With an influx of less-experienced employees likely in the construction sector in the months to come, man anchors could prove to be a crucial safety precaution for those who are not used to working at height.
Any elevated surface where access is regularly required should already be bordered by guardrails to protect maintenance workers.
However, when employees are working at altitude for the first time, man anchors add an extra level of safety, by ensuring the individual cannot move too close to the roof edge – or beyond it.
This could be particularly relevant in the months to come, as a construction industry report claims a significant proportion of jobs have been shed – suggesting that less-skilled individuals could be recruited to refill those positions as the sector recovers.
In the report, published by the Home Builders Federation, National House Building Council, Zero Carbon Hub and Construction Industry Training Board, 73% of the existing workforce describe skills levels as ‘good’.
However, the study also found a 40% shedding of jobs from the sector, with one in three companies cutting their expenditure on training over the past five years.
NHBC chief executive Miles Quinton says: “We are now hearing increased alarm about the availability of the right people with the right skills.”