afs 2000_6 mast and pole work

8/3/2019 AFS 2000_6 Mast and Pole Work

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Mast and Pole WorkProvisions of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Mastand Pole Work, together with General Recommendations on the implementation ofthe Provisions

Translation

In the event of disagreement concerning the interpretation and content of this text, the printed Swedishversion shall have priority

The Work Environment Authoritys Statute Book


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The Swedish Work Environment Authority was formed througha merger of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safetyand Health and the Labour Inspectorate, on 1st January 2001.

Provisions adopted by the Swedish Work Environment Authorityare published in the Statute Book of the Swedish WorkEnvironment Authority. Provisions earlier published in theStatute Book of the Swedish National Board of OccupationalSafety and Health simultaneously still apply. Both StatuteBooks names are abbreviated AFS.

Please note that references to statutes always give the originalnumber of the document concerned, regardless of anysubsequent amendments and reprints.

Concerning amendments to and reprints of Provisions of theSwedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health andof the Swedish Work Environment Authority, reference is madeto the latest Statute Book Register (in Swedish). A list ofOrdinances, General Recommendations, Directions andNotices is also published in English.

Swedish Work Environment Authority

SE-171 84 SOLNA , Sweden

Telephone: +46 8 730 90 00

Telefax: +46 8 730 91 67

Publishing Services, telefax: +46 8 735 85 55

www.av.se


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List of contents

Provisions of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health

on Mast and Pole Work

Scope.............................. ............................... ................................ ........................ 4Definitions........................................ ............................... ............................... ......... 4General................................................. ............................... ................................ ... 5Medical examination in connection with work at height................... ........................ 5Training ........................... ............................... ................................ ........................ 7Equipment ............................ ................................ ............................... ................... 7

General.............................. ................................ ............................... ................... 7Pole climbers............................ ............................... ............................... .............. 7

Conduct of work at height and other mast and pole work .............................. ......... 8

Measures preceding work on wooden poles... ................................ ........................ 9Testing for decay... ............................... ............................... ................................ . 10Marking of a dangerous pole and measures occasioned by decay testing........... 10Penal Provisions................... ................................ ............................... ................. 11Entry into force and interim Provisions ........................... ............................... ....... 11Appendix 1 ........................... ................................ ............................... ................. 13Design and testing of pole climbers........................... ............................... ............ 13Definitions and explanations...................... ................................ ........................... 13Design............................. ............................... ................................ ...................... 13Material................................................. ............................... ................................ . 13Surface treatment.. ............................... ............................... ................................ . 14Fatigue testing....... ............................... ............................... ................................ . 14

Balance testing etc. .............................. ............................... ................................ . 15

General Recommendations of the Swedish National Board of Occupational

Safety and Health on the implementation of the Provisions on Mast and Pole

Work

General................................................. ............................... ................................ . 16Guidance on certain Sections............... ............................... ................................ . 16


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Published 24th November 2000

Provisions of the Swedish National Board of OccupationalSafety and Health on Mast and Pole Work

Adopted 19th October 2000

The following Provisions are issued by the Swedish National Board ofOccupational Safety and Health pursuant to Section 18 of the Work Environment

Ordinance (SFS 1977:1166)1

.

Scope

Section 1

These Provisions apply to

masts and poles, where there is a risk of persons or objects falling,

stays, struts, permanent access routes to masts and poles and equipmentmounted on the structure, where such a risk occurs,

work on such masts and poles, and

pole climbers and their use.

The Provisions of Section 4 do not apply to a product coming under a productDirective requiring total harmonisation within the EEA. Nor do they apply to mast

and pole work in rescue services. Section 25 does not apply to work at heightwithin the Swedish Armed Forces.

For the purposes of these Provisions, a party engaging outsourced manpower forwork in his operation is equated with an employer.

For the purposes of Sections 20 and 34, persons jointly engaging in professionalactivity without an employee are equated with employers. For the purposes ofSections 13 and 14 and of Sections 28 and 29, persons jointly engaging inprofessional activity shall be equated with employers. This shall not apply,however, if the activity is conducted solely by members of the same family.

Definitions

Section 2

For the purposes of these Provisions, the following definitions shall apply:Mast work Work on a mast or within the surrounding risk zone.

1 Notification has been made in accordance with Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament andof the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field oftechnical standards and regulations (OJ L 204. 21.7.1998, p. 37, Celex 398 L0034), amendedthrough Directive 98/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 217, 5.8.1998, p.18, Celex 398 L0048).


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Pole work Work on a pole or within the surrounding risk zone.Work at height Mast or pole work at a height of more than 13 metres above

the lowest point in the area to which the worker can fall.

Risk zone Area, surrounding a mast or pole, within which falling ice orfalling objects can cause serious injury.

Testing for decay Expert examination of wooden poles and struts for possibledecay, and assessment of the effect of decay on themechanical strength of the poles. Inspection of struts andpoles with regard to their attachment to the underlay.

Pole climber Working equipment, worn on the feet, for climbing andworking on poles.

General

Section 3

The person in control of a worksite with one or more masts or poles shall maintainthem well and prevent accidents by recurrently inspecting the structure. Theinspection shall concern wear and tear, corrosion, erosion, ageing and fatigue instructural materials, base, bracing and suchlike. The interval of time between theinspections shall be determined according to geographic location, climaticconditions, ground conditions and the nature of the structural material, and shall bedocumented in a plan. In the event of the inspection leading to a prohibition ofaccess to the mast or pole pending remedial measures, this shall be speciallyindicated.

Wooden poles shall also be tested for decay and shall be marked as provided in

Sections 30-37.

