National Safety Month – Fall Protection and the ABC’s of Fall Safety

Fall Safety ABC’s

With June being National Safety Month, we at Tanner want to highlight some potential safety concerns you will typically find on jobsites on a daily basis. To start things off we will talk about Fall Protection and working at heights. When working at heights even the smallest misstep can lead to serious injury or even death. In 2013 one out of every 5 fatalities was in the construction industry and more than a third of those deaths came from falls. Here at Tanner we believe most, if not all of these deaths could have been prevented if they followed the simple Fall Safety ABC’s.

A typical Personal Fall Arrest System is made up of the ABC’s of Fall Safety, which are (A) Anchors, (B) Body Support, (C) Connectors, and (D) Descent and Rescue. Together these components form a complete system for maximum safety of the worker using them.

A – Anchors

Anchors are necessary for a secure point of attachment and MUST be able to support the intended load attached to them. Anchor connectors vary by industry, type of installation and structure.

A simple yet versatile and safe concrete anchor solution is the 2104560 Concrete D-Ring Anchor. This re-usable anchor can be used for temporary or even permanent applications. It features a safe “hook-up” indicator to notify the user if the anchor has been installed properly. This 5,000 lb. rated connection point swivels 360 degrees, is OSHA compatible and meets or exceeds all applicable industry standards.

B – Body Support

Body Support is typically a full body harness; these harnesses distribute fall forces evenly over the upper thighs, pelvis, chest and shoulders. Many of our harnesses that we sell can be used on most jobs, but DBI Sala also manufactures harnesses designed for specific industries such as construction, oil and gas, transportation, and wind industry. DBI Sala harnesses have rightfully earned the reputation for maximum comfort, freedom of motion, and ease of use. Along with attributes designed to please the user, these harnesses also meet OSHA and ANSI standards, including the stringent ANSI Z359.1.

One of our best selling products is our (2199802) Compliance in a Can Light. In this kit features Protecta Pro gear which provides greater comfort and added safety. This leads to reduced worker fatigue and increased productivity. Each and every Protecta Pro Lanyard now features a 3,600 lb. gated hook meeting ANSI Z359. All during June and National Safety Month we have a special low price of $64.50 for this kit. Kit contains: A (1191995) 5-point FIRST Full Body Harness and a (1341001) Single-Leg Shock Absorbing Lanyard.

C – Connectors

Connectors attach to the users full body harness as well as the anchorage point. Connectors can either be a Lanyard or Self Retracting Lifeline (SRL). When using a lanyard as part of a fall arrest system, it must contain an energy absorbing unit that limits fall arrest forces during a fall to less than 1,800 lbs. (8kN). For extra safety most designs keep forces below 900 lbs. (4kN). Shock absorbers either come in pack or tubular styles depending on the user’s preference. SRL’s automatically extend and retract allowing the user to move about at normal speeds within a designated working area. SRL’s are designed to always keep tension on the lifeline to reduce dragging, snapping, and potential tripping hazards. If a fall does occur, a speed-sensing brake will activate, stopping the fall and reducing the forces imposed on the user to safe levels.

Our best selling self retracting lifeline is the (AD111A)  from Capital Safety. The Protecta Rebel 11’ web SRL features a 1” polyester web lifeline with steel snap hook, swiveling anchorage point, and anchorage carabiner. Protecta Rebel SRLs are built with super-tough yet lightweight composite housing designed to last and provide an economical fall protection solution without compromising safety or performance.

D – Decent & Rescue

Decent and Rescue devices may not be used all the time, but they are a necessity and can mean the difference between life and death in a worse case scenario.  These devices are necessary when working in a confined space and the user needs to be lowered and raised out of the confined working area. They are also necessary for more serious events such as when a fellow worker has fallen and needs to be rescued. In this scenario every second counts, which is why a reliable, quick and efficient rescue and descent system is necessary. Automatic rescue and decent systems usually require much less training than user controlled systems, but they are also less adaptable to multiple tasks. Careful consideration of the working environment should be taken into account when selecting a rescue and decent system.

The DBI Sala Rollgliss R250 Pole Rescue Kit is ideal for use as a peer rescue system in industrial environments. The system is extremely simple, yet completely safe and efficient. It will enable the rescuer to remove a person from danger without putting themselves at risk by descending to them. Unlike many industrial rope access rescue systems, the Rollgliss™ R250 rescue kit is easy to operate allowing everyone to use it, no specialized rescue skills are required. To use the system you simply find an anchorage point on the structure that is above the person to be rescued. The kit contains a small number of pre-assembled components that enables the rescue to be completed in a few simple steps.