Understanding Fall Protection Systems

1. Article 2: Caisafety.com UNDERSTANDING FALL PROTECTION SYSTEMS Ever wondered how it feels like to work at a height, falling from where can become a question of one’s life? Ever thought how is it to be hung from the façade of a building to clean it? One thing is real clear about jobs that require such valour is that it involves risk - risk of life. And many workers believe that they have time to regain their balance before they fall — this is not always true. One may not have time to grab hold of something safe always, but one can still prevent a tragedy. A properly maintained and worn safety belt or full body harness attached to a secure anchor could save one’s life in case of any such unforeseen event. Gladly, these days fall arrest systems have become mandatory for any works where there is a possibility of a fall from 3m (10ft) or where a fall from a lesser height may result in serious injury. These fall restraint systems prevent one from falling in varied possible scenarios. There are work-positioning systems which uses either safety belts or full body harnesses that attach the user to an anchor and leave both of his hands free to work. Also travel-restriction systems of guardrails or personal fall protection equipment are used to prevent the user from travelling to an edge from where one may fall. Also, fall protection systems protect one after a fall by stopping the descent before the person hit the surface below! For this, full body harnesses are connected by lanyards or lifelines to secure fall arrest anchors and safety nets are also used for the same. Nowadays a range of fall protection systems from passive solutions like guardrails, safety gates, and gangways to active fall restraint and fall arrest systems like anchors and horizontal lifelines are available in markets to provide the full assurance of safety to its users and to companies for their employees. Companies in the market provide assistance to determine the best type of fall protection system that will suit ones safety and production needs. For example, the selection of a suitable anchor depends on whether you want to restrain or arrest a fall. If you want to prevent or restrain yourself from falling, your anchor must be capable of supporting at least 3.5 kN (800 lb.). If you want to arrest a fall, your anchor must be capable of supporting at least 22 kN (5,000 lb.). Alternatively, when the potential arrest forces are known, an anchor that is capable of supporting the equivalent of two times the maximum arrest force generated by a falling worker is acceptable. All this detail is unknown to a layman and thus should be resolved by the expert’s opinion. The best part is the customised solutions are available! Experts first understand company’s application and then work with them to implement a successful fall protection and fall arrest system. And fall protection services including custom engineering, manufacturing, and installation, training and annual certification services! To know more about OSHA fall protection, visit 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.