Section 4

A mast shall normally have a permanent access device or be prepared forconnection to a mobile access device. The access device shall afford safe accessto the mast.

Section 5

Where special considerations so demand, a mast with a surrounding risk zoneshall be marked with warning signs warning persons intending to enter the riskzone of risks or dangers present there, and informing them of any prohibition thatmay apply concerning access or any prescription regarding protective equipment.A guard may, however, be posted in lieu of marking if the need is of a temporarynature.

Medical examination in connection with work at height

Section 6

The employer shall arrange the following medical examinations of employees whoare or shall be employed on work at height:

1. Medical examination as provided in Section 7, within 12 months before workat height commences for the first time.


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2. Medical examination as provided in Section 8, at intervals of not more thanone year.

3. Medical examination as provided in Section 7 before work at height isresumed, if more than one year has passed since the last medicalexamination.

4. Medical examination as provided in Section 7 prior to the continuation of workat height by employees who have notified the employer of pregnancy or havehad an illness or accident or met with any other occurrence capable of leadingto elevated risk of ill-health or accident in connection with work at height.

Section 7

The medical examination shall include careful notation of medical history, withspecial emphasis on any illness or health disturbance capable of causing acuteeffects on consciousness or other sudden incapacitation.

The examination shall also include physical routine status with determination ofblood pressure, including disposition for orthostatic reaction, assessment of heartand lung status and an exercise ECG.

The scope and emphasis of the examination shall otherwise be of such a kind thatit can form the basis of a fitness assessment as provided in Section 9.

Section 8

The annual medical examination shall, as regards previous illnesses andtreatments, concentrate on events which have occurred since the last medicalexamination and are capable of affecting the subjects fitness for work at height.Otherwise it shall have the same scope and content as medical examination underSection 7. An exercise ECG, however, need only be performed every fifth year in

the case of a person aged under 40 and only alternate years for persons aged atleast 40 but under 50.

Section 9

A medical examination as referred to in Section 7 or 8 shall result in anassessment of the subjects fitness for work at height (fitness assessment).


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Section 10An employee shown by medical examination as provided in Section 7 or 8 to besuffering from an illness or debility which makes him especially prone to the risk ofill-health or accident during work at height may not be employed for such work.

A person who has been examined as provided in Section 7 or 8 shall be apprisedof the fitness assessment and be given the information and advice occasioned bythe result of the examination.

Section 11

An employer shall keep a register of all persons undergoing medical examinationunder Section 7 or 8. The date of the examination, the person by whom it wascarried out, and particulars of fitness for work at height shall be entered in theregister.

Training

Section 12

An employee employed for mast or pole work shall have completed specialtheoretical and practical training for such work.

Before employing an employee on mast or pole work for the first time, theemployer shall ascertain that the employee has received sufficient training and hasthe knowledge and skills needed for the work.

Equipment

General

Section 13For mast or pole work, employees shall use a safety helmet with chinstrap and fallprotective equipment except where manifestly unnecessary. Protective gloves, eyeprotectors, safety shoes and protective clothing shall be worn where necessary.

In connection with mast and pole work, equipment for bringing down injuredpersons shall be readily available except where manifestly unnecessary.

Section 14

An employee on a mast or pole shall be equipped with suitable alarm andcommunication equipment for summoning assistance, except where manifestlyunnecessary. A plan shall exist for the immediate relief of a person who is injuredor in need of assistance.

Section 15Tools and tackle used for mast and pole work shall be selected so as to be suitablefor the work which is to be done and if necessary shall be secured so as not tocreate hazards by falling down or in any other way.

Pole climbers

Section 16


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Pole climbers may not be used or delivered for use unless their design meets therequirements of App. 1, points 2-4.

Section 17

Nor may pole climbers be used or delivered for use unless a certification bodyaccredited for the purpose under the Technical Inspection Act (1992:1119) hascertified that they meet the requirements of Section 16 and has issued a certificateto this effect. The certification shall be based on type testing as per App. 1, points5-6.

A certificate of certification as aforesaid applies to all pole climbers of the samematerial and design as the specimen tested.

Section 18

Certification as provided in Section 17 can also be carried out by a certificationbody in some other country within the European Economic Area (EEA) which

is accredited for the task with reference to the applicable standard in the EN45 000 series by an accreditation body which can show itself to meet andapply the requirements of EN 45 010 or

otherwise offers equivalent guarantees of technical and professionalcompetence and guarantees of independence.

Section 19

Pole climbers shall, when delivered for taking into service, be clearly andpermanently marked with the emblem of the certification body and manufacturerand the year of manufacture. They shall be accompanied by written instructionsconcerning their use, care, inspection and rejection.

Pole climbers which are in use shall be inspected at intervals of not more than oneyear.

Pole climbers which have passed inspection without any significant remarks shallbe marked in such a way that the date of the next inspection can be easilyestablished. Marking shall be done in such a way that the pole climbers are notweakened by it.

Conduct of work at height and other mast and pole work

Section 20

Mast and pole work shall be planned in such a way that it can be safelyundertaken. The employer shall ascertain the condition of the structure beforework begins.

Information concerning the state of the structure and instructions for the work inquestion shall be supplied in good time to the employees concerned. Whennecessary, the instructions shall be in writing.


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Section 21Foremen for mast or pole work shall be closely familiar with different methods ofcarrying out the work and shall have a knowledge of the type of work in question.

Section 22

In connection with mast or pole work, powerful radio transmitters shall be turnedoff or their transmission power reduced, so that work near them can be conductedsafely and in accordance with current Provisions of the National Board ofOccupational Safety and Health on High-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields.

