AFS 2000:6

Mast and Pole Work

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

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

The Work Environment Authoritys Statute Book

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The Swedish Work Environment Authority was formed through a merger of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health and the Labour Inspectorate, on 1st January 2001. Provisions adopted by the Swedish Work Environment Authority are published in the Statute Book of the Swedish Work Environment Authority. Provisions earlier published in the Statute Book of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health simultaneously still apply. Both Statute Books names are abbreviated AFS. Please note that references to statutes always give the original number of the document concerned, regardless of any subsequent amendments and reprints. Concerning amendments to and reprints of Provisions of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health and of the Swedish Work Environment Authority, reference is made to the latest Statute Book Register (in Swedish). A list of Ordinances, General Recommendations, Directions and Notices 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..................................................................................................................... 4 Definitions............................................................................................................... 4 General................................................................................................................... 5 Medical examination in connection with work at height........................................... 5 Training .................................................................................................................. 7 Equipment .............................................................................................................. 7 General ................................................................................................................ 7 Pole climbers........................................................................................................ 7 Conduct of work at height and other mast and pole work ....................................... 8 Measures preceding work on wooden poles........................................................... 9 Testing for decay .................................................................................................. 10 Marking of a dangerous pole and measures occasioned by decay testing ........... 10 Penal Provisions................................................................................................... 11 Entry into force and interim Provisions ................................................................. 11 Appendix 1 ........................................................................................................... 13 Design and testing of pole climbers ...................................................................... 13 Definitions and explanations................................................................................. 13 Design .................................................................................................................. 13 Material................................................................................................................. 13 Surface treatment ................................................................................................. 14 Fatigue 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................................................................................................................. 16 Guidance on certain Sections............................................................................... 16

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Published 24th November 2000

Provisions of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Mast and Pole Work
Adopted 19th October 2000
The following Provisions are issued by the Swedish National Board of Occupational 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 equipment mounted 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 product Directive 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 height within the Swedish Armed Forces. For the purposes of these Provisions, a party engaging outsourced manpower for work in his operation is equated with an employer. For the purposes of Sections 20 and 34, persons jointly engaging in professional activity without an employee are equated with employers. For the purposes of Sections 13 and 14 and of Sections 28 and 29, persons jointly engaging in professional 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.

Notification has been made in accordance with Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations (OJ L 204. 21.7.1998, p. 37, Celex 398 L0034), amended through 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 at height Risk zone Testing for decay

Work on a pole or within the surrounding risk zone. 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. Area, surrounding a mast or pole, within which falling ice or falling objects can cause serious injury. Expert examination of wooden poles and struts for possible decay, and assessment of the effect of decay on the mechanical strength of the poles. Inspection of struts and poles with regard to their attachment to the underlay. Working equipment, worn on the feet, for climbing and working on poles.

Pole climber

General
Section 3 The person in control of a worksite with one or more masts or poles shall maintain them well and prevent accidents by recurrently inspecting the structure. The inspection shall concern wear and tear, corrosion, erosion, ageing and fatigue in structural materials, base, bracing and suchlike. The interval of time between the inspections shall be determined according to geographic location, climatic conditions, ground conditions and the nature of the structural material, and shall be documented in a plan. In the event of the inspection leading to a prohibition of access to the mast or pole pending remedial measures, this shall be specially indicated. 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 for connection to a mobile access device. The access device shall afford safe access to the mast. Section 5 Where special considerations so demand, a mast with a surrounding risk zone shall be marked with warning signs warning persons intending to enter the risk zone of risks or dangers present there, and informing them of any prohibition that may 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 temporary nature.

Medical examination in connection with work at height

Section 6 The employer shall arrange the following medical examinations of employees who are or shall be employed on work at height: 1. Medical examination as provided in Section 7, within 12 months before work at height commences for the first time.

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2. 3.

Medical examination as provided in Section 8, at intervals of not more than one year. Medical examination as provided in Section 7 before work at height is resumed, if more than one year has passed since the last medical examination. Medical examination as provided in Section 7 prior to the continuation of work at height by employees who have notified the employer of pregnancy or have had an illness or accident or met with any other occurrence capable of leading to elevated risk of ill-health or accident in connection with work at height.

4.

