Airbags - Irish Rope Access&Safety Consultants

AirBags


		The Airbag safety system is comprised of inter linked modular air mattresses. The modules are connected by push connectors and or flexible couplings and are inflated by a pump driven fan, which can be electric, petrol, or butane gas powered. As the individual Airbags fill with low-pressure air they expand together to join and form a continuous protective safety surface, this gives a cushioned soft fall arrest. While the design avoids putting unnecessary pressure in newly formed masonry the modules are manufactured in a range of standards sizes, which with simple planning allow for configuration in any house design, large commercial or industrial projects. Side netting can also be provided to address the problems of leading edge protection and roll out. The fall arrest system is designed to minimize injuries and fatalities due to falls from height on construction, Civil engineering, maintenance and refurbishment projects.

Airtek Ireland representative
Irish Rope Access is the representative for the Airbag system in the Republic of Ireland

Airtek Ireland aims to provide the construction industry with the means to significantly reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries caused year in, year out, by falls from height.

The Airbag's used in conjunction with cover sheets have successfully restrained the impact of human subjects falling from heights of 4 to 7 meters above the construction floor. In these tests the subjects incurred no personal injuries. Destruction of the air bags was attempted by dropping an 85 kg mass from 16 meters; the drop was successfully restrained with no damage to the Airbag.

The Airbag system is easy to install and 100 sq meters of fall protection with working platform can be installed and ready for business in one hour, it can be de-installed and removed in 30 mins.

Airbag Safety System by Irish Rope Access

"Many designers viewed the safety harness as the panacea for protection against all work at height risks, without giving any consideration to the possibility of eliminating work at height, reducing the risk through the use of work platforms with good standards of edge protection, or providing more collective forms of fall protection such as nets or air bags".

Nic Rigby: HSE Construction Inspector
HSE press release 2 May 2003

The Airbag modular 'soft fall' arrest system is designed to minimise injuries and fatalities due to falls from height on construction, civil engineering, maintenance and refurbishment projects

A series of exhaustive tests have been carried out in conjunction with the Building Research Establishment. These have involved the use of hard body impactors, simulated human dummies and live human subjects. The testing is ongoing in order to enhance system development.

The Airbag modules, used in conjunction with cover sheets, have successfully restrained the impact of human subjects falling from heights of 4-7 metres above the construction floor. In these tests no personal injuries were incurred by the subjects.

"Every employer, in selecting work equipment for use in relation to work at height, shall give collective protection measures priority over personal protection measures".

Safety Health & Welfare at Work (Work at Height) Regulations 2006

Reference and further information relating to collective protection can be sought in the new "Code of Practice for Safety in Roofwork" issued on 25 th August 2005.