Safety and Compliance Flashcards

Under the hierarchy of controls, which approach should be considered first before planning a rope access job?

Answer: Eliminating the need to work at height

Elimination is the most effective control and always comes before engineering controls, administrative controls, or PPE.

What is the main purpose of an exclusion zone below a rope access work area?

Answer: To protect people from falling objects

Exclusion zones keep the public and other workers out of the drop zone where tools or debris could fall.

A technician notices fraying on a rope sheath during a pre-use check. What is the correct action?

Answer: Remove the rope from service and tag it for evaluation

Any equipment with suspected damage must be taken out of service immediately and quarantined until a competent person inspects it.

Why must a rescue plan be in place before any rope access work begins?

Answer: A suspended technician may need prompt rescue to avoid suspension intolerance

Prolonged motionless suspension can quickly become life-threatening, so the team must be able to perform its own rescue without waiting for outside services.

Which document identifies the hazards of a specific rope access task and the controls used to manage them?

Answer: Job hazard analysis (JHA)

A JHA breaks the job into steps, identifies the hazards at each step, and records the controls that will be used.

When working near overhead power lines, which agency's rules set the minimum approach distances that rope access teams in the US must follow?

Answer: OSHA

OSHA regulations set minimum approach distances for unqualified workers near energized lines, typically 10 feet for lines up to 50 kV.

What should a technician do with a component that has arrested a significant fall or shock load?

Answer: Withdraw it from service until a competent person inspects it, or retire it

Shock loading can cause hidden internal damage, so the item must be removed from service and inspected or retired per the manufacturer's instructions.