Tower Rescue – Advanced Operator

This course provides candidates with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform vertical rope rescue techniques from towers, masts and structures using technical rope rescue equipment.

• Candidates learn several rescue techniques, including self-rescue. These techniques equip students to deal with possible emergencies that may arise due to the varying workplaces that tower workers may face in everyday working environments.

Course objectives

By the end of the course, the student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of:

• Identification and assessment of hazards.

• Selecting a harness, pre-use inspection, donning and properly fitting the harness.

• Selecting fall protection equipment, pre-use checks and operation.

• Selecting appropriate rescue equipment, pre-use checks and operation.

• Rescue team roles are appropriately selected.

• Communication is maintained and clear throughout rescue exercises.

• Establish and monitor anchors.

• Assess and monitor the casualty.

• Archer systems checks.

• Carry out isolation procedures.

• Involvement of external emergency services.

• Record keeping.

The student will also be able to demonstrate the following skills:

• Complete a safe work method statement (SWMS).

• Set up an exclusion zone.

• Placement of rescue equipment.

• Controlling hazards to rescuer, victim and others.

• Removing the victim to a safe location.

• Pre-use inspection off all arrest equipment

• Selecting and correctly fitting a harness and performing buddy checks.

• Maintain safe approach distances (SADs).

• Correct rigging of anchorage straps.

• Correct restraint techniques.

• Correctly using an industrial rescue kit.

• Clean up of work area.

Course assessment

• The trainer will assess a student’s competency in this course, both theoretically and practically.
• The theory assessment consists of multiple choice and short answer questions.

The practical assessment will require students to demonstrate:

• Hazard identification discussion and the completion of an SWMS documentation.

• Selecting, inspecting, putting on and correctly fitting a full-body harness.

• Performing pole top rescue techniques to retrieve suspended or injured workmates on pole tops who need assistance to get to a safe area.