International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)

ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2020): 7.803

Vertigo Testing Model for Ensuring Working at

Height to Prevent Fall from Height of Persons Due
to Acrophobia
Ananta Bhende

Abstract: Falls are among the most common causes of serious work related injuries and deaths. The safety guideline aims to ensure
safety while working at height (more than 1.8 meter height) and protection from fall. The development of a national occupational
health scheme that will allow the construction industry to both monitor the occupational health status of its workforce and also make a
step-change in the health improvement of its two million plus workers is a challenging, yet achievable objective. There is a definite
commitment to the ‘idea’ of a national scheme but progressive steps toward its implementation need to be taken carefully to ensure that
all of the stakeholders needs are considered. The main issues to be addressed are securing the support of the quality providers within
the occupational health community to inevitably change some of their working practices and systems; ensuring that any scheme caters
for all sizes of construction company and not just those with the financial resource to deliver on IT based solutions; and ensuring that
the data held is both managed in accordance with legal requirements and is subject to appropriate quality assurance. Looking to
seriousness and criticality of working at height job in OIL REFINERY like various critical jobs like we deals in day in and out like
stacks painting of more than 100 mtrs, scaffolding erection, Flare line replacement, FCCU stack monitoring or any type of critical
erection activities etc. These all are very critical activities we perform as and when required and during plant shutdown. Working at
Height job is one of the critical activity and not everybody is fit or competent for working at Height job. Some may have acrophobia or
height phobia, contract worker engaged in WAH job are deployed after medical fitness certificate from competent authority i. e. Doctor.
Depend upon health and competency of workers are given training and then tested on Vertigo model which is in-house design and
developed by us to overcome this critical job related issue.

Keywords: Acrophobia, vertigo, working at height, scaffolding, occupational health

1. Introduction to raise the question as to the adequacy of risk assessment

and how fitness for work statements relate
Pre-employment assessment would be expected to be on
the basis of occupational history and experience, and In refinery most of the critical job is working at height and
associated ‘fitness for work’ statements. In this way the accidents took place from fall working at height due to
‘New’ employer might be saved recourse to occupational untrained or height phobia person/s deployed in such job
health advice. It would, however, seem to assume that (e. even after medical fitness report. For double check on that
g.) a ‘bricklayer’ is a ‘bricklayer’ and that declared we have designed and developed a “Vertigo testing
‘fitness to work’ as a ‘bricklayer’ would cover all model” by scrap material available at Gujarat Refinery in
workplace situations. The risk assessment is, however, March 2019. This model is design and developed in house
workplace dependent and a generic ‘fitness for work’ from scrap material and it costing is approx.1 to 1.5 Lakh.
assessment on the job title should not be assumed. In this It is a structure of approx.5 mtr. height, first thing is that
situation an individual could be rejected from employment contract worker/s has to go under initial medical test such
on the basis of a declared ‘unfit for work’ assessment as BP, pulse etc., these test is carried out by the first aider,
from previous employment. This could open the ‘New’ if BP, Pulse rate is in normal condition, then workmen
employer to an action under the Disability Discrimination will be informed to wear all safety equipment/gears such
Act (1995) that would be difficult to defend. On the other as (Harness, helmet, safety shoes etc.) and then to climb
hand an employer might, as a result of past information, on the structure and he has to walk on the 200mm beam 5
take on a worker who subsequently suffers an MTR which is installed on the structure, the same walking
occupational ill health. In this case the ‘New’ employer procedure carried for 1 round on the beam, after coming
would have to accept liability. Furthermore the, perhaps down contract worker/s, again he has to undergo the
false, assumptions imparted by a proposed model in BP/pulse and other medical parameter test to confirm any
respect of a reliance on the advance data and its ability to variation in the body due to height. If all medical
permit ‘adequate’ screening of potential employees may parameters are in normal condition then he is fit to work
actually lead to a threat to the protection of employees on elevated activity, if medical parameter relevant to
through increasing the likelihood that employers would WAH is not in normal condition then he is consider as
engage in activities where risk has not been adequately unfit to work on elevated activity.
controlled. In this scenario the employer could
deliberately fail to minimize risks on the basis that he Details of innovations:
would have a defense in respect of liability through a
previous fitness to work statement from another employer This model is being used for doing Vertigo test of
who had not been so disreputable. In this situation the workmen working under various agencies inside Refinery.
proposed model could cause an employer to abrogate their Purpose of doing vertigo test is to know/confirm the
responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act workmen capability in terms of height phobia which is
(1974). Whilst this might be considered unlikely it serves very important to avoid any untoward incident/accident.

