FALL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT 101: UNDERSTANDING STRENGTH RATINGS AND SAFE USE

Falls at the workplace end many careers and lives prematurely. The availability of first aid facilities can help reduce the premature ending of careers and lives.

Such a precarious mishap at the workplace happens because of many reasons. The list of reasons includes the following:

  • Poor lighting, blind spots, and wrinkled carpeting.
  • Leaning over guardrails and obstructed views.
  • Working on heights without full protection.
  • Wet soil, water leakage, and slippery soil/cement.
  • Unattended ropes, wires, holes, and broken ladders.
  • Out-of-order JCB machines and excessive crowds.
  • Food and beverage spillage on the floor.
  • Slippery pool edges, messy eaters, and water leakage.
  • Water accumulation and food and beverage spillage on floors.
  • Cluttered lobbies, debris, and poor restaurant design.
  • Slippery floors, elevators, and escalators.
  • Cluttered kiosks, cluttered displays, and leakage or debris on the food court.

Lack of fall protection equipment is another major reason for such mishaps at the workplace. Therefore, ensure the availability of safety gear to ensure fall protection before installing first aid equipment at your workplace.

Understanding strength ratings and the safe use of fall protection equipment is also important to prevent such workplace mishaps.

Why Is It So Important?

You and the workforce need to understand the strength ratings of fall protection equipment. It is essential for the following reasons:

  • Employee safety assurance.
  • The prevention of fall safety equipment failure.
  • Full compliance with relevant standards and regulations.
  • Appropriate equipment selection.
  • To ensure effective risk management.
  • Access to durable fall protection equipment that comes with longevity.
  • Confidence in safety systems.
  • For professional training with safety.
  • To spread awareness about safety at work.

The quality of your understanding of the strength ratings of fall protection equipment reduces your chances of using emergency first aid blended kits installed in your office. It is because you are using fall protection gear of very high quality.

Why Understand Safe Use of Fall Protection Equipment At Workplace?

Another crucial thing is the level of your understanding of the safe use of fall protection equipment at the workplace. It matters for the following reasons:

  • To prevent falls, injuries, and casualties at the workplace.
  • To keep employees safe and healthy.
  • To reduce the amount of money that flows out for the treatment of employees.
  • To promote a sense of safety among employees.
  • To ensure a safe training and education environment for all employees.
  • To reduce legal and financial liabilities on your organisation and employees.

Again, installing an emergency first aid blended kit in your office can take the backseat for some time. Only for some time! Ok?

Understanding the safe use of fall protection equipment at the workplace will help you reduce reliance on the emergency first aid blended kit installed in your office.

Types of Fall Protection Equipment:

Know about it before understanding strength ratings and the safe use of fall protection equipment. Given below are the types of fall protection equipment:

  • Fall arrest system, fall protection system, safety harness, and lifelines.
  • Positioning, safety nets, and administrative controls.
  • Suspension, anchors, lanyard, and retrieval.
  • Carabiner, rope grabs, shock-absorbing lanyards, and connectors.
  • Hazard elimination program, guard rails, fall rescue program, and fall limiters.

Learn about it before enrolling in an emergency first aid blended course. You will be able to understand strength ratings and safe use practices of fall protection equipment if you understand the following:

  • The value of following the manufacturer's instructions.
  • The benefit of using the right equipment for the job.
  • The value of inspecting wearable fall protection equipment.
  • Methods used to inspect ropes, hardware, buckles, and wraps.
  • What to look for in the equipment?
  • What not to ignore in the equipment?

Again, we suggest you get the hang of these things to make the most of the learning you get during your emergency first aid blended course.

Light On Strength Ratings Of Fall Protection Equipment For Safe Use:

These pieces of equipment must be powerful enough to ensure the safety of users. The following are the standards for it:

➢ Fall Arrest System, Fall Protection System, Safety Harness, And Lifelines:

Generally, a fall arrest system, fall protection system, safety harness, and lifelines must be able to withstand at least five thousand pounds per person attached. All this safety equipment must be designed to take care of at least two users under the supervision of heavily experienced professionals to ensure safe use.

➢ Positioning, Safety Nets, And Administrative Controls:

The positioning must have the capability of taking care of 3000 pounds or at least two times more than the potential impact load. The mesh size of safety nets should not be more than 6 inches square. It must withstand the impact of a 400-pound bag thrown from the highest working surface. As far as administrative controls are concerned, there are no strength ratings. However, some protocols and processes are there.

The understanding of these things ensures less dependency on emergency first aid blended kits to ensure employee safety.

➢ Suspension, Anchors, Lanyard, And Retrieval:

The suspension must support the intended load with at least six safety factors. Anchors and lanyards should easily take care of at least five thousand pounds. The design of retrieval should ensure fast and safe retrieval of fallen professionals using a mechanical advantage system.

➢ Carabiner, Rope Grabs, And Shock Absorbing Lanyards:

The minimum breaking strength or maximum withstanding force of carabiners and rope grabs must exceed five thousand pounds at least. The maximum shock-absorbing force of Shock absorbing lanyards must be 1800 pounds.

➢ Connectors, Hazard Elimination Program, And Guard Rails:

Connectors should be able to bear the impact of 5000 pounds at least. Guardrails must have the capability to withstand the force of 150 pounds to 200 pounds at least. There are no specific strength ratings related to hazard elimination programs.

➢ Fall Rescue Program, And Fall Limiters:

The strength rating of the fall rescue system depends on the equipment used. Fall limiters must be able to arrest forces of within 1800 pounds. The deceleration distance should not exceed 3.5 feet under all circumstances.

Your understanding of this concept will help reduce your reliance on first aid kits installed in your office. But it does not mean you can underestimate the value of initial medical kits installed in your office for employee safety.

Do you want to know the value such safety kits add to your office or business? Enroll in one of our first aid courses. You will then understand!

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