Section 23

Mast and pole work may not be undertaken where there is a risk of ill-health oraccident resulting from uncontrolled ice or snow slides or from adverse weatherconditions. Personnel are not allowed on masts or poles while a thunderstorm is in

progress or imminent.

In connection with mast work, the risk zone surrounding the mast shall beappropriately marked when necessary.

Section 24

Only persons who have undergone medical examination as provided in Sections 6-9 and training as provided in Section 12 and who have sufficient knowledge andskills and are otherwise suitable for the task may be employed on work at height.Work at height may not be undertaken as solitary work.

Section 25

Work at height shall normally take place in daylight. In exceptional cases wherework at height has to be carried out in darkness, satisfactory task lighting shall be

provided.Section 26

An employee who is indisposed or for some some other reason entertains doubtconcerning the task and has notified the site management to this effect may not beemployed on work at height.

Measures preceding work on wooden poles

Section 27

Before an employee ascends a pole, the employer shall ascertain that thestructure has been tested for decay, as provided in Section 30.


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Section 28The employee shall exercise care, even if a pole is not test marked as dangerousunder Section 35, and shall ascertain, by his own observations, that the pole is insuch condition that it can be safely ascended.

Section 29

If an employee has to carry out work on a pole which is test marked dangerousunder Section 35 or which the employee does not consider safe to ascend, a workplatform or basket shall be used, or else the pole shall be temporarily braced orotherwise made safe before work begins.

Testing for decay

Section 30

The person controlling a worksite with one or more wooden power utility polesshall prevent accidents by planning and regularly conducting decay testing of allpoles included in the structure. Testing shall be carried out at a time when thetimber is not frozen. When constructing a new power line with utility poles, the timefor the first test and intervals between subsequent tests shall be determined.

The interval of time between tests shall be documented in a plan and shall bedetermined according to

the geographic location of the structure,

the nature of the ground in which the poles are placed, and

the impregnation of the poles.

Section 31

The person who carries out testing shall have sufficient training and experience tobe able to establish decay in a pole, to describe the extent of the damage and to

judge whether a decayed pole needs to be replaced or reinforced before the nextinspection.

Section 32

A record shall be made of the inspection. In this record the person who carries outthe testing shall describe the extent of damage to decayed poles and indicatewhether they need to be replaced or reinforced.

Section 33

If it can be suspected that a pole has not been set deep enough in the ground orthat a brace is seriously damaged above or below the ground surface, a note tothis effect shall be made in the record.

Section 34

The person controlling the worksite shall keep the record and make it available tothe employers and employees concerned, their agents and a supervisory authority.

Marking of a dangerous pole and measures occasioned bydecay testing

Section 35


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If the person who has carried out testing judges a pole in a single-pole power utilityto be in need of replacement or reinforcement, the pole shall, in connection withthe testing, be marked to show that it is dangerous to ascend without prior bracingor shoring. The marking shall be positioned approximately 2 metres above groundlevel.

Section 36

The person controlling the worksite shall determine the time for replacements,reinforcements or supplementary investigations in the light of the test report andshall see to it that these measures are taken.

Section 37

Marking as referred to in Section 35 may not be removed before the pole isreplaced or reinforced.

Penal Provisions

Section 38

The stipulations of Sections 6 and 10 (1) constitute Provisions as referred to inChap. 4, Section 5 of the Work Environment Act (SFS 1977:1160). The stipulationsof Section 11 constitute Provisions as referred to in Chap. 4, Section 7 of the sameAct. The stipulations of Section 17 constitute Provisions as referred to in Chap. 4,Section 2, point 2 of the same Act. The stipulations of Section 19 constituteProvisions as referred to in Chap. 4, Section 1, point 1 of the same Act. UnderChap. 8, Section 2 of the same Act, offences against the said Provisions arepunishable by fines.

Entry into force and interim Provisions

1. These Provisions enter into force on 2nd April 2001. The Ordinance of theNational Board of Occupational Safety and Health containing Provisions onInspection of Power Poles Damaged by Rot (AFS 1992:3) and the Ordinanceof the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Pole Climbers(AFS 1984:1) is repealed with effect from the same date.

2. In the case of masts taken into service before 2nd April 2001, measures tomeet the requirements in Section 4 may be co-ordinated with regularmaintenance work. These measures shall, however, have been taken by 31stDecember 2010 at the latest.

3. The time of the first decay testing inspection and intervals for subsequentinspections, insofar as they have not been determined at the time of theseProvisions entering into force, shall be determined forthwith.

4. Type inspection and type approval of pole climbers occurring before 2nd April2001 and in accordance with the Ordinance of the National Board ofOccupational Safety and Health on Pole Climbers (AFS 1984:1) shall be validas certification under section 17 of the new Provisions.

5. In the case of employees employed on work at height who, within 12 monthsprevious to these Provisions entering into force, have undergone medicalexamination, the scope and content of which are at least equivalent to those


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of medical examination for work at height as provided in Sections 6-11, theexamination undergone shall count as prescribed examination.

6. Employees who, at the time of these stipulations entering into force, areemployed on mast or pole work and in this way can be judged to haveacquired knowledge and skills corresponding to the requirements in Section12, need not undergo the training prescribed there if their knowledge andskills are adequately documented.

KENTH PETTERSSON

Lars Eklund Gran Lindh


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Appendix 1

Design and testing of pole climbers

1. Definitions and explanations

1.1 Total load amplitude: During fatigue testing the pole climber is subjected to aload which over time varies periodically between the minimum value Pmin andthe maximum value Pmax. The total load amplitude P is defined by

?P = Pmax Pmin

1.2 Nominal load point: the points on the foot plate (or equivalent) which, on theload being applied, implies, from a fatigue viewpoint, the least favourableconditions during the test. As a rule, the nominal load point is situated at the

very rear of the foot plate, immediately in front of the highback, if there isone.