Section 7 The medical examination shall include careful notation of medical history, with special emphasis on any illness or health disturbance capable of causing acute effects on consciousness or other sudden incapacitation. The examination shall also include physical routine status with determination of blood pressure, including disposition for orthostatic reaction, assessment of heart and lung status and an exercise ECG. The scope and emphasis of the examination shall otherwise be of such a kind that it can form the basis of a fitness assessment as provided in Section 9. Section 8 The annual medical examination shall, as regards previous illnesses and treatments, concentrate on events which have occurred since the last medical examination and are capable of affecting the subjects fitness for work at height. Otherwise it shall have the same scope and content as medical examination under Section 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 at least 40 but under 50. Section 9 A medical examination as referred to in Section 7 or 8 shall result in an assessment of the subjects fitness for work at height (fitness assessment).

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Section 10 An employee shown by medical examination as provided in Section 7 or 8 to be suffering from an illness or debility which makes him especially prone to the risk of ill-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 apprised of the fitness assessment and be given the information and advice occasioned by the result of the examination. Section 11 An employer shall keep a register of all persons undergoing medical examination under Section 7 or 8. The date of the examination, the person by whom it was carried out, and particulars of fitness for work at height shall be entered in the register.

Training
Section 12 An employee employed for mast or pole work shall have completed special theoretical and practical training for such work. Before employing an employee on mast or pole work for the first time, the employer shall ascertain that the employee has received sufficient training and has the knowledge and skills needed for the work.

Equipment
General
Section 13 For mast or pole work, employees shall use a safety helmet with chinstrap and fall protective equipment except where manifestly unnecessary. Protective gloves, eye protectors, safety shoes and protective clothing shall be worn where necessary. In connection with mast and pole work, equipment for bringing down injured persons shall be readily available except where manifestly unnecessary. Section 14 An employee on a mast or pole shall be equipped with suitable alarm and communication equipment for summoning assistance, except where manifestly unnecessary. A plan shall exist for the immediate relief of a person who is injured or in need of assistance. Section 15 Tools and tackle used for mast and pole work shall be selected so as to be suitable for the work which is to be done and if necessary shall be secured so as not to create 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 the requirements of App. 1, points 2-4. Section 17 Nor may pole climbers be used or delivered for use unless a certification body accredited for the purpose under the Technical Inspection Act (1992:1119) has certified that they meet the requirements of Section 16 and has issued a certificate to this effect. The certification shall be based on type testing as per App. 1, points 5-6. A certificate of certification as aforesaid applies to all pole climbers of the same material and design as the specimen tested. Section 18 Certification as provided in Section 17 can also be carried out by a certification body in some other country within the European Economic Area (EEA) which is accredited for the task with reference to the applicable standard in the EN 45 000 series by an accreditation body which can show itself to meet and apply the requirements of EN 45 010 or otherwise offers equivalent guarantees of technical and professional competence and guarantees of independence.

Section 19 Pole climbers shall, when delivered for taking into service, be clearly and permanently marked with the emblem of the certification body and manufacturer and the year of manufacture. They shall be accompanied by written instructions concerning their use, care, inspection and rejection. Pole climbers which are in use shall be inspected at intervals of not more than one year. Pole climbers which have passed inspection without any significant remarks shall be marked in such a way that the date of the next inspection can be easily established. Marking shall be done in such a way that the pole climbers are not weakened 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 safely undertaken. The employer shall ascertain the condition of the structure before work begins. Information concerning the state of the structure and instructions for the work in question shall be supplied in good time to the employees concerned. When necessary, the instructions shall be in writing.

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Section 21 Foremen for mast or pole work shall be closely familiar with different methods of carrying 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 turned off or their transmission power reduced, so that work near them can be conducted safely and in accordance with current Provisions of the National Board of Occupational 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 or accident resulting from uncontrolled ice or snow slides or from adverse weather conditions. 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 be appropriately marked when necessary. Section 24 Only persons who have undergone medical examination as provided in Sections 69 and training as provided in Section 12 and who have sufficient knowledge and skills 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 where work 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 doubt concerning the task and has notified the site management to this effect may not be employed on work at height.

Measures preceding work on wooden poles

Section 27 Before an employee ascends a pole, the employer shall ascertain that the structure has been tested for decay, as provided in Section 30.

