Occupational safety is primary to ensuring a productive and positive workplace. Ensuring that all aspects of workplace safety are present and implemented properly is the responsibility of every business owner. The safety of a company’s workforce not only comes in the form of providing the right knowledge and training but also by ensuring that the right equipment is present at the work site and all protocols are followed meticulously.
This is especially needed at workplaces where employees work at heights, such as at a construction site or general industry workplaces. Over 30% of accidents leading to fatalities on the jobsite are fall related injuries.
At such sites, fall protection systems like harnesses are often relied on to ensure safety. However, they aren’t the only things to be taken into consideration. It is also important to understand each and every aspect of fall protection and what all things are needed to ensure complete fall protection.
Types of Fall Protection
Fall protection is used across industry and they are broadly categorized into three types:
- Fall arrest: These protect workers at heights
- Fall restraints: These are used when workers operate on the edge of a hazard
- Fall prevention: These minimize the risk by charting out a proper safety plan when working at heights
The ABCs of Fall Protection
Most people’s knowledge about fall protection ends with using a harness. However, the ABCs of fall protection are three more important aspects that every employer and employee must be well-versed with. Anchorage, body support and connectors add a comprehensive layer of protection to workers. Knowing them can ensure that no accidents occur at a workplace. Let’s look at them in detail:
Anchorage
Anchors or anchor points are secure points of attachment. They can vary depending on the industry, job type or type of installation and structure, but they are an integral part of worker safety.
It can either be a structural anchor like an I-beam, or concrete structure or a connector that is specifically made for fall protection. It is this anchor that workers attach themselves to, providing the main strong point for their personal fall arrest system.
They should be installed in such a way that they have the capability of supporting the intended loads and delivering sufficient safety factors for fall arrest.
Body Support
This is usually a full-body harness that distributes the fall forces on the upper thighs, pelvis, shoulders and chest. They are the provider of a connection point to the workers working at heights. Earlier, harnesses were considered a type of body wear suitable to work in fall arrest.
However, these are no longer considered appropriate and only full-body harnesses are recommended to be used. Full-body support systems use a D-ring to hook the workers into the fall protection system. Such harnesses are made of fire-proof and non-conductive material to provide complete protection.
Connectors
These are shock-absorbing lanyards or self-retracting lifelines that connect the worker’s harness to the anchorage point. These protect workers from falling into a hazard, so they should be short and have a shock-absorbing functionality to minimize the impact of the fall. These must be made of dependable material and must be checked regularly to ensure they function properly.
A Deeper look into Fall Protection – The DEFs
Looking further into fall protection, the DEFs (descent and rescue, education, and fall protection for tools) are equally important. Let’s look at them in detail.
Descent and Rescue
Having a rescue plan is important or, at least the workers must be equipped with personal fall arrest systems so that they can rescue themselves. This is where descent and rescue equipment comes into the picture.
These systems include ascenders and descenders that help workers get to safe positions either by themselves or with the help of others. To properly use this equipment, some form of training might be required, so employers must ensure it is provided to all users.
Education
Just as how important it is to use fall protection equipment, it is equally important to have the right knowledge about them and how to use them. It is important for users to clearly understand the requirements of fall clearance and how the equipment is designed and how they actually extend, tear apart, and sometimes deform to absorb fall force.
One great way to knowing everything about personal fall arrest systems and how to best use them is through training programs and a fall protection plan. Several fall protection training programs are available that employers can provide to their workforce and ensure they remain safe while being productive.
Fall Protection for Tools
Workplace safety is not just about safeguarding workers from falling from a height but also providing workers and visitors from falling objects and other dangerous equipment, a common occurrence at construction sites. Fall protection for tools is something that every employer needs to consider.
These types of fall arrest systems are similar to fall protection of workers with anchorage, connectors, body support, etc. where objects are secured to prevent fall hazards.