1.3 Service life: the logarithmically calculated average of the number of constantamplitude load cycles which the pole climbers in the test series toleratebefore failure occurs in testing.

1.4 Logarithmically calculated average: the logarithmically calculated average, x,of n observations x1, x2 . . .xn is derived from

i.e. the logarithm of the average equals the average of the logarithms of theindividual observations.

2. Design

2.1 Pole climbers shall have gaffs or corresponding devices which afford a firmhold without lodging in the pole. Straps and other fastenings shall be suchthat the climbers are safely and firmly attached to the wearers shoes andcan easily be put on and taken off.

Pole climbers with adjustable grip width shall be reliably lockable in thedesired position.

3. Material

3.1 Material of load-bearing parts shall have such properties that its mechanicalstrength properties will not change significantly in the -30o C - +50o Ctemperature range. This shall be substantiated by document material tests.

3.2 Material of anchorage devices, e.g. straps, shall be moisture-repellent and ofsufficient strength to absorb the forces occurring. It may not be affected byagents for impregnating wood and climbers, nor may it stiffen in coldtemperatures or age rapidly.

Remark 1. Straps of synthetic material, such as terylene, are accepted if,when mounted in their anchorage devices on pole climbers, they canabsorb a force of at least 3,000 N without being damaged. The mechanical


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strength of the straps is tested as per figure 1. The force F is applied andsustained for 3 minutes. During this time the strap may not slide in itsanchorages or adjustment devices, if any.

Remark 2. Leather straps are not suitable.

[Strap. Cylindrical pin. Buckle, lock etc. Pole climber. Strap anchorage.]

Figure 1: Strength testing of strap.

4. Surface treatment

4.1 Surface treatment, if any, shall be of such a kind that ocular crack detectionwill be possible in the parts under greatest stress.

Remark. Painting with clear varnish is acceptable.

5. Fatigue testing

5.1 Fatigue testing shall be carried out on a complete climber mounted on a polein such a way as to replicate conditions of practical use as closely aspossible. In the case of an adjustable climber, the setting least favourablefrom a fatigue viewpoint shall be chosen.

5.2 During testing, one of the engagement points on the pole (e.g. one of thegaffs) may be fixed if necessary.

5.3 The load imposed shall correspond to a total load amplitude ?P of 1,080 N(110 kp), with the load attacking the nominal load point (see point 1.2 of thisappendix). The value Pmin shall be set to 100 N. The load may be applied atany point on the foot plate, though not more than 100 mm from the nominalload point on the longitudinal axis of the climber (in front of the highback) and

not more than 50 mm from the nominal load point on the lateral axis of theclimber (inside the outermost part of the foot plate), the load amplitude beingadjusted as necessary.

5.4 A test series shall be performed, comprising at least 5 tests under identicalconditions. The test series shall be selected so as to include both left andright climbers. The average service life, calculated as per 1.5, shall be atleast 2.0 x 106 load cycles. The lowest single value may not be less than 1.0x 106 load cycles. In the case of a pole climber with double brackets, the


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number of load cycles is registered until the outer bracket is so fatigued thatthe inner bracket has taken over all or parts of the load. Thereafter theclimber shall absorb at least 1.0 x 104 load cycles.

6. Balance testing etc.

6.1 The balance of the climber shall be tested by determining one of the torsionalmoments on its longitudinal and transverse axes respectively, as per figure 2.

6.2 The torsional moment of the pole climbers own weight may not act outwardlyfrom the pole during walking and may not exceed the following values:

Pole cl imber size Torsional momentNm

Grip width, mm* LongitudinallyMeasured on the foot platealong an axis 100 mm infront of the highback (orequivalent)

Transversely

Measured on the longitudinalaxis of the foot plate

300 or lessOver 300

89

1.52

* In the case of an adjustable climber, the setting least favourable in terms ofbalance shall be chosen.

[Dynamometer. Torque arm length.]

Figure 2: Determination of torsional moment.


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General Recommendations of the Swedish National Boardof Occupational Safety and Health on the implementation ofthe Provisions of Mast and Pole Work

The following Recommendations are issued by the National Board of OccupationalSafety and Health on the implementation of its Provisions (AFS 2000:6) on Mastand Pole Work.

General Recommendations have a different legal status from Provisions. They arenot mandatory. Instead they serve to elucidate the meaning of the Provisions (e.g.by explaining suitable ways of meeting the requirements, instancing practicalsolutions and procedures) and to provide recommendations, backgroundinformation and references.

General

Work on and round masts, poles and suchlike involves special risks to thepersonnel employed on it. A particular risk here is work done at a great heightabove the surrounding ground level (work at height). The most obvious risks arethose of falling from a height and being injured by falling ice, tools or other objects,but there are also other, more indirect risks involved. Access to the workplace, forexample, often involves climbing ladders, which implies an extreme physicalexertion imposing considerable strain on the heart and circulatory organs. Anotherparticular danger associated with work on masts and poles consists in the difficultyof gaining access to the worksite and the associated difficulties connected withrapidly assisting a person who has met with an accident or suddenly been taken ill.

To these specific hazards of mast and pole work are added more traditional work

environment hazards, such as exposure to impregnating agents and high-frequency magnetic fields, electrical hazards from high-voltage cables etc., andmusculoskeletally unfavourable work postures.