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Section 28 The employee shall exercise care, even if a pole is not test marked as dangerous under Section 35, and shall ascertain, by his own observations, that the pole is in such condition that it can be safely ascended. Section 29 If an employee has to carry out work on a pole which is test marked dangerous under Section 35 or which the employee does not consider safe to ascend, a work platform or basket shall be used, or else the pole shall be temporarily braced or otherwise made safe before work begins.

Testing for decay

Section 30 The person controlling a worksite with one or more wooden power utility poles shall prevent accidents by planning and regularly conducting decay testing of all poles included in the structure. Testing shall be carried out at a time when the timber is not frozen. When constructing a new power line with utility poles, the time for 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 be determined 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 to be 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 next inspection. Section 32 A record shall be made of the inspection. In this record the person who carries out the testing shall describe the extent of damage to decayed poles and indicate whether 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 or that a brace is seriously damaged above or below the ground surface, a note to this effect shall be made in the record. Section 34 The person controlling the worksite shall keep the record and make it available to the employers and employees concerned, their agents and a supervisory authority.

Marking of a dangerous pole and measures occasioned by decay testing

Section 35

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If the person who has carried out testing judges a pole in a single-pole power utility to be in need of replacement or reinforcement, the pole shall, in connection with the testing, be marked to show that it is dangerous to ascend without prior bracing or shoring. The marking shall be positioned approximately 2 metres above ground level. Section 36 The person controlling the worksite shall determine the time for replacements, reinforcements or supplementary investigations in the light of the test report and shall see to it that these measures are taken. Section 37 Marking as referred to in Section 35 may not be removed before the pole is replaced or reinforced.

Penal Provisions
Section 38 The stipulations of Sections 6 and 10 (1) constitute Provisions as referred to in Chap. 4, Section 5 of the Work Environment Act (SFS 1977:1160). The stipulations of Section 11 constitute Provisions as referred to in Chap. 4, Section 7 of the same Act. 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 constitute Provisions as referred to in Chap. 4, Section 1, point 1 of the same Act. Under Chap. 8, Section 2 of the same Act, offences against the said Provisions are punishable by fines.

Entry into force and interim Provisions

1. These Provisions enter into force on 2nd April 2001. The Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health containing Provisions on Inspection of Power Poles Damaged by Rot (AFS 1992:3) and the Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Pole Climbers (AFS 1984:1) is repealed with effect from the same date. In the case of masts taken into service before 2nd April 2001, measures to meet the requirements in Section 4 may be co-ordinated with regular maintenance work. These measures shall, however, have been taken by 31st December 2010 at the latest. The time of the first decay testing inspection and intervals for subsequent inspections, insofar as they have not been determined at the time of these Provisions entering into force, shall be determined forthwith. Type inspection and type approval of pole climbers occurring before 2nd April 2001 and in accordance with the Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Pole Climbers (AFS 1984:1) shall be valid as certification under section 17 of the new Provisions. In the case of employees employed on work at height who, within 12 months previous to these Provisions entering into force, have undergone medical examination, the scope and content of which are at least equivalent to those

2.

3.

4.

5.

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of medical examination for work at height as provided in Sections 6-11, the examination undergone shall count as prescribed examination. 6. Employees who, at the time of these stipulations entering into force, are employed on mast or pole work and in this way can be judged to have acquired knowledge and skills corresponding to the requirements in Section 12, need not undergo the training prescribed there if their knowledge and skills 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 a load which over time varies periodically between the minimum value Pmin and the 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 the load being applied, implies, from a fatigue viewpoint, the least favourable conditions 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 is one. Service life: the logarithmically calculated average of the number of constant amplitude load cycles which the pole climbers in the test series tolerate before failure occurs in testing. Logarithmically calculated average: the logarithmically calculated average, x, of n observations x1, x2 . . .xn is derived from

1.3

1.4

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

2. Design
2.1 Pole climbers shall have gaffs or corresponding devices which afford a firm hold without lodging in the pole. Straps and other fastenings shall be such that the climbers are safely and firmly attached to the wearers shoes and can easily be put on and taken off. Pole climbers with adjustable grip width shall be reliably lockable in the desired position.

