Companies are morally and legally responsible for the safety of employees working at height. South African legislation requires employers and contractors to designate competent people to:

• carry out risk assessments
• document fall protection plans
• implement the controls stated in fall protection plans

NOSA Working at Heights specialises in engineered controls, such as installing vertical and horizontal lifelines, anchor points, turnkey and engineered solutions.

Common fall-risk areas:

• Rooftops
• Access ladders
• Overhead cranes and gantries
• Truck, tanker and rail loading bays
• Factory machinery
• Confined spaces

NOSA’s solution: permanent lifelines
NOSA provides and installs a variety of permanent engineered and certified lifeline systems, which not only arrest a fall but also absorb shock, thus minimising energy generated during a fall and preventing both injury and structural damage. NOSA’s range includes vertical, horizontal, penetrating or non-penetrating rooftop lifelines and fixed anchor points.

If a fall occurs, the lifeline shock absorber is deployed – the only component in the lifeline system that requires replacement. The lifeline shock absorber is durable, easy to use and low maintenance.

Common risk activities requiring engineered solutions:

• Outside loading bays, with no structures on which to attach a lifeline
• Tarping on trucks

NOSA’s customised engineering solutions
In the absence of permanent lifelines or in areas where portable anchoring equipment cannot be used, engineering controls such as structural anchors may be required. NOSA designs, manufactures and installs controls for specific risk activities, such as cantilever arms with anchor points and retractable lifelines and portable gantry systems. These controls eliminate the potential for high-risk postfall arrest rescues, injury and death due to falls.

Based in Centurion, NOSA Working at Heights has a new scaffold that allows for two practical training courses to be conducted simultaneously. NOSA offers working at height consulting, including risk assessments, site-specific fall protection plans and equipment inspections, as well as basic work at height training, lifeline training, rescue training and confined space training.