Guidance on certain Sections

Guidance on Section 1

Free-standing masts mainly occur as carriers of equipment for the transmissionand reception of radio signals for wireless communication or for monitoring suchcommunication. Lower masts of this kind also occur, e.g. as floodlight masts formunicipal amenities, docksides and industrial estates, sports grounds andsuchlike. Masts physically linked to lines or networks occur mainly as carriers ofhigh-voltage power lines but can also occur, for example, as cable carriers foroverhead cable cars. The base of a mast can be permanent, natural or man-made,

but can also mainly for military field applications take the form of a mobilechassis.

Designations for different types of mast can vary from one industry to another.Unbraced masts are commonly called towers. The energy industry traditionallyrefers to its line carriers as power utility poles or power poles, regardless ofmaterial and design and thus also including cases where the pole is if anything amast.


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Mast and pole work includes activities such as: Constructing, inspecting, raising, demolishing and maintaining a mast or pole

and its appurtenances.

Climbing or otherwise moving about on a mast or pole.

Assembling, dismantling, replacing or maintaining mast- or pole-borneequipment and appurtenant disposables.

The Provisions do not apply to rescue services, because there work at height is afrequently occurring task which has to be performed without the same scope forplanning as with ordinary mast or pole work. Normally, too, the rescue serviceshave a command structure, technical equipment and stipulations concerningpersonnel training and health exceeding the requirements laid down in theseProvisions (cf. the Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety andHealth with Provisions on Firefighting in Smoke and Chemical Environment). In thecase of rescue service personnel who, without being qualified as users ofbreathing apparatus and chemical protection suits, take part in rescue actionsinvolving work at height which would normally come within the scope of theseProvisions, medical examination for work at height as referred to in Sections 6-11of these Provisions may be appropriate.


The 13 metre height limit should not be taken to mean that work below this limit isfree from risks. The limit is only intended to exclude from the scope of theProvisions on medical examination (Sections 6-11) the greater part of workconcerned with local pole networks for telecommunications, distribution of lowvoltage power, street lighting etc.

The risk zone surrounding a mast or pole normally comprises a circle having its

centre at the foot and with a radius equalling two-thirds of the height from whichfalls of ice or objects can be feared. Work undertaken within a zone where there isa risk of injury from falling ice or objects etc. comes under the Ordinance of theNational Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Protection against InjuriesDue to Falling Objects.

Hazards other than falls and falling objects on or near mast and pole structuresmay derive from the impregnation of wooden utility poles (cf. Provisions of theNational Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Chemical Hazards in theWork Environment and the Boards Provisions on Pesticides). Suspicion thatelectrical and magnetic fields surrounding high voltage installations may in the longterm entail health hazards to nearby residents cannot be considered conclusivelydispelled. Powerful radio transmitters emit health-endangering, high-frequency EMfields in their immediate vicinity in the direction of transmission (cf. the Ordinance

of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health with Provisions on High-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields). However, because of the high positioning ofthe transmitters and their essentially horizontal direction of transmission, the fieldstrength at ground level is not as a rule considered a health hazard. In certainmilitary field applications, on the other hand, radio transmitters may occur withground level field strengths exceeding the exposure values prescribed by theNational Board of Occupational Safety and Health.


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Guidance on Section 3Chap. 3, Section 12 of the Work Environment Act imposes a protectiveresponsibility on the person controlling a worksite. This protective responsibilitymay arise when employees working on masts and poles are not in the service ofthe person who owns the structure or otherwise has the right of disposal over it. Insuch cases it can be hard for the employees employer to check, say, the state of awooden pole before work on the pole commences. Responsibility for the carryingout of such inspection therefore devolves on the person who uses the structureand thus controls the worksite. (Normally that person is also to be considered thetenant of the structure under electrical safety legislation). See also Section 20 andGuidance on the same.

Work on the erection of a mast or the construction of a network for thetransmission of electrical power, telecommunications and data is normally

referable to construction and civil engineering work, and as such comes under theProvisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health onConstruction and Heavy Engineering Work. The same applies concerningmaintenance and repair work.

Chap. 3, Section 14 of the Work Environment Act contains stipulations onresponsibility for health and safety in connection with project preparation anddesign. According to these stipulations, work environment considerations shall betaken into account already at the stage of project preparation and design. Furtherstipulations on project planning and design responsibilities during the constructionstage are contained in the Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safetyand Health on Construction and Civil Engineering Work. Further stipulations onproject planning and design responsibilities as regards the completedmast/structure are contained in the Ordinance of the National Board of

Occupational Safety and Health with Provisions on Design of Buildings and Plant.

For local and readily available information as to when the installation was lastinspected, it may be appropriate for a label, showing when the inspection wascarried out and by whom, to be affixed to the mast or pole about two metres aboveground level. An inspection label of this kind should be weather-resistant anddesigned so as to be easily readable up until the time of the next inspection. Alabel indicating a temporary prohibition of access ought preferably to give thereason, e.g. the mechanical strength of the mast or pole being insufficient forclimbing.


A mast access device may, for example, take the form of climbing irons andladders combined with walk-through cages or suitable fall protective equipment.

Access can also be obtained by means of stairs or a lift. It is appropriate for accessroutes on masts to be equipped with horizontal landings to rest the body whileclimbing. Special work platforms adjoining equipment requiring service are apossible instance of suitable ancillary devices. Cross-braces (diagonals) andsuchlike in latticework structures cannot as a rule be considered to provide asatisfactory access route to a mast. To prevent climbing from being unnecessarilystrenuous, it is important that the distance between climbing irons should be


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constant and suitably gauged (250-300 mm is usually recommended) and that theirons should be parallel.