3. Material
3.1 Material of load-bearing parts shall have such properties that its mechanical strength properties will not change significantly in the -30o C - +50o C temperature range. This shall be substantiated by document material tests. Material of anchorage devices, e.g. straps, shall be moisture-repellent and of sufficient strength to absorb the forces occurring. It may not be affected by agents for impregnating wood and climbers, nor may it stiffen in cold temperatures 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 can absorb a force of at least 3,000 N without being damaged. The mechanical

3.2

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strength of the straps is tested as per figure 1. The force F is applied and sustained for 3 minutes. During this time the strap may not slide in its anchorages 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 detection will 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 pole in such a way as to replicate conditions of practical use as closely as possible. In the case of an adjustable climber, the setting least favourable from a fatigue viewpoint shall be chosen. During testing, one of the engagement points on the pole (e.g. one of the gaffs) may be fixed if necessary. 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 this appendix). The value Pmin shall be set to 100 N. The load may be applied at any point on the foot plate, though not more than 100 mm from the nominal load 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 the climber (inside the outermost part of the foot plate), the load amplitude being adjusted as necessary. A test series shall be performed, comprising at least 5 tests under identical conditions. The test series shall be selected so as to include both left and right climbers. The average service life, calculated as per 1.5, shall be at least 2.0 x 106 load cycles. The lowest single value may not be less than 1.0 x 106 load cycles. In the case of a pole climber with double brackets, the

5.2 5.3

5.4

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

6. Balance testing etc.

6.1 6.2 The balance of the climber shall be tested by determining one of the torsional moments on its longitudinal and transverse axes respectively, as per figure 2. The torsional moment of the pole climbers own weight may not act outwardly from the pole during walking and may not exceed the following values: Torsional moment Nm Longitudinally Measured on the foot plate along an axis 100 mm in front of the highback (or equivalent) 8 9 Transversely Measured on the longitudinal axis of the foot plate

Pole climber size Grip width, mm*

300 or less Over 300

1.5 2

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

[Dynamometer. Torque arm length.] Figure 2: Determination of torsional moment.

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General Recommendations of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on the implementation of the Provisions of Mast and Pole Work
The following Recommendations are issued by the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on the implementation of its Provisions (AFS 2000:6) on Mast and Pole Work. General Recommendations have a different legal status from Provisions. They are not mandatory. Instead they serve to elucidate the meaning of the Provisions (e.g. by explaining suitable ways of meeting the requirements, instancing practical solutions and procedures) and to provide recommendations, background information and references.

General
Work on and round masts, poles and suchlike involves special risks to the personnel employed on it. A particular risk here is work done at a great height above the surrounding ground level (work at height). The most obvious risks are those 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, for example, often involves climbing ladders, which implies an extreme physical exertion imposing considerable strain on the heart and circulatory organs. Another particular danger associated with work on masts and poles consists in the difficulty of gaining access to the worksite and the associated difficulties connected with rapidly 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 highfrequency magnetic fields, electrical hazards from high-voltage cables etc., and musculoskeletally unfavourable work postures.

Guidance on certain Sections

Guidance on Section 1 Free-standing masts mainly occur as carriers of equipment for the transmission and reception of radio signals for wireless communication or for monitoring such communication. Lower masts of this kind also occur, e.g. as floodlight masts for municipal amenities, docksides and industrial estates, sports grounds and suchlike. Masts physically linked to lines or networks occur mainly as carriers of high-voltage power lines but can also occur, for example, as cable carriers for overhead 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 mobile chassis. Designations for different types of mast can vary from one industry to another. Unbraced masts are commonly called towers. The energy industry traditionally refers to its line carriers as power utility poles or power poles, regardless of material and design and thus also including cases where the pole is if anything a mast.

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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-borne equipment and appurtenant disposables.