Volume 11 Issue 1, January 2022

www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR22108100618 DOI: 10.21275/SR22108100618 474
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2020): 7.803
Workers engaged in project, shutdown, maintenance carry Brief Description of model:
many Critical/routine activities at height which exposes
the worker to fall from height and may cause serious • In refineries, one of the critical job is working at height
injuries, from this aspect medical fitness of the worker which requires a worker to be physically fit.
especially for WAH is essential. Recently a major • Even after medical fitness test, accident takes place by
shutdown has been completed and Projects jobs are still fall from height due to height sickness as personal
going where thousands of workers are involved including factor.
routine height jobs. During such time this model found • For double check on medical fitness certificate before
most effective & helpful to check the medical fitness of actual start of height job a Vertigo Test Model was
the worker for free from height phobia. If workmen fail to developed in Gujarat refinery for simulation.
perform the test and Doctor certified that he is not medical • Created temporary structures & trial taken on test
fit for working at height job, will not allow for WAH jobs model.
till he will be medical fit for working height job. We • Task observation done and Feedback taken from field
conduct vertigo testing in presence of Doctor and he workmen before preparing engineering drawing for
measure all medical parameters relevant of vertigo /height final test model.
phobia (before and after the test performed) and then test • There were 2-3 trials taken on use of this model for
carried out. If any medical parameters found not meet then Acrophobia testing and then finally the model was
same contract worker/s is not allowed for working at erected with height adjustment.
height job. • Reference was also taken from AERB Safety guidelines
(AERB/SG/IS-4).

Engg Drawing & Full view picture of model:

Practical testing of vertigo test before deploy in Working at Height Job.:

Volume 11 Issue 1, January 2022

www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR22108100618 DOI: 10.21275/SR22108100618 475
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2020): 7.803
Advantages of use of vertigo testing model: - Beam width and length
- Person walking with safety harness-m forward and
It is significant because of following advantages: returning
- Doctor taking BP – pre and post test
1) By conducting vertigo test it is to know/confirm the - Parameters checked by Doctor in Vertigo test
workmen capability in terms of height phobia which - After successful passing of vertigo test contract
is very important to avoid any untoward workers/employee “ V “ tested logo pasted on their I
incident/accident. card for easy identification and people are allowed to
2) Immediate fitness check prior to deploy in Critical job work
of Working at Height.
3) Proactive system of safety awareness for Workers Benefits:
engaged in project, shutdown, maintenance etc.
4) During vertigo test before and after checking the - Safety confidence building in supervisors and engineers
medical parameter like BP, SPO2, PULSE rate etc. and stakeholders.
which confirms whether person is fit for working at - Workers actually come to know about their ability and
job or not. inability for height work and remain alert in future jobs
5) During testing if Doctor declares unfit for WAH job whether in refinery or any other place.
then eliminate the people and act as per Doctor - Person can take medical treatment for deficiencies and
Advice. remain healthy and safe.
6) All the contract workers are not familiar with Critical - Can be deployed in other jobs which is suitable for him.
job like WAH and never exposes in past by - Selecting right person for right job i. e. height job.
conducting this test right person will choose for right - In Nutshell – “Avoidance of fall from height due to
job which enhance the safety among contract workers poor health and achieving ZERO Accidents”.
and eliminate the fall from height injury. - It’s a low cost system designed within refinery.
7) Medical Parameters Checked Before and after test - Sense of satisfaction and positivity among workers.
• Blood Pressure - Enhancement of safety culture among the contract
• SpO2 (Peripheral capillary oxygen saturation, an workers.
estimate of the amount of oxygen in the blood) - Developing behavioral change among Contractors.
• Pulse Rate
• Nystagmus Use of Vertigo Test Model
8) This Vertigo test model helps test and fit the person
for working at job. In construction of more than 50 mtrs and critical height
job, Vertigo testing procedure is followed for worker
Important component wise picture to show in exploded screening and those passed test under medical supervision
view were given a V sticker on their helmet and gate pass/s
stick for ease identification and are allowed to work.
- Wire rope and connectors
- Showing height of walkway beam

Statistics of critical Height job more than 50 mtrs. For Statistics of critical Height job more than 50 mtrs. For
contract workers Employees
Workers undergone Vertigo test 1799 Employees undergone vertigo test 101
Workers Passed in Vertigo test 337 Employees passed vertigo test 99
Workers Rejected in Vertigo test 14 Employees Rejected in Vertigo test 02

References [2] Draft Safety Code For Iron & Steel Sector-Ministry
Of Steel, GoI
[1] Indian oil safety management system for working at [3] Acrophobia and Pathological Height Vertigo:
Height Indications for Vestibular Physical Therapy? Susan L
Whitney, Rolf G Jacob, Patrick J Sparto, Ellen F
Volume 11 Issue 1, January 2022
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR22108100618 DOI: 10.21275/SR22108100618 476
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2020): 7.803
Olshansky, Gail Detweiler-Shostak, Emily L Brown,
Joseph M Furman
[4] Dix-Hallpike Test for Vertigo
[5] Health and Safety at Work Act (1974).
[6] AERB Safety guidelines (AERB/SG/IS-4)

Volume 11 Issue 1, January 2022

www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR22108100618 DOI: 10.21275/SR22108100618 477