As we enter the New Year, it’s an ideal time to assess the state of our lives and where we’re going. It’s not a secret that falls are the most frequent cause of death in the field of construction for longer than we’d like to think about and fall protection (training or not) is on the to Save Ya Roofing Top Ten list of violations for a long time. There’s a way to say that we’re not doing this right. Here are ten points to keep in mind that will aid you in your efforts to avoid falls.

Plan Ahead for Fall Protection

My experience is that failure to give employees proper fall protection comes from the lack of planning. When we look at the next work, review plans, devise an appropriate, safe method for fall protection, acquire the equipment, educate our workers and then implement our plans correctly and properly, our employees are likely to be secure. But, when we allow fall protection for the last minute field-based decisions, it’s very rare that the right equipment is in place or workers aren’t experiencing the stress of a busy schedule and, if there’s no suitable solution, they go to work. Sometimes the workers at the site have access to equipment and desire be doing the right thing, however they don’t know what precisely, the “right thing” is. Finding the right anchor points and making sure fall clearances aren’t things that an untrained individual can do correctly. All of this can be taken care of when we design.

Know What is New

We might be able to stay safe however we won’t be a good citizen without knowing what the newest requirements for regulatory compliance are. The rule included specific fall protection guidelines specifically for General Industry that had previously been included within the construction regulations. Prior to the publication of this rule, General Industry regulations did not cover such issues such as Personal Fall Arrest Systems (PFAS). In addition, other fall protection modifications were introduced including the provision for the creation of a designated area for roof work and the new regulations for fall protection for fixed ladders. People working in warehousing, manufacturing and other fields that are governed by the 29 CFR 1910 must be aware of the rules when working at the heights of.

Know What Applies

In relation to General Industry and Construction regulations it is vital to be aware of the standards that apply to you, and to be mindful that your business operations are subject to multiple sets of rules. It’s not unusual to see a company that is in compliance with construction regulations most of the time, but must follow general industry standards at instances. One example could be mechanical companies that do new HVAC installations, but also provides maintenance services for these units later on. New installations are covered in compliance with the 29 CFR of 1926 and maintenance services would fall under the 29 CFR 1910. It is crucial to know this for fall protection when it is as easy as knowing the amount of height you must to be protected varies between the two regulations. But knowing what is applicable to you could go more in depth than the distinction between construction or. the general industrial sector. Certain companies know the standards that apply, yet don’t understand or ignore the application of the standards. For instance, I’ve had to deal with a variety of steel erection businesses that try to inform me or my staff, that no one on their team must wear fall protection for more than 30′. That isn’t the fact. This rule says the following: Connectors that are explicitly defined by the regulations however, typically a group consisting of two people are not required to be secured between 15 30′ or 2 stories, depending on what is first. However, they must wear required fall protection equipment and be equipped with an anchor point (Deckers are also able to are exempt from this requirement if using an Integrated Decking Zone). This is an significant distinction between “nobody needs fall protection until 30 feet.” (P.S. All of that is a figment of the imagination on the boom lift, in which all exemptions are eliminated as well as fall safety is mandatory every time).

Understand Fall Clearance

If you’re not aware of the concept of Fall Clearance, stop and read our guide to calculating Fall Clearance article to refresh your memory. After you’ve finished, you’ll likely be in one of two camps: 1)) I was aware of it or 2.) I didn’t even think about it! Whatever the case, it’s essential for anyone who is planning to use fall protection to be well-versed in the fall Clearance and its typical mistakes. A lanyard or harness from the box of work is not a good idea when the design that you have set up for fall security gear allows you to reach at a lower point. It’s even more problematic if you’re not aware that it allows you to hit at a lower point because the illusion of security you feel may make you think that it will justification for taking on more risk than you would otherwise. Be aware that when you’re wearing a 6′ lanyard that has an acceleration device, the minimum distance your anchor point must be at the lowest level of 18.5′.

Have a Rescue Plan in Place

The majority of people think the Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) comprises composed of three parts comprising the harness, Lanyard, and the anchor point. What’s not included in this picture is the life-saving rescue plan. Fall prevention plans like travel restraints and guardrails don’t need rescue since no one can reach an unprotected edge. However, the characteristic of Fall Arrest means that if it is required to be deployed someone will be left hanging from a roof, platform or other structure. The person who is hanging will need to be rescued and will require immediate rescue. When someone gets injured and who is helped by their PFAS each minute counts. Suspension trauma could begin to take hold in just a couple of minutes. So, even if your employee was saved from the accident however, their lives may be at risk. Without a plan in place, you could also be at danger of employees scrambling to save their colleague in ways that could put their lives at risk. The most dangerous thing, however could be to discover that you don’t have the ability to save anyone who’s been injured. What might have been a joyful moment quickly turns into fear and despair? It is important to plan ahead. This involves calling the local fire department to inspect the location in the event of asking them to help and to make sure they are properly trained and have the ability to help someone. Finding out that you do not have the resources to save after the fact could be fatal.

