Fall Protection Safety
Brought to You By The Letters A, B, C, and D
and help from this month's partners:
Honeywell Miller. Synonymous with Safety, Quality, and Innovation.
As the industry leader for more than seven decades, Honeywell Industrial Safety provides a comprehensive line of Honeywell Miller® brand fall protection products and services and specialize in
• Product Safety Compliance Testing
• Quality Manufacturing
• Industry Firsts and New Product Innovation
• Comprehensive Problem Solving
For details on Miller Fall Protection, go to https://www.millerfallprotection.com.
Safety Plus Inc is a full-service safety management firm providing high-quality loss control services for companies across the United States. Our mission is to deliver an aggressive, customized risk management service that reduces employee and subcontractor-related risks generating a significant return on investment through our proprietary software (SafetyPlusWeb™), contractor management program (SiteTracker), complete safety management program (Virtual Safety Manager), and our Site Safety Personnel staffing network. If you have safety questions, need a complete, top-to-bottom safety program, or need help with just one aspect of your safety management plan, Safety Plus can offer your organization the support it needs.
For details on Safety Plus Inc., go to https://safetyplusweb.com/safety-management-software/.
Your wiki for safety people by safety people. Safety standards, best practices, innovation, and legislation are constantly changing. There are thousands of formal and informal safety committees, dozens of safety certifications and thousands of courses. How do EHS professionals get the information they need quickly and easily? How can they spend less time behind the desk and more time in the field keeping people safe? We aim to be the simple resource safety professionals turn to for all things safety.
Join the movement or provide your feedback @ https://www.safeopedia.com.
So, What Are The A-B-Cs of Fall Protection?
If there is no way to eliminate all fall protection hazards, employers must provide employees with a personal fall arrest system. Three key components of the Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) must be in place and properly used to provide maximum worker protection. Individually these components will not provide protection from a fall. However, when used properly and in conjunction with each other, they form a Personal Fall Arrest System that becomes vitally important for safety on the job site.
Anchorage/Anchorage Connector
Anchorage: Commonly referred to as a tie-off point (Ex: I-beam, rebar, scaffolding, lifeline, etc.)
Anchorage Connector: Used to join the connecting device to the anchorage (Ex: cross-arm strap, beam anchor, D-bolt, hook anchor, etc.)
Body Wear
Body Wear: The personal protective equipment worn by the worker (Ex: full-body harness)
Connecting Device
Connecting Device: The critical link which joins the body wear to the anchorage/anchorage connector (Ex: shock-absorbing lanyard, fall limiter, self-retracting lifeline, rope grab, etc.)
A-B-Cs of Fall Protection Wallet Card
Fall Protection Quiz: Test Your Fall Safety IQ
Safeopedia.com and SafetyNetwork.me put together a simple quiz for you, or your workers, to test your/their safety knowledge.
Developing A Fall Protection Safety Plan
Safety Begins With A Good Plan
If there is no way to eliminate all fall protection hazards, employers must provide employees with a personal fall arrest system.
An early step for every company with employees working in dangerous environments is writing a fall protection plan. Safety Managers are responsible for writing and updating a plan that ensures that their company’s workplaces and practices are structured to prevent employees from falling off of overhead platforms, leading edges, open-sided floors, elevated work stations or into holes in the floor and walls.
The purpose of the plan is to identify, manage and control the fall hazards by eliminating them with fall prevention methods. When this is not possible, employers must install or provide fall protection equipment or systems to guard against falls from elevation. This written program needs to address how the employer will manage and control existing fall hazards.
OSHA provides a Sample Fall Protection Plan that outlines the elements that must be addressed in any fall protection plan. Miller Fall Protection provides guidance on Developing a Fall Protection Program.
Our safety partner, Safety Plus, Inc., has provided an editable fall protection policy (MS Word format) that you may download and use for your business.
A=Anchorage Connectors
How to Choose Your Fall Protection Anchorage
Selecting the right anchorage is an important part of ensuring your fall protection system is maximally effective.
Miller's Full Line of Anchorage Connectors & System Kits
Anchorage connectors are used to join the connecting device to the anchor point when a direct connection does not exist. It is important to select the proper anchor point and anchorage connector to ensure a safe working environment. Anchorages and anchorage connectors must be easily accessible, capable of supporting 5,000 lbs. of force per worker, and they must be located high enough for a worker to avoid contact with a lower level should a fall occur.
To view Miller's full line of Anchorage Connectors & System Kits click here.
B=Body Wear
How to Correctly Don A Harness
The Correct and Incorrect Way to Wear a Harness
These images show the correct and incorrect way to wear a harness. Which image reflects you?
How to Inspect Your Fall Harness When Working Alone
Fall harnesses have to be inspected before every use, even when you're working alone. Learn what to look out for to keep yourself safe.
Visual Harness/Body Belt Inspection Guide from Miller Fall Protection
Miller's Full Line of Body Wear
Body Wear is worn by workers while performing the job. The full-body harness is the only acceptable form of body wear for fall arrest. Full-body harnesses distribute fall forces throughout the body, substantially reducing the chance of injury. In addition, the full-body harness keeps the worker suspended upright in the event of a fall and supported while awaiting rescue.
To view Miller's full line of Body Wear click here.
C=Connecting Devices
Choosing the Right Fall Protection Lanyard
Choosing the right lanyard is as important as choosing the right harness. Find out what you should consider when equipping your fall protection or fall arrest system.
An Intro to Self-Retracting Lanyards
Visual Lanyard Inspection Guide from Miller Fall Protection
Visual SRL Inspection Guide from Miller Fall Protection
Miller's Full Line of Connecting Devices
Connecting devices are used to connect the body wear to the anchorage/anchorage connector. A connecting device should be selected based on the work to be performed and the work environment. In addition, it is critical to consider potential fall distance when determining the type of connecting device to be used.
To view Miller's full line of Connecting Devices click here.
Additional Tools from Miller Fall Protection
Miller's Fall Clearance Calculator
When working at height, it is important to know your fall clearance and swing fall whether using a shock-absorbing lanyard or self-retracting lifeline (SRL). Calculating your fall clearance and swing fall is critical to your safety.
Full Fall Protection Product Inspection Guide
This 65 page guide will walk you through and help you document a full product inspection.
Guide to Cleaning Your Fall Protection Equipment
Tips on cleaning your fall protection equipment.