Mast access can also be planned and arranged by means of a technical devicesuch as a crane, a mobile work platform or a helicopter. In cases where work on amast can be done from a working basket mounted on a machine, this kind ofaccess is often to be preferred from a musculoskeletal viewpoint.

For the prevention of unauthorised access to a mast, in cases where the mastdoes not stand in an enclosed yard and is not otherwise protected from suchaccess, it may be appropriate for a permanent means of access not to extend allthe way to the ground, access to the lower part of the mast being provided with amobile access device.


Special reasons may be work in progress, a risk of falling snow or ice etc. Only inexceptional cases does the formation of snow and ice on power lines call forwarning signs. During de-icing work, as with other kinds of work, on power lines inareas with traffic, it may be appropriate for a guard to be posted.

Rules on cordons, access and safety precautions where there is a risk of fallingdebris etc. are contained in the Ordinance of the National Board of OccupationalSafety and Health on Protection against Injuries Due to Falling Objects.

Special stipulations on warning signs are contained in the Provisions of theNational Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Safety Signs and WarningSignals at Workplaces.

Provisions on the illumination of air navigation obstacles are contained in thestipulations on Civil Aviation, BCL-F 2.2 (LFS 1996:2) issued by the Swedish CivilAviation Administration (Luftfartsverket).


Work at height, and climbing especially, makes heavy demands on physical workcapacity. The exposed nature of the worksite and the difficulty of gaining access toit also make it important that sudden, unforeseen illness should as far as possiblebe avoided. Medical examination is an aid to this end. Chap. 1, Section 3 of theWork Environment Act lays down that a person undergoing training is, e.g. for thepurposes of Chap. 4, Section 5 (which addresses medical examination) equatedwith an employee. This means that medical examination must always precedeactivities at height on a mast, even if these activities only form part of a trainingprogramme for future work at height.

It should be noted that the employer hiring out and the person hiring workers for

work at height have a shared and non-transferable responsibility for the prescribedmedical examination taking place. It may therefore be appropriate for the parties toagree, preferably in writing, which of them is to make the purely practicalarrangements for this medical examination.


The medical examination is intended to prevent the employment on work at heightof anyone suffering from an illness or debility which compounds the risk of his


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incurring ill-health or meeting with an accident in work of this kind. To be capable offorming the basis of a fitness assessment as referred to in Section 9, theanamnesis may need to include:

perceived vision, hearing and balance disturbances,

use of medical drugs, stimulants, abused substances or doping agentsaffecting alertness, judgement or blood pressure, and

previous contacts with psychiatric care.

For the same reason, the physical examination may also need to focus on:

visual acuity and hearing

organs of balance and locomotion,

neurological status, and

presence of glucose and pharmacologically active substances or their

metabolites in body fluids.

The predictive value of deviant exercise ECG findings is rated quite low, andfindings of this kind may therefore need to be followed up by examination ingreater depth.


More frequent ECG tests at more advanced age are prompted by the risk ofcardiovascular disease increasing quite rapidly from age 45-50 onwards. Workersaged 50 or over therefore need annual ECG heart testing during exertion (=exercise ECG) so as to maximise the discovery of early or latent cardiovasculardisease which may constitute a hazard in connection with physical exertion.


So long as the person examined has been informed of the purpose of theexamination, there is nothing to prevent the examining physician from informingthe employer and supervisory authority of the results, but only with respect tofitness/unfitness for work at height. This requires a record to be kept of theexamination results and assessments and measures based on them.


Uncomplicated pregnancy does not automatically disqualify an employee fromwork at height, but remember the employers duty, under the Ordinance of theNational Board of Occupational Safety and Health with Provisions on Pregnant andBreast-feeding Employees, of carrying out a risk assessment.


Section 3 of the Work Environment Ordinance requires a register of the kind

referred to here to be kept by the employer for a certain minimum length of timeand, in the event of the business changing hands, to be transferred to the newowner.

It should be noted that the employer hiring out and the person outsourcing workersfor work at height share a common responsibility for the prescribed recording ofmedical examinations undergone. It may therefore be appropriate for the parties toagree, preferably in writing, which of them is to be responsible for the purelypractical side of this arrangement.


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There is nothing to prevent the register being kept on the employers behalf, forexample, by the person carrying out the medical examination, so long as this doesnot limit the availability of the register to a supervisory authority. Thus an employerwho puts the keeping of records out to contract, whether by written agreement orby some other means, must safeguard his right to the registers, e.g. whenchanging his occupational health service provider or in other such circumstances.


The training which this prescription requires to have been completed before mastwork begins for the first time should comprise at least two full working days andshould normally cover: work planning, climbing technique, use of fall protectiveequipment, accident response, removal of injured persons from the mast, hoistingof goods, communication during mast work, equipment and techniques for mastassembly work, and electrical, electromagnetic, meteorological and other hazards

connected with mast work. It is essential that the training of workers who will beusing special equipment, such a mast lift, in the course of their duties should alsoinclude the care and use of such equipment. Training should comprise anappropriately balanced mix of theory and practice and should end with anachievement test. This basic training can be regarded as a minimum requirementfor carrying out mast work with acceptable safety, and its content should betailored to the character of the work planned. Depending on the duties involved, itmay subsequently be appropriate for the employee to undergo further theoreticaland practical training in relevant fields of knowledge. Important but rarely occurringtypes of practical work, such as bringing down an injured person from a mast andrendering first aid, may need to be practised recurrently.

