Fall protection harnesses are anchoring devices
Telecommunications, utilities, construction, arboriculture, bridgework, oil, gas, and wind energy, and railways are among the many professions that require OSHA and ANSI-certified tethering systems for elevated worksites. Fall protection systems start with harnesses that fit a worker’s shoulders, torso, and hips and provide a weight-distributed yoke with a D-ring anchoring connection in the back. All harnesses feature tough, durable webbed polyester strapping. Most have corrosion-resistant, carbon-steel hardware, including tongue and friction buckles, and include padded shoulder strapping for working comfort.
Lanyards as tethering lines
Fall arrest systems also include lanyards that are the lifeline that tethers workers to the harness and anchor. Three types of lanyards are available. Shock-absorbing lanyards are expandable polyester “spring” lines that expand and contract with the worker’s movement, normally from four to six feet. Lanyards also consist of polyester-webbed or galvanized stainless-steel cable personal fall limiters and self-retracting lifelines. Both have braking mechanisms housed in tough nylon or co-polymer hubs. They arrest falls normally within a foot but then expand another two feet or so to prevent whiplash to the body.
In addition, mobile and static rope grabs, connected to synthetic fiber rope or steel wire cable, are available for use along traversable lifelines. Workers detach and move the grabs along the line as necessary. The grabs have friction brakes for arresting falls. Fall protection kits are available as well, normally consisting of a lightweight harness, shock-absorbing lanyard, and an anchorage device.
A variety of gear for tethering tools
Working on elevated worksites requires having both hands free while maneuvering into different positions. Several fall protection accessories are available to ensure that tools go where the workers position themselves, and that they’re safely secured. Accessories include stretch-cord tool tails™ and swivel loops for hanging tools of different weights, holsters for phones, radios, and essential tools, and pocketed polyester pouches with tool clips. In addition, polyester and polypropylene hoisting ropes are available for handling material, as are dense-dernier polyester hoisting buckets that are nonconductive, and won’t mar structures if they bang up against them during hoisting.
Companies specializing in fall protection
Several companies that specialize in manufacturing OSHA and ANSI-certified safety supplies also manufacture fall-arrest systems and accessories. They include:
- 3M™
- Capital Safety
- Ergodyne
- Honeywell®
Injuries on the job are a by-product of physical work, but many can be avoided with the right equipment and common sense. Create the best opportunity for zero injury incidents by planning and stocking elevated work sites with fall arrest systems from Quill.
