One of the major reasons for on the job injuries involves falling. Even though this is very common it is also one of the easiest to prevent injuries thanks to safety gear like the fall protection harness. Some of these products may be a little inconvenient to put on and wear, but the benefits they provide are immeasurable.
What is a Fall Arrest Harness?
Fall arrest harnesses are made to fit on the body of the wearer. For example, in some cases a full body harness is used. If the wearer should slip and fall the device uses either a lanyard with shock absorbing ability or a retractable lifeline. This prevents the faller from becoming injured. Since the force of falling is equally distributed throughout the body, there is no sudden shock.
Who Needs Fall Protection?
People with jobs at risk should consider this kind of gear. This includes workers in the roofing industry, especially those working on roofs with a great deal of pitch or slant.
Construction workers who must spend long periods off the ground should consider some type of fall protection harness. In fact, anyone working six feet or higher from the ground should be protected.
Window washers and people who work from platforms or scaffolds need protection from falling. This can include painters and workers performing repairs on large buildings and towers.
What Kind of Protection is Available?
There are four basic types of gear designed to protect workers from falling. For example:
Class 1 – This includes various kinds of body belts. However, since they do not provide maximum protection they are not normally used to stop someone from falling, but to help them maintain position.
Class 2 – Chest harness equipment. Used where chances for falling are limited. They can be employed to rescue workers who have fallen into bins or tanks.
Class 3 – A full body harness is used when falls are a real possibility.
Class 4 – Independent suspensions or belts. These systems are not so much to prevent falls as they are used to suspend workers while they are performing tasks high off the ground. They can utilize harnesses or chairs and can easily be raised or lowered to the desired height.
There are other systems used to decrease the chances for falling and this includes rope and web lanyards and one may choose from several shock absorbing equipment selections. However, when it comes to getting the most protection, the fall protection harness has the most to offer, and this kind of equipment can save your life.
