Recognising its responsibilities as a fall hazard safety provider, Secorp is dedicated to safety in the workplace.

Through ethical working standards and an uncompromising attitude in customer satisfaction, Secorp strengthens its objectives and aims to enhance fall protection standards throughout the oil and gas industry.
Secorp first came to Doha a little over 15 years ago. Starting off as a hydrogen sulphide (H2S) safety provider, today Secorp is in the final stages of being awarded ISO 9000, 14000 and 18001 accreditation – and is expected to get the certificate by the end of October this year.
“In addition to the ISO accreditation, Secorp Industries is the only authorised certified repair facility in Qatar - and one of only two in the Middle East – for DBI/Sala/Protecta,” says Bill Mills, the vice president of international operations.
He continues: “We are proud to have a turnaround time of less than 48 hours after approval to fully inspect, service, repair, condition and certify a block to DBI/Sala specifications. Our Sala technicians – as well as myself – have all been to Red Wing, Minnesota, US, for two weeks of intensive training, instruction and certification at DBI/Sala’s facility. We have all the specialty tools required for proper servicing of these products.”
Secorp keeps a vast inventory of more than 160,000 parts. All parts are bought directly from DBI/Sala with full traceability and manufacturing conformity reports for all parts used. All needed materials are as per specifications from DBI/Sala. In other words where the service manuals state “Lubriplate Gear Shield Extra Heavy”, that is what Secorp uses, not anything else, says Mills.
“All work is done in-house except for sandblasting and repainting of the housing which is sub-contracted out. Nothing else is farmed out. This is not the cheapest way to repair and maintain blocks, but it is by far the safest and best way and as far as Secorp Industries is concerned, it is the only answer,” says Mills.
He continues: “We charge a  diagnostic, inspection and tear down fee on every block delivered to Secorp. If the repair is approved or a replacement block is purchased through Secorp, then this fee is waived. We do this in order to reduce the turnaround time. The day we receive a block, it is torn down, inspected and diagnosed and then quoted for approval or non-approval. There can be anywhere from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in savings, by repairing a fall block as opposed to purchasing a new one.
“Secorp does not use galvanised parts or cables. If a 3403400 block for service (50’ SRL with galvanised cable, brass hook) is sent, the customer will essentially get back a 3400006 (50’ SS cable and hook) if we have to replace the cable and hook. We do not use the galvanised parts for two reasons: enhanced worker safety – for the personnel using the blocks – and better inventory control. Galvanised has very little use and durability versus stainless steel here in the Middle East and we are able to keep more parts in stock by eliminating it. It is for the same reason that we also use only SS hooks - which have no brass.”
Secorp administers tests and repairs of the highest calibre and its certification is in accordance with guidelines set down by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards, thereby providing professional excellence.
Various applicable legislations require documentation on fall protection systems. Secorp provides a paper trail that includes all the necessary documentation required on the system being repaired.
Fall arrest blocks
A fall arrest block comprises a retractable lifeline made of wire rope, webbing or synthetic fibre rope which is stored on a reel within a protective housing. The reel is spring-biased so as to wind the retractable lifeline in, which ensures that it is always under a light restraining tension and there is the shortest possible length between the housing and the user.
The reel incorporates an inertia brake mechanism which allows the lifeline to be slowly extracted and automatically retracted to accommodate the user’s body movements..
In the event of a fall, the lifeline is rapidly pulled out of the housing until it reaches a critical velocity (the “lock-on speed”) at which point the brake locks and a clutch mechanism decelerates the user over a short distance.
Simple versions of retractable type fall arresters are available which have a maximum working length of 2.4 m. These devices are sometimes known as mini-blocks. These devices work in the same way as normal fall arrest blocks and based around a car seat belt type mechanism, but they do not contain an integral energy absorbing capability.
The working length of fall arrest blocks is usually up to 50 m, measured as the distance from the bearing point of the housing connector to the bearing point of the swivel hook when the lanyard is fully extended. Blocks offering longer working lengths are larger and heavier.
Retractable type fall arrester should conform to European standard EN 360, which requires an ultimate tensile strength of 15 kN for devices with wire rope lifelines and 22 kN for synthetic lifelines.
So, when should fall arrest blocks be used?
When used correctly, fall arrest blocks are particularly suitable for situations where there is limited clearance below the place of work. The lifeline is always at the optimum minimum length and the device reacts quickly to arrest the user in the event of a fall.
Fall arrest systems prevent personnel from falling in construction sites, factories, and other industrial locations. They can be installed and configured to work horizontally, vertically, overhead, or along specific inclines.  There are different types of fall arrest systems. Examples include personal fall arrest systems, fall protection systems, roof fall arrest systems, safety cable and harness systems, tie offs, and railings.
• A personal fall arrest system consists of connectors, a body belt, body harness or lanyards.
• A fall protection system is used in construction activities where the work to be performed is at a height greater than six feet.
• A roof fall arrest system is used on rooftops for maintenance, inspection, and repair tasks.
• A safety cable and harness system allows a falling worker to drop several feet before arresting the fall.
• Tie offs are tied at or above the D-ring point of the belt or harness worn by a worker.
• Railings and floor grating systems are basic fall arrest systems that prevent personnel from falling from platforms.
Applications for fall arrest systems include power transmission, telecommunication, computer, and aerospace applications. Many fall arrest systems adhere to guidelines from OSHA.