The Provisions do not apply to rescue services, because there work at height is a frequently occurring task which has to be performed without the same scope for planning as with ordinary mast or pole work. Normally, too, the rescue services have a command structure, technical equipment and stipulations concerning personnel training and health exceeding the requirements laid down in these Provisions (cf. the Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health with Provisions on Firefighting in Smoke and Chemical Environment). In the case of rescue service personnel who, without being qualified as users of breathing apparatus and chemical protection suits, take part in rescue actions involving work at height which would normally come within the scope of these Provisions, medical examination for work at height as referred to in Sections 6-11 of these Provisions may be appropriate. Guidance on Section 2 The 13 metre height limit should not be taken to mean that work below this limit is free from risks. The limit is only intended to exclude from the scope of the Provisions on medical examination (Sections 6-11) the greater part of work concerned with local pole networks for telecommunications, distribution of low voltage 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 which falls of ice or objects can be feared. Work undertaken within a zone where there is a risk of injury from falling ice or objects etc. comes under the Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Protection against Injuries Due to Falling Objects. Hazards other than falls and falling objects on or near mast and pole structures may derive from the impregnation of wooden utility poles (cf. Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Chemical Hazards in the Work Environment and the Boards Provisions on Pesticides). Suspicion that electrical and magnetic fields surrounding high voltage installations may in the long term entail health hazards to nearby residents cannot be considered conclusively dispelled. Powerful radio transmitters emit health-endangering, high-frequency EM fields in their immediate vicinity in the direction of transmission (cf. the Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health with Provisions on HighFrequency Electromagnetic Fields). However, because of the high positioning of the transmitters and their essentially horizontal direction of transmission, the field strength at ground level is not as a rule considered a health hazard. In certain military field applications, on the other hand, radio transmitters may occur with ground level field strengths exceeding the exposure values prescribed by the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health.

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Guidance on Section 3 Chap. 3, Section 12 of the Work Environment Act imposes a protective responsibility on the person controlling a worksite. This protective responsibility may arise when employees working on masts and poles are not in the service of the person who owns the structure or otherwise has the right of disposal over it. In such cases it can be hard for the employees employer to check, say, the state of a wooden pole before work on the pole commences. Responsibility for the carrying out of such inspection therefore devolves on the person who uses the structure and thus controls the worksite. (Normally that person is also to be considered the tenant of the structure under electrical safety legislation). See also Section 20 and Guidance on the same. Work on the erection of a mast or the construction of a network for the transmission of electrical power, telecommunications and data is normally referable to construction and civil engineering work, and as such comes under the Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Construction and Heavy Engineering Work. The same applies concerning maintenance and repair work. Chap. 3, Section 14 of the Work Environment Act contains stipulations on responsibility for health and safety in connection with project preparation and design. According to these stipulations, work environment considerations shall be taken into account already at the stage of project preparation and design. Further stipulations on project planning and design responsibilities during the construction stage are contained in the Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Construction and Civil Engineering Work. Further stipulations on project planning and design responsibilities as regards the completed mast/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 last inspected, it may be appropriate for a label, showing when the inspection was carried out and by whom, to be affixed to the mast or pole about two metres above ground level. An inspection label of this kind should be weather-resistant and designed so as to be easily readable up until the time of the next inspection. A label indicating a temporary prohibition of access ought preferably to give the reason, e.g. the mechanical strength of the mast or pole being insufficient for climbing. Guidance on Section 4 A mast access device may, for example, take the form of climbing irons and ladders 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 access routes on masts to be equipped with horizontal landings to rest the body while climbing. Special work platforms adjoining equipment requiring service are a possible instance of suitable ancillary devices. Cross-braces (diagonals) and suchlike in latticework structures cannot as a rule be considered to provide a satisfactory access route to a mast. To prevent climbing from being unnecessarily strenuous, 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 the irons should be parallel. Mast access can also be planned and arranged by means of a technical device such as a crane, a mobile work platform or a helicopter. In cases where work on a mast can be done from a working basket mounted on a machine, this kind of access is often to be preferred from a musculoskeletal viewpoint. For the prevention of unauthorised access to a mast, in cases where the mast does not stand in an enclosed yard and is not otherwise protected from such access, it may be appropriate for a permanent means of access not to extend all the way to the ground, access to the lower part of the mast being provided with a mobile access device. Guidance on Section 5 Special reasons may be work in progress, a risk of falling snow or ice etc. Only in exceptional cases does the formation of snow and ice on power lines call for warning signs. During de-icing work, as with other kinds of work, on power lines in areas 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 falling debris etc. are contained in the Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Protection against Injuries Due to Falling Objects. Special stipulations on warning signs are contained in the Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Safety Signs and Warning Signals at Workplaces. Provisions on the illumination of air navigation obstacles are contained in the stipulations on Civil Aviation, BCL-F 2.2 (LFS 1996:2) issued by the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration (Luftfartsverket). Guidance on Section 6 Work at height, and climbing especially, makes heavy demands on physical work capacity. The exposed nature of the worksite and the difficulty of gaining access to it also make it important that sudden, unforeseen illness should as far as possible be avoided. Medical examination is an aid to this end. Chap. 1, Section 3 of the Work Environment Act lays down that a person undergoing training is, e.g. for the purposes of Chap. 4, Section 5 (which addresses medical examination) equated with an employee. This means that medical examination must always precede activities at height on a mast, even if these activities only form part of a training programme 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 prescribed medical examination taking place. It may therefore be appropriate for the parties to agree, preferably in writing, which of them is to make the purely practical arrangements for this medical examination. Guidance on Section 7 The medical examination is intended to prevent the employment on work at height of 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 of forming the basis of a fitness assessment as referred to in Section 9, the anamnesis may need to include: perceived vision, hearing and balance disturbances, use of medical drugs, stimulants, abused substances or doping agents affecting 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, and findings of this kind may therefore need to be followed up by examination in greater depth. Guidance on Section 8 More frequent ECG tests at more advanced age are prompted by the risk of cardiovascular disease increasing quite rapidly from age 45-50 onwards. Workers aged 50 or over therefore need annual ECG heart testing during exertion (= exercise ECG) so as to maximise the discovery of early or latent cardiovascular disease which may constitute a hazard in connection with physical exertion. Guidance on Section 9 So long as the person examined has been informed of the purpose of the examination, there is nothing to prevent the examining physician from informing the employer and supervisory authority of the results, but only with respect to fitness/unfitness for work at height. This requires a record to be kept of the examination results and assessments and measures based on them. Guidance on Section 10 Uncomplicated pregnancy does not automatically disqualify an employee from work at height, but remember the employers duty, under the Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health with Provisions on Pregnant and Breast-feeding Employees, of carrying out a risk assessment. Guidance on Section 11 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 time and, in the event of the business changing hands, to be transferred to the new owner. It should be noted that the employer hiring out and the person outsourcing workers for work at height share a common responsibility for the prescribed recording of medical examinations undergone. It may therefore be appropriate for the parties to agree, preferably in writing, which of them is to be responsible for the purely practical side of this arrangement.