Before pole work begins for the first time, it is important that the employer verifythat the employee possesses the necessary knowledge of working technique and

day-to-day materiel maintenance when using pole climbers, physical work load inconnection with pole work, use of personal fall protective equipment and bringingdown of persons in distress. It is also important for employees working on woodenpower utility poles to have a basic knowledge of damage caused by rot, of thepesticides used for decay prevention and how to protect oneself against them, andalso of the effect of decay on the mechanical strength of a pole and ways oftemporarily securing a decayed pole. Furthermore, the employee needs to be wellinformed of the procedure for marking dangerous poles in the course of decayinspection.

Safe use and care of pole climbers usually requires training.


It is important for the personal protective equipment used to be adapted to the

hazards of the work and to prevailing weather conditions.

Where fall protective equipment is concerned, a number of European standardshave been adopted as Swedish standards. Rules on PPE are contained in theProvisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Design ofPersonal Protective Equipment and Use of Personal Protective Equipment.

Personal protective equipment which may be relevant to mast and pole workincludes:


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Fall arrest systems for falls from a higher level, giving safe and secure arrestafter a fall and ensuring that the user remains in the correct position whereverhelp, if needed, can be awaited.

Protective equipment with a supportive and fall protective function forsecuring the worker in situations where both hands are needed for the workand there is no risk of free fall. Equipment of this kind includes, for example, abelt or harness with two short lanyards with suitable connectors.

Safety goggles or some other design affording equal protection.

A safety helmet with a chinstrap to keep it firmly in place. It is important thatthe helmet should afford protection, not only against falling objects and therisk of pinch injuries but also against electrical hazards, and that it should besuitable for the prevailing temperature conditions.

Suitable safety shoes, affording a firm grip on the underlay during climbing

and work in prevailing weather conditions. Safety equipment in the form of descender devices which can be used for

removing an injured person.

Protective clothing and safety gloves affording protection against mechanicalinjuries and chemical hazards and suitable for the prevailing weatherconditions. For work on a pole impregnated with creosote oil, the protectiveclothing and gloves selected must afford protection from contact with theimpregnating agent. Replacement of torn gloves is especially important wherethis kind of work is concerned.

Mast and pole work for which certain otherwise prescribed equipment can be judged manifestly unnecessary includes, for example, routine inspections of themast or pole without actually climbing it.


Suitable equipment for maintaining contact with personnel on the ground iscommunication radio equipment of a kind which will not be disturbed, for example,by transmitters in the vicinity (cf. Section 22). Voice-controlled equipment (of theVOX variety) may be preferable in situations where both hands are occupied.Communication between workers engaged in mast or pole work can often beachieved without assistive devices in environments free from noise disruption.Emergency alarm equipment is less easily dispensed with. It is important that aworker who, for example, is left suspended unconscious or disabled in fallprotective equipment or suchlike should be observed and relieved without delay.To this end, a device for automatically triggering the alarm in connection with fallsmay sometimes be needed.


According to information received from the Swedish National Electrical SafetyBoard, the Provisions of ELSK-FS 1994:7, 706 apply to the feeding of handheldor portable material used on latticework masts if the possibility of a person at workbreaking contact with a live mast is limited. This means that a power socket usedfor connecting such materiel shall either be connected to an SELV system as per411.1 or be safety separated as per 413.5 in ELSK-FS 1994:7.



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The users daily overhaul of a pole climber ought preferably to comprise cleaningof the footplate and gaffs and inspection for any deformation, cracking, gaff wearor suchlike and examination of the state of the straps. Before climbing a pole itmay also be appropriate to test the dependability and gripping capacity of theclimbers, primarily close to ground level by springing gently on the first step.

It is important that users of pole climbers should be aware of the specific use ofthis working equipment and should not use it as a lofting or towing hook orsuchlike.

It is appropriate for the annual inspection of pole climbers to be carried out by aperson appointed by the employer and closely familiar with their use andmaintenance. In addition, a pole climber may need to be inspected if it has beensubjected to abnormal stress, e.g. by being run over or by falling to the groundfrom a great height.

The climbers should be inspected primarily after careful cleaning, and theinspection should normally comprise:

Examination to ensure that no part of the climbers has been deformed.

Careful ocular searching for cracks, in suitable lighting.

Verification that the gaffs are sharp or that the corresponding device affords afirm hold.

Visual inspection of the straps and their attachment to the climbers.

It is important that any climber shown by inspection or overhaul to be defectiveshould be taken out of service immediately and the site management informed.

Sharpening of climber gaffs should be carried out in accordance with themanufacturers instructions and by a person trained for the task.

Climbers should be discarded if they are deformed, cracked or badly worn andcorroded. A climber should be discarded for age reasons when it has been in usefor 10 years or, given very low frequency of use, 15 years.

To prevent a discarded climber being re-used, the gaffs should be cut off when thedecision to discard the climber is taken.


Sections 2 and 3 of the Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safetyand Health on Internal Control of the Working Environment lay down that theemployer shall plan, conduct and monitor the operation in such a way thatcompliance with the requirements of the Work Environment Act and Provisionsissued by authority of the same is assured. Instructions which can appropriately be

provided both verbally and in writing include, for example, safety instructions whichthe employee is duty bound to comply with.


For the promotion of electrical safety in connection with work on high voltageinstallations, the Swedish National Electrical Safety Board has issued High VoltageProvisions (in ELSK-FS 1994:7), amending Part C, Care of high voltage electricalinstallations (in ELSK-FS 1997:9).


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Guidance on Section 23Controlled removal of ice and snow from a structure usually demands specialsafety precautions.

The work environment hazards associated with climatic factors vary considerablyaccording to the geographic location of the worksite, its altitude and generalexposure. It is also important to observe that the wind chill effect (i.e. the combinedeffect of wind and air temperature) can vary most considerably between differentlevels on a mast. Mast work in cold conditions has been described in a report fromthe Swedish National Institute for Working Life (Arbetslivsrapport 1999:22, ISSN1401-2928).