Comfort Helps

As we discuss PFAS it’s important to remember it’s one of the issues in ensuring that people put on the gear and use it in a safe manner. Harnesses and lanyards aren’t the most comfortable or, at most, uncomfortable and individuals require them for long periods of time. When they’re not comfortable, the chest straps become loose, leg straps are loosen, and lanyards are scattered around. Although it’s not required to take comfort into consideration when you purchase your gear, it can help to ensure compliance. If you take a look at the various options available in security harnesses there is all kinds of simple between $60 and $200+, equipped with padding. There are sturdy retractable lanyards made of steel or lightweight, portable plastic-cased ones. In terms of performance insofar the lanyards meet the ANSI specifications, they can perform the same way. The difference will be in the additional features and the comfort. Maybe spending a few dollars here will result in your employees wearing the correct equipment.

Collective Fall Protection

There are many fall protection options that do not require harnesses or lanyards. Collective fall protection, often referred to as passive fall protection is an extremely efficient method that, in most cases it’s the easiest to use for your employees. Guardrail systems such as Save Ya Roofing can be a method for collective protection. A single installation is able to protect all people working in the area. These are referred to as passive systems since no one requires any specific step to use these systems. In contrast to a PFAS in which the user has to put on their harness and alter it to the appropriate size, and then attach the lanyard to their D-ring, and then to an anchor point likely to be selected prior to time These systems are passive and require only that you go to work in the specific working area. This helps reduce some of the risk posed by human mistakes. It’s not all, however since humans are still able to set up the guardrails in the first place However, there are certain. Even if the guardrail is set up properly, there are certain inherent dangers. The absence of inspections, the poor maintenance, taking rails off for a variety of reasons, people who are actively avoiding the rails, or just insouciance while walking around the rails could end up being deadly however, they can be managed easily. The task of assigning a small group to maintain and inspect guardrails is less complicated than ensuring that twenty people have tied-off correctly and that they all have appropriate anchor points.

Warning Lines for Designated Areas

A single issue related to fall protection has generated more controversy, I believe, more than the provision for an warning-line system when performing work on roofing. The reason this isn’t mentioned most often is the fact that the allowance for this system was specifically designed for roofers and those who perform roofing tasks that fall under guidelines for building. Nearly every trade has tried to take advantage of the system since its introduction and has been told that it’s not permitted has led to many fascinating work days. In the time since this was a feasible option in the past, the usage of warning lines for all kinds of work has been defined in OSHA Notices of Interpretation and even codified in a certain level in the case of General Industry in the form of designated Areas. In essence in the context of not doing roofing work there is no need for an alert line that is 6 feet from the roof’s edge only roofers can use this distance (10′ in the case of mechanical equipment running perpendicularly to the lines). At 15′, any other workers working on construction projects might be able to use the line, posing the risk of receiving a de minimum* citation from OSHA (no penalization in the form of monetary). For those who are not working in construction it is possible to get an overview of the designated Areas in this article. Who is able to and who should not utilize warning lines isn’t the only aspect of this plan that is confused. Another aspect that is often overlooked is that for roofers there’s not a single situation where they are able to make use of a warning line and not possess a safety monitor (and that this monitor could perform no other functions than to ensure that nobody gets near to lines). If you’re thinking of installing a warning line make sure you thoroughly study the rules.

Fall Arrest vs Fall Prevention

Fall protection is broken down into two distinct categories such as fall arrest and fall prevention. They’re exactly similar to what they sound like. The fall prevention program stops people from falling in first place, whereas fall arrest halts (arrests) the fall of a person after they’ve fallen. In this way, it’s simple to decide which is superior. Let’s face it: even a well-planned and flawlessly implemented fall arrest system may result in injuries (not forgetting the difficulties of rescue, as we’ve discussed previously). If you can take steps to avoid falls, take it. Travel restraints and guardrails will prevent people from being injured as, when properly used no one will be given the possibility of falling – even by a couple of inches.

Fall Protection Training

I could close each piece this way. If your employees don’t know what they’re supposed to be doing, the chances that they’ll do it are low. Try this: Get the full body harness, locate someone who has never worn it before, and ask for them to wear it. Don’t give them any direction and just let them time themselves. Once they’ve thought they’re done, verify that it’s turned on and set correctly. What was the time it took for them to realize they were wrong? I’ve seen it often – businesses handing employees fall protection equipment, and directing them back to their jobs (if they provide them with fall protection equipment in the first place). Training your employees. Don’t leave their actions up to fate. Make them aware of what they must be doing in order to discern when something isn’t right. When they approach you to inform you that something isn’t right, take the time to hear the details. Don’t dismiss them as troublemakers, or primadonnas. The concern they’re voicing could save someone’s life.
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