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There is nothing to prevent the register being kept on the employers behalf, for example, by the person carrying out the medical examination, so long as this does not limit the availability of the register to a supervisory authority. Thus an employer who puts the keeping of records out to contract, whether by written agreement or by some other means, must safeguard his right to the registers, e.g. when changing his occupational health service provider or in other such circumstances. Guidance on Section 12 The training which this prescription requires to have been completed before mast work begins for the first time should comprise at least two full working days and should normally cover: work planning, climbing technique, use of fall protective equipment, accident response, removal of injured persons from the mast, hoisting of goods, communication during mast work, equipment and techniques for mast assembly work, and electrical, electromagnetic, meteorological and other hazards connected with mast work. It is essential that the training of workers who will be using special equipment, such a mast lift, in the course of their duties should also include the care and use of such equipment. Training should comprise an appropriately balanced mix of theory and practice and should end with an achievement test. This basic training can be regarded as a minimum requirement for carrying out mast work with acceptable safety, and its content should be tailored to the character of the work planned. Depending on the duties involved, it may subsequently be appropriate for the employee to undergo further theoretical and practical training in relevant fields of knowledge. Important but rarely occurring types of practical work, such as bringing down an injured person from a mast and rendering first aid, may need to be practised recurrently. Before pole work begins for the first time, it is important that the employer verify that the employee possesses the necessary knowledge of working technique and day-to-day materiel maintenance when using pole climbers, physical work load in connection with pole work, use of personal fall protective equipment and bringing down of persons in distress. It is also important for employees working on wooden power utility poles to have a basic knowledge of damage caused by rot, of the pesticides used for decay prevention and how to protect oneself against them, and also of the effect of decay on the mechanical strength of a pole and ways of temporarily securing a decayed pole. Furthermore, the employee needs to be well informed of the procedure for marking dangerous poles in the course of decay inspection. Safe use and care of pole climbers usually requires training. Guidance on Section 13 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 standards have been adopted as Swedish standards. Rules on PPE are contained in the Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Design of Personal Protective Equipment and Use of Personal Protective Equipment. Personal protective equipment which may be relevant to mast and pole work includes:

