Working at height remains one of the most common causes of serious incidents in the workplace, often resulting in life-changing or fatal injuries.
At SEH, we’ve partnered with Allenby Training Services Limited to enhance and improve working at height training specifically for the suction excavation industry. We believe there are unique risks and practical challenges associated with our work that aren’t always covered by standard training. Is industry-specific training the way forward? We’ll leave that open to debate.
Why Is Working on a Suction Excavator Different?
Fixed ladders, guardrails and maintaining three points of contact all sound like sensible safety measures. Add a harness and lanyard into the equation and most people would assume the risks are covered.
However, when working on a suction excavator, things aren’t always that straightforward.
The moment fall arrest systems are introduced, attention turns to the potential consequences of a worker hanging from the side of a machine. Suspension trauma, blood clotting risks, rescue procedures and emergency response plans suddenly become critical considerations.
This is where we believe the conversation needs to shift.
Rather than simply asking, “Do we need to go up there?”, we should be asking:
- Why do we need to go up there?
- How often does it happen?
- Can the task be completed another way?
- Which areas of the machine actually require access?
Understanding the task itself allows us to develop safer and more practical solutions.
Identifying the Real Risk
In most cases, the reason operators need access to the top of a suction excavator is simple: blockages.
These typically occur where debris enters the skip through the hose assembly. It’s a known pinch point and one that occasionally requires intervention.
In our experience, around 50% of blockages can be cleared without climbing onto the machine. The remaining 50% require access to the top of the excavator.
This is where things become interesting.
When we analysed the task, we realised operators didn’t actually require a large working area. They only needed safe access to a specific location.
By utilising dedicated anchor points and a restraint system, operators can safely access the required area while being prevented from reaching the edge of the machine.
The process is straightforward:
- Secure to the designated anchor points.
- Follow the restraint system to the access hatch.
- Clear the blockage.
- Return safely and reverse the process.
Eliminating the Fall Risk
Our operatives are harnessed, securely attached and prevented from entering danger zones.
The key difference is that the system is designed to stop a fall from occurring in the first place, rather than relying on a fall arrest system after the event.
For us, that’s an important distinction.
By focusing on restraint rather than fall arrest, we’ve developed a safer and more practical approach to working at height on suction excavators.
This is what we mean when we say:
“You can’t fall from a suction excavator.”
