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Anybody that comes in even the briefest of contact with the world of occupational safety knows that fall protection is a hot topic. There are blogs, social media groups, and even entire companies dedicated to it. While some topics are treated as an elective within an OSHA 10 or 30-hour...
At what height is fall protection required?
Every safety professional wishes there was a simple answer. One height across all tasks and industries would certainly make enforcement easier, but this is not the case. OSHA’s intent is to keep people safe across most industries, however, keep in...
Employee safety should be a top priority in any company. Apart from the obvious heartache associated with worker deaths and injuries, workers who are injured on the job could sue the company for financial damages. They may also be less productive when they do return to work. Therefore, it...
Extension ladders: who hasn’t used one to access the roof of their home, praying every moment that it won’t fall back, slip to the side, or just buckle under your weight? A tool so common can still be extremely dangerous and the facts are alarming:
During fall arrest your body needs a way to reduce the amount of force, and that happens through a shock pack. Shock packs can be added to your personal fall protection system as an extension lanyard, and as part of a single or double leg lanyard. In addition, shock packs can also be ...
Even with the best of intentions, Self-Retracting Lifelines (e.g. SRL’s) can cause more injuries than almost any other kind of fall protection when they aren't used properly. Using an SRL gives the feeling of extra assurance because you’re clipped in, however, if proper measures are not...
Nothing could be worse in safety than a false sense of security. Somebody who believes they are protected by a certain piece of equipment might take more chances – even unknowingly – than they would if they believed they had no protection at all. Yet, we see it every day: an unsecure...
In the world of safety, falls are one of the major causes of fatal injuries. It is the number one killer in construction alone. Something many people in the safety industry are unaware of, is that in the past decade, 43% of all fall fatalities have involved a ladder. Yet, tell an employee...
Not all safety harnesses are created equal.
It is easy to think that because a harness has ANSI stamped on it that it will be safe and compliant with OSHA. That is not necessarily the case. How do we assure that the harness we purchase is currently designed to hold my weight and body...
In order for a roof parapet to provide adequate fall protection, a roof parapet railing should be at least 42" in height. Unfortunately, many buildings get close to this height without quite meeting the height required by OSHA to provide fall protection. There are several solutions to...
Ladders tend to be one of those tools that get taken for granted because they are used so often in the home. Therefore, sometimes ladder safety gets as much consideration at work as it does at home, which is to say: zero. That needs to change. In a recent CDC article, it was noted...
Every time you or your team access a rooftop you should take precautions and avoid hazards and dangerous situations. We all need a reminder about what specifically to look out for, so we've compiled this list of the top 10 hazards you should be aware of before you access a rooftop.
Back when I began in the field of safety, self-retracting lifelines (SRLs) were frowned upon by workers, not because the function wasn’t preferable, but because they were big, bulky, and very heavy. Over time, things have changed. Technology has improved. And while the cumbersome...
Fall hazards are abundant and varied, making them difficult to protect against. Every single situation is different and employers need to work with employees to ensure that the correct solution is in place. The solutions may be easy or they may be complex but, either way, we have the...
One of the most versatile pieces of fall protection equipment is the double tie off lanyard, also known as the Y-lanyard. This new breed of lanyard has become a popular choice among safety professionals in recent years. The Y-lanyard attaches two lanyard legs to a shock absorber and snap...
Falling while working at height represents the leading cause of death and injury in both construction and general industry. Experience has shown us that people seem to be making the same fundamental mistakes while managing work at height. We will share our observations in an effort to develop...
Calculating fall clearance is not as simple as some may lead you to believe. If done incorrectly, anyone who uses the system could be at risk of severe injury or death.
Having a basic understanding of how to calculate fall clearance will help you know when to hire a qualified person and when...
For those unfamiliar with the hierarchy of controls, a tiered approach to solving problems might seem alien. Even for the initiated, some aspects of the hierarchy can be confusing. So, rather than just tell you what the hierarchy is at face value, let’s take a more in-depth look at...
One of the most neglected aspects of Fall Protection is the rescue and retrieval plan. Sure, you've selected your harnesses and lanyards, debated the feasibility of railings, and calculated your fall distance, but what do you intend to do once the worker has fallen? While the worker is...
Updated on December 20, 2018 by Josh Borowiec
Rooftop fall protection seems to be one of the most confusing regulations.
Given the amount of different scenarios, it's easy to miss an important detail – or at least misinterpret one. So, here’s a quick and easy by-the-numbers guide...
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