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Fall arrest systems for falls from a higher level, giving safe and secure arrest after a fall and ensuring that the user remains in the correct position wherever help, if needed, can be awaited. Protective equipment with a supportive and fall protective function for securing the worker in situations where both hands are needed for the work and there is no risk of free fall. Equipment of this kind includes, for example, a belt 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 that the helmet should afford protection, not only against falling objects and the risk of pinch injuries but also against electrical hazards, and that it should be suitable 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 mechanical injuries and chemical hazards and suitable for the prevailing weather conditions. For work on a pole impregnated with creosote oil, the protective clothing and gloves selected must afford protection from contact with the impregnating agent. Replacement of torn gloves is especially important where this 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 the mast or pole without actually climbing it. Guidance on Section 14 Suitable equipment for maintaining contact with personnel on the ground is communication radio equipment of a kind which will not be disturbed, for example, by transmitters in the vicinity (cf. Section 22). Voice-controlled equipment (of the VOX variety) may be preferable in situations where both hands are occupied. Communication between workers engaged in mast or pole work can often be achieved without assistive devices in environments free from noise disruption. Emergency alarm equipment is less easily dispensed with. It is important that a worker who, for example, is left suspended unconscious or disabled in fall protective equipment or suchlike should be observed and relieved without delay. To this end, a device for automatically triggering the alarm in connection with falls may sometimes be needed. Guidance on Section 15 According to information received from the Swedish National Electrical Safety Board, the Provisions of ELSK-FS 1994:7, 706 apply to the feeding of handheld or portable material used on latticework masts if the possibility of a person at work breaking contact with a live mast is limited. This means that a power socket used for connecting such materiel shall either be connected to an SELV system as per 411.1 or be safety separated as per 413.5 in ELSK-FS 1994:7. Guidance on Section 19

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The users daily overhaul of a pole climber ought preferably to comprise cleaning of the footplate and gaffs and inspection for any deformation, cracking, gaff wear or suchlike and examination of the state of the straps. Before climbing a pole it may also be appropriate to test the dependability and gripping capacity of the climbers, 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 of this working equipment and should not use it as a lofting or towing hook or suchlike. It is appropriate for the annual inspection of pole climbers to be carried out by a person appointed by the employer and closely familiar with their use and maintenance. In addition, a pole climber may need to be inspected if it has been subjected to abnormal stress, e.g. by being run over or by falling to the ground from a great height. The climbers should be inspected primarily after careful cleaning, and the inspection 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 a firm 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 defective should be taken out of service immediately and the site management informed. Sharpening of climber gaffs should be carried out in accordance with the manufacturers instructions and by a person trained for the task. Climbers should be discarded if they are deformed, cracked or badly worn and corroded. A climber should be discarded for age reasons when it has been in use for 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 the decision to discard the climber is taken. Guidance on Section 20 Sections 2 and 3 of the Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Internal Control of the Working Environment lay down that the employer shall plan, conduct and monitor the operation in such a way that compliance with the requirements of the Work Environment Act and Provisions issued by authority of the same is assured. Instructions which can appropriately be provided both verbally and in writing include, for example, safety instructions which the employee is duty bound to comply with. Guidance on Section 22 For the promotion of electrical safety in connection with work on high voltage installations, the Swedish National Electrical Safety Board has issued High Voltage Provisions (in ELSK-FS 1994:7), amending Part C, Care of high voltage electrical installations (in ELSK-FS 1997:9).

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Guidance on Section 23 Controlled removal of ice and snow from a structure usually demands special safety precautions. The work environment hazards associated with climatic factors vary considerably according to the geographic location of the worksite, its altitude and general exposure. It is also important to observe that the wind chill effect (i.e. the combined effect of wind and air temperature) can vary most considerably between different levels on a mast. Mast work in cold conditions has been described in a report from the Swedish National Institute for Working Life (Arbetslivsrapport 1999:22, ISSN 1401-2928). If a thunderstorm occurs unexpectedly, personnel on a mast or pole must be able to 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 employee should instead go to a place surrounded by the mast structure and hitch himself to it.