active and Passive protection
Fall protection systems are classified as either passive or active.
Passive fall protection consists of components and systems that do not require any action on the worker's part and include: general all-purpose nets, personnel nets and debris nets These devices have a wide range of applications. Once properly installed, passive fall protection can protect the individual 100 per cent of the time. However, they require a qualified person to design and inspect them.
Active fall protection is made up of components and systems that require some manipulation by the worker to make the protection effective. These systems are divided into two general types, a positioning system or a fall arrest system.
A positioning system restrains the elevated worker and prevents him from getting into a hazardous position where a fall could occur. The positioning system also has the added advantage of allowing hands-free work.
A fall arrest system, is used when a worker is at risk of falling from an elevated position.
Both systems have three components: anchor points, body harnesses or belts, and connection devices, which can be simply be remembered as the A-B-Cs.

Remembering the A-B-Cs
‘A’ is for anchor point: The critical component in all active fall protection – the anchor point – is the position on an independent structure to which the lanyard is securely attached. Supervisors and workers must analyse all hazards below and to the side of the anchor point to ensure that a falling worker does not strike or swing into any obstacles. The strength, location, and design must allow the worker enough mobility to perform the job.
‘B’ is for body harness/belt: A body harness fits around the employee's torso and is attached at the centre of the wearer's back to a lanyard and then to the anchor. A body harness is used in fall arrest systems. In the event of a fall, the body harness will distribute the force of the impact throughout the trunk of the body--not just the abdominal area. Belts are used in positioning system applications when you want to restrain the worker in position. This type of device shall not be used for any work in which a vertical free fall is possible.
‘C’ is for connecting device: A connecting device attaches the body harness or belt to the anchor point. A connecting device can be a lanyard or a lifeline. Lanyards can be used in both fall arrest systems and positioning systems. Lanyards may also have a shock-absorbing feature built-in that reduces the potential fall arrest force.
Lifelines allow the worker to move along the length of the line rather than having to disconnect and find a new anchor point. Lifelines are usually used in conjunction with rope grabs. As long as tension is slack on the lifeline, the worker may move. If a fall occurs, the tension on the rope grab triggers an internal mechanism to arrest the fall.

Inspections and maintenance
Fall protection system devices (harnesses, belts, lanyards) should be inspected prior to each use and defective equipment removed from service immediately. In addition, personal fall arrest systems and their components that have arrested a fall should be removed from service and not used again until inspected by a qualified person.
Inspection of fall-protection body harnesses is mandatory by the ANSI standards for fall protection gear and by OSHA regulations. This applies to fall-arrest, fall-restraint, and retrieval harnesses.