PowerQuick Powered Ascender
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PQ500-1 1-Sep-15
Safe Deployment of the PowerQuick Ascender
Safety elements and climbing information are provided as general guidelines for
informational purposes ONLY and DO NOT supersede Federal, State, or other
requirements or the guidelines of Professional Associations which may have
jurisdiction for your specific industry or in your particular region. Compliance with all
federal, state or local laws or regulations is the responsibility of the user. See Section
18.
11.
Operation Requirements
The PowerQuick is not a fall arrest device and is required to always be used with a secondary fall arrest system
consisting of a safety line and lanyard connected to the operator’s approved harness for fall arrest protection.
11.1.
Required Items
The PowerQuick Powered Ascender access method relies upon the use of the following:
1. An access rope, which allows the operator to safely access the required area.
2. A mandatory safety or backup rope/system, which acts as a fall protection system in the event of failure of the
primary access system. This rope and associated hardware must be used in such a way as to minimize fall distance
to less than 1 foot and to ensure a maximum load to the user or anchorage of 6kN in the event of a fall.
3. Two points of connection must be maintained at all times. There must always be a physical connection to the
backup or safety rope, and may also be a connection to the work rope, the structure etc. Rope access is used as
either permanent systems, such as permanent façade access systems or temporarily in “one off” locations such as
carrying out an inspection on a bridge or tower.
11.2.
Required Practices
This section addresses some of the most critical requirements for use of the PowerQuick Powered Ascender for safe industrial
roped-access. Industrial roped-access is a specialized form of work positioning used to gain access to a workplace by ascending
or descending twin ropes fixed to secured anchorages. The PowerQuick Powered Ascender is used in conjunction with approved
climbing equipment to provide for safe controlled ascent and descent of a person, and tools or equipment.
1. The selection, rigging and checking of all rope access components and assemblies shall comply with OSHA, State
or another applicable International Safety Standards.
2. The employer shall prepare an access permit before beginning rope access work. The access permit shall include,
but not be limited to the following safety objectives:
List the rope access methods to be used for the proposed work.
List the members of the work team by name and identify their duties. (Note: the Rope Access Supervisor shall
assess the individual
team member’s suitability for the work to be performed.)
List the rope access equipment to be used for the work to be performed.
List the hazards associated with the work to be performed.
List appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used.
List provisions for providing security to the anchor.
List public safety provisions.
List the rescue service and the means to summon the rescue service.
3. Persons carrying out this work need to be physically fit and, to ensure safety. They must have a high standard of
training and experienced supervision. Personnel setting up and using such equipment shall be able to demonstrate
their level of expertise and experience. Personnel with training, but without significant experience, should have
experienced close supervision.
An operational emergency system and plan, including any necessary (and compatible) rescue recovery equipment, shall be
immediately available on site and the required persons shall be trained in its use. A minimum of two trained industrial roped-
access operatives shall be present on site at all times while the PowerQuick system is being used. The second person needs to
be present in order to trigger or provide backup and emergency assistance as detailed in the emergency plan. To be effective, the
workers must be in reasonably constant visual contact with one another.
Summary of Contents for PQ 500-1
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