Guidance on Section 24 It follows from the prohibition of work at height as solitary work that the co-worker working or stationed at ground level must be fit and qualified for work at height, so as to be able, if necessary, to go immediately to the relief of an injured person at great height. Guidance on Section 25 Situations where work at height may have to proceed in darkness include, for example, 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 from Section 25. The nature of satisfactory task lighting must be assessed according to the character and extent of the acute work input required. Larger, more qualified tasks usually demand temporary stationary lighting, whereas trivial measures can often be accomplished with the aid of personal lighting of the headlamp variety. Guidance on Section 26 It is important that work at height should proceed on the employees terms as regards 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 isolated poles having suffered impairment of their mechanical strength since the last inspection, due to decay, ground change, mechanical interference, ant attacks, woodpecker damage, lightning strikes, sabotage and vandalism or some other factor. It is therefore important that the person who is to work on a pole should begin by assessing whether the pole appears safe for climbing. Certain outward signs may point to danger. A sound, creosote-impregnated wooden pole emits a solid noise with practically no reverberation when struck with a hammer, while severe 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 pole should be examined where it meets the ground, using an examination instrument or by probing with an awl. It should be noted that a risk of pole fracture can occur if there is a change in the load on the pole, e.g. due to the addition or removal of lines, alteration of struts or suchlike. Guidance on Section 30 A duty of checking regularly for decay (formerly termed decay inspection) also existed under the Ordinance of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health with Provisions on Examination of Power Poles Damaged by Rot, which has 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 the rot very often begins in the surface wood, spreading inwards to the core. In a creosote pole the rot starts inside the pole, close to the boundary between heartwood and sapwood (where the sapwood, which is more prone to decay, is least impregnated), spreading both inwards and outwards. The sound diameter of the salt pole diminishes with the spread of decay, while a major attack of decay will leave the impregnated shell of the creosote pole looking like a tube. Decay is caused by fungi or other micro organisms. Growth is favoured by high moisture content and temperature in the wood and is restrained during periods of ground frost. Brown rot often develops into pocket rot, and the pole may still retain a good deal of its mechanical strength, whereas soft rot generally begins on the outside. Much depends on the region in which the pole is located (i.e. the duration of 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 and creosote poles. In both kinds, the rot generally starts at ground level, spreading downwards in a salt pole but both upwards and downwards in a creosote pole. A salt pole therefore needs to be uncovered to a certain depth for inspection purposes. In a creosote pole, on the other hand, serious damage can normally be detected without exposing the pole. Guidance on Section 31 EBR (Elbyggnadsrationalisering) is an industrial body dedicated to the development and co-ordination of rational working methods in power line construction technology. EBR is run by VAST (the Swedish Power Associations foundation for technical development), Vattenfall and the Association of Swedish Electric Utilities. EBR Standard U 1:87, Inspection of wooden poles damaged by rot, Overhead lines, indicates a suitable routine for inspection, rules for the condemnation of decayed poles and the marking of poles to be remedied, and recommended report forms. It is important that inspection should be carried out in accordance with this routine or in a corresponding manner. Guidance on Section 33 In order to check the setting depth of a pole, it is important to examine the ground surrounding 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 for suspecting the opposite. Subsequent events, however, may have altered the setting depth. The pole may have been pushed upwards by ground frost. The ground level may have been lowered by construction works, ditching, landslips or suchlike. Ground changes may thus result in the pole being set too shallow. Inspection of struts usually means checking for obvious corrosion attacks or other kinds of damage. Special attention should be paid to older struts with no galvanic protection. In the light of practical experience of decay inspection of BIS poles (i.e. poles impregnated with Boliden salt) aged between 20 and 35 years, Sweden has been summarily divided into four large zones. Whereas fewer than 10 per cent were condemned in the northernmost zone, up to 90 per cent were condemned in the southernmost one. Poles in arable ground decayed far more rapidly than poles on forest land. A short period of ground frost also helps to augment decay. Creosote-impregnated poles are more resistant than BIS-impregnated ones (which are no longer being erected) and are equivalent to CCA-impregnated poles. (CCA is an impregnating agent containing copper, chromium and arsenic.) Guidance on Section 35 Marking should be done in such a way that it will be readily noticeable and will have sufficient weather resistance and mechanical strength. Rules on marking are contained in the Provisions of the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health on Safety Signs and Warning Signals at Workplaces. Guidance on Section 36 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 which a pole with a warning sign is to be dealt with.

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