Safety Components for Effective Fall Prevention

Fall protection safety of workers at job sites is one of the main concerns of employers. A typical system contains certain components like anchors, support for the body, and connecting parts that together create a strong safety network minimizing the hazards of working at heights. Besides these, the supervisors also cannot ignore the other crucial aspects of taking care of fallen workers like,

• retrieval
• rescue
• descent

Here are the main components for effective fall prevention that everyone should know about:

A. Body harness: these refer to straps secured on employees to distribute forces of fall arresting over shoulders, thighs, chest, waist and pelvis by attaching it with the other components using D-rings. Before wearing the body harnesses it is important to inspect it minutely to ensure proper working, otherwise it will fail its basic purpose during crunch time. As per the regulations, it is important to undertake semiannual formal inspections as well as keep tags of the last inspection date on the harness. It is important to know that harnesses do not lend themselves to repair so you will need to maintain them on a regular basis to keep them in the best working condition. Clean them with warm water and mild detergent to remove the excess water and then suspend it with D-ring and let it dry naturally. In case of any kind of damage, it is important to replace it without further delay.

B. Connectors: as the name indicates, these components connect the other parts of fall protection systems. It can be something independent like the carabineer or like the d-rings with harnesses or snap hook with lanyards as integral components. When choosing the connectors it is important to look for presence of locking features that prevent accidental unclipping. Variations of these components are carabineers or snap hooks. Store them in a dry place after wiping them clean.

C. Lanyards: these refer to flexible straps with connectors at ends working as an attachment between anchorage point and body harnesses. Similar to the body harnesses it is important to go for formal or semiannual inspections along with thorough checking before every use. The shock absorbing varieties reduces shock associated with the fall so it is important for the workers to use them at the job site. Self-retracting varieties work as deceleration devices and contained drum-wound line. Whenever a fall occurs, automatic locking of the drama occurs and this arrests the fall of the worker. These also offer additional mobility. Use mild detergent and warm water for cleaning and let it hang for drying up naturally. Exposure to excessive heat is not good for lanyards nor is contact with direct sunlight. So keep them in a cool place when not in use.

D. Anchorage: these are designed, engineered attachment points related to lanyards, harnesses, and various deceleration devices. It is important that your Anchorage is able to sustain a pull force of 5000 lb for every person tied with this.

For best equipments and guidelines for fall protection, visit the website Caisafety.com.

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.