ASEA SEC 02


EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON FALL PROTECTION DURING BRIDGE MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT WORKS ON FRP INSPECTION PLATFORM

KATSUTOSHI OHDO, YASUMICHI HINO, HIROKI TAKAHASHI


Abstract

Accidents from falls are a serious problem in the construction industry in Japan, where approximately 40% of fatal construction accidents are caused by falls. FRP inspection platforms are used for fall protection during bridge maintenance and management works. These structural elements are usually set on the side of an abutment for the inspection of the joint located between the abutment and a bridge girder. The hook of a safety belt is then fastened onto the guardrail of a platform when work is executed at a high location. Nevertheless, the degree of platform safety remains uncertain because of the properties of the FRP platform. In this study, therefore, the safety of a platform was experimentally confirmed through the use of 75- and 85-kg sandbags and a 100-kg human dummy. Results show that platform safety improved, as indicated by the sandbags remaining firmly attached to the hook latched onto a platform railing when they were dropped during the experiment.

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