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Fall Protection Systems – Understanding The Essentials
Posted: Oct 08, 2014
There was once a time when the world of construction and field engineering used to belong to the daredevils. People who were ready to wear their hearts on their sleeve and work in dizzyingly dangerous situations would only sign up for the job. Accidents at the workplace were presumed to be commonplace and things even went as far as death for construction workers. Thankfully things have changed on various accounts.
Today, the construction industry is regulated on many fronts, both by the labour department authorities as well as workplace safety laws. Buildings are touching the sky in terms of height and materials being used to make them are becoming more exotic and difficult to handle. Glass and composites do not do much to guarantee a solid base for the construction worker installing them. The workers working at the site of tall buildings are at an increased risk of fall hazards. Companies themselves have become much more responsible when it comes to employee safety and are therefore investing millions of dollars to ensure no accidents occur. One of the many ways in which these aims are achieved is through the use of fall protection systems.
Fall protection systems are necessary not only to meet regulatory standards but also to ensure the fulfilment of a moral responsibility of the employer towards the construction workers. Here is a guide to understanding how they work.
The first component that is used in fall protection systems is the roof anchor that is used to lock the ropes and safety harnesses. These anchors can be fixed as well as moveable and are designed to ensure that workers do not fall or hurt themselves while working on the construction site. They are also used when workers need to hang down the sides of structures in order to complete installations. These anchors are usually manufactured by exclusive steel fabrication and are designed to be used in accordance with specific applications. For example, the moveable roof anchor will obviously be more suitable in case the worker has to hang over multiple platforms. In a similar manner, fixed anchors are suitable to certain other utilities.
The next components are the safety ropes and harnesses that secure the construction worker to the anchor above. The main factors to look for here will be strength and durability. They also need to be reasonably elastic so as to absorb most of the shock of the fall which will ensure that no harm or internal injury is experienced by the construction worker. The harness especially should be comfortable to wear for the workers because they are the ones who will have to wear it all day long. It should also be designed in such a way that it doesn’t get in the way of their work. All these are important factors to look for in fall protection systems.
If you are looking to but these equipments, the internet will be the best place to search. CAISafety.com is one of the more trustworthy sources to procure your fall protection systems from.
About The Author
Brent Owens is a safety expert who works hand in hand with many construction companies across the country to ensure that employees are always protected while at work. He recommends CAISafety.com as the best name to trust for high quality fall protection systems.