Working underground driving Cat AD55's and 55B's all was good, the access was under the prescribed 1.8M , we couldn't climb up and wash the tub out on the ejectors or wash the windows because someone on another site fell off an Atlas Copco MT6020, (figure that out if you can, the Atlas has rubber mudguards where the Cat has steel guards with non slip surfaces and hand rails). All this ended though when an AD45B joined the fleet. I don't know what Cat was thinking when they designed the evil little machine, but access was terrible in comparison. Steps didn't line up with the natural access position and the door didn't open as wide as it should. The inevitable occurred and an operator fell backwards out of the truck, flat on their back. Cue the whole mine shutting while the underground ambulance transported the operator to the surface etc. The truck was then moved to the naughty corner, (tagged out), until it was deemed safe for one of us to tram it to the surface where it was again placed in the naughty corner for three days while all sorts of clipboard carriers walked around it, performing some sort of exorcism one could only imagine.
The end result? The door still doesn't open as wide as it should, (easily fixed I might add), the steps still don't line up well, (hard to do much as it is a design issue), but all drivers of the said truck must read and sign a JSEA before driving said truck. So now if one takes a swan dive, a friendly EHS staffer can say, well we warned you of the risks and controls and you did sign to say you would take all care and not fall out. Real safety? Not likely. All C.A.R.E. though. (Cover A#$e Retain Employment).
We also have to wear fall arrest harnesses in man baskets, however the maximum height we can reach and the combined length of lanyards etc, mean we will probably still hit the ground if we fall anyway. Personally I believe the harnesses are a greater hazard because with two working aloft, the lanyards do a beauitful macrame impression and we end up like a dog tethered to a pole who has run around it too many times.
As long as there are non slip steps, handrails and three points of contact are maintained you shouldn't have too much worry with your scraper access. Most companies that have such strict rules will usually have a procedure that you read and then sign off on, so until you sign something, you are not officially aware of it and have not agreed to it.
