safety of workers. At the same time they help reduce labor costs associated with installing and maintaining lights at high-demanding industrial environments.
According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, OSHA, fall protection is the most frequently cited violation at industrial facilities. Typically, workers climb to elevated heights to repair or replace lights. When climbing to an elevated height, beyond the protection of a guardrail, fall protection must be used.
– The installed base of high intensity discharge lights should be re-lamped every two years. However, this is typically not done. It is estimated that an average of one-third of all lights at an industrial facility is out at any given time, Product Manager Bradford Morse from Eaton Corporation PLC says according to an article published on the Plant Engineering web site.
Two generally accepted methods to protect a worker are used while working at heights of 4 ft or greater; personal fall-arrest system or scaffolding with guardrails. While personal protection equipment will help protect workers from some threats, there is still a risk of injury from a fall.
With the use of a Spring-assisted light pole a worker can remain where an existing guardrail provides protection and lower or raise the light with the spring-assisted telescoping pole during installation or maintenance.
– Spring-assisted light poles are also useful in hard-to-reach areas in harsh and hazardous environments subject to corrosive agents, vibrations, and extreme temperatures. Overall, the light poles reduce downtime costs and shutdown during an outage compared to the time and labor typically needed to repair or replace lights due to the cost of working at heights. This technology allows the light to be brought to them.
Spring-assisted light poles have been designed for industrial walkways, platforms, stairways, and conveyors where OSHA/HSE regulations typically require fall prevention equipment.
– Spring assistance allows the luminaire to be lowered safely and easily, meaning that work can safely take place on any platform or walkway, eliminating the need for portable ladders and fall protection equipment, Morse adds according to the article.