If a thunderstorm occurs unexpectedly, personnel on a mast or pole must be ableto descend quickly and leave the risk zone. If, owing for example to reasons of

time connected with mast work at great height, this is not possible, the employeeshould instead go to a place surrounded by the mast structure and hitch himself toit.


It follows from the prohibition of work at height as solitary work that the co-workerworking or stationed at ground level must be fit and qualified for work at height, soas to be able, if necessary, to go immediately to the relief of an injured person atgreat height.


Situations where work at height may have to proceed in darkness include, forexample, necessary and urgent repairs. The Armed Forces need to be able to

practise and carry out work at height in darkness and are therefore exempted fromSection 25.

The nature of satisfactory task lighting must be assessed according to thecharacter and extent of the acute work input required. Larger, more qualified tasksusually demand temporary stationary lighting, whereas trivial measures can oftenbe accomplished with the aid of personal lighting of the headlamp variety.


It is important that work at height should proceed on the employees terms asregards assessment of the risks associated with icing, meteorological factors,subjective well-being etc.

Guidance on Sections 28-29

Even with properly conducted inspection activity, there is still a risk of isolatedpoles having suffered impairment of their mechanical strength since the lastinspection, due to decay, ground change, mechanical interference, ant attacks,woodpecker damage, lightning strikes, sabotage and vandalism or some otherfactor. It is therefore important that the person who is to work on a pole shouldbegin by assessing whether the pole appears safe for climbing. Certain outwardsigns may point to danger. A sound, creosote-impregnated wooden pole emits asolid noise with practically no reverberation when struck with a hammer, whilesevere decay inside a thin shell of healthy wood produces a clearly drum-like


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sound with a hollow timbre and strong reverberation. A salt-impregnated poleshould be examined where it meets the ground, using an examination instrumentor by probing with an awl.

It should be noted that a risk of pole fracture can occur if there is a change in theload on the pole, e.g. due to the addition or removal of lines, alteration of struts orsuchlike.


A duty of checking regularly for decay (formerly termed decay inspection) alsoexisted under the Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety andHealth with Provisions on Examination of Power Poles Damaged by Rot, whichhas now been repealed.

The mechanical strength of wooden poles is above all affected by the decay

gradually occurring at and immediately below the ground surface. In a salt pole therot very often begins in the surface wood, spreading inwards to the core. In acreosote pole the rot starts inside the pole, close to the boundary betweenheartwood and sapwood (where the sapwood, which is more prone to decay, isleast impregnated), spreading both inwards and outwards. The sound diameter ofthe salt pole diminishes with the spread of decay, while a major attack of decay willleave the impregnated shell of the creosote pole looking like a tube.

Decay is caused by fungi or other micro organisms. Growth is favoured by highmoisture content and temperature in the wood and is restrained during periods ofground frost. Brown rot often develops into pocket rot, and the pole may still retaina good deal of its mechanical strength, whereas soft rot generally begins on theoutside. Much depends on the region in which the pole is located (i.e. the durationof the ground frost period) and on the type of ground in which it is set.

The positions of decay in relation to the ground differ as between salt poles andcreosote poles. In both kinds, the rot generally starts at ground level, spreadingdownwards in a salt pole but both upwards and downwards in a creosote pole. Asalt pole therefore needs to be uncovered to a certain depth for inspectionpurposes. In a creosote pole, on the other hand, serious damage can normally bedetected without exposing the pole.


EBR (Elbyggnadsrationalisering) is an industrial body dedicated to thedevelopment and co-ordination of rational working methods in power lineconstruction technology. EBR is run by VAST (the Swedish Power Associationsfoundation for technical development), Vattenfall and the Association of SwedishElectric Utilities. EBR Standard U 1:87, Inspection of wooden poles damaged by

rot, Overhead lines, indicates a suitable routine for inspection, rules for thecondemnation of decayed poles and the marking of poles to be remedied, andrecommended report forms. It is important that inspection should be carried out inaccordance with this routine or in a corresponding manner.


In order to check the setting depth of a pole, it is important to examine the groundsurrounding it. One should be able to assume that current specifications were


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complied with when the pole was erected, unless there is a particular reason forsuspecting the opposite. Subsequent events, however, may have altered thesetting depth. The pole may have been pushed upwards by ground frost. Theground level may have been lowered by construction works, ditching, landslips orsuchlike. Ground changes may thus result in the pole being set too shallow.

Inspection of struts usually means checking for obvious corrosion attacks or otherkinds of damage. Special attention should be paid to older struts with no galvanicprotection.

In the light of practical experience of decay inspection of BIS poles (i.e. polesimpregnated with Boliden salt) aged between 20 and 35 years, Sweden has beensummarily divided into four large zones. Whereas fewer than 10 per cent werecondemned in the northernmost zone, up to 90 per cent were condemned in thesouthernmost one. Poles in arable ground decayed far more rapidly than poles onforest land. A short period of ground frost also helps to augment decay.

Creosote-impregnated poles are more resistant than BIS-impregnated ones (whichare no longer being erected) and are equivalent to CCA-impregnated poles. (CCAis an impregnating agent containing copper, chromium and arsenic.)


Marking should be done in such a way that it will be readily noticeable and willhave sufficient weather resistance and mechanical strength. Rules on marking arecontained in the Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety andHealth on Safety Signs and Warning Signals at Workplaces.


It is advisable to consider already at the planning stage that poles with warning

signs should be strengthened or replaced and to decide the time limit within whicha pole with a warning sign is to be dealt with.

afs 2000_6 mast and pole work

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