 | - Course
# 1
Four
Basics of Fall Protection
1.Fall Arrest 2.Positioning 3.Suspension
4.Retrieval
Duration:
half-day
Fee: $ 85.00 |
These
Fall protection basics are available as a classroom-based course, at your site
or convenient location.
Description:
A
program that provides workers with the basic knowledge required to work safely
in areas exposed to fall hazards. Upon completion, participants will be able to
recognize fall hazards and identify and apply fall protection controls. A review
of legislative requirements will also be discussed. This program can abe design
to cover site-specific equipment and procedures. A wallet card will be provided
upon successful completion
1.Fall
Arrest
A fall
arrest system is required if any risk exists that a worker may fall from an elevated
position, as a general rule, the fall arrest system should be used anytime a working
height of six feet or more is reached. Working height is the distance from the
walking/working surface to a grade or lower level. A fall arrest system will only
come into service should a fall occur. A full-body harness with a shock-absorbing
lanyard or a retractable lifeline is the only product recommended. A full-body
harness distributes the forces throughout the body, and the shock-absorbing lanyard
decreases the total fall arresting forces. 2.Positioning
This
system holds the worker in place while keeping his/her hands free to work. Whenever
the worker leans back, the system is activated. However, the personal positioning
system is not specifically designed for fall arrest purposes. 3.Suspension
This
equipment lowers and supports the worker while allowing a hands-free work environment,
and is widely used in window washing and painting industries. This suspension
system components are not designed to arrest a free fall, a backup fall arrest
system should be used in conjunction with the suspension system. 4.Retrieval
Preplanning
for retrieval in the event of a fall should be taken into consideration when developing
a proactive fall management program.
Fall Protection Systems Listed
below are different types of fall safety equipment and their recommended usage.
Class 1 Body belts (single or double D-ring) are designed to
restrain a person in a hazardous work position and to reduce the possibility of
falls. They should not be used when fall potential exists; positioning only.
Class
2 Chest harnesses are used when there are only limited fall hazards (no vertical
free fall hazard), or for retrieving persons such as removal of persons from a
tank or a bin.
Class 3 Full body harnesses are designed to arrest the
most severe free falls.
Class 4 Suspension belts are independent work
supports used to suspend a worker, such as boatswain's chairs or raising or lowering
harnesses.
Rope Lanyard Offers some elastic properties for all arrest;
used for restraint purpose.
Web Lanyard Ideal for restraint purposes
where fall hazards are less than 2 feet.
Cable Positioning Lanyards
Designed for corrosive or excess heat environments and must be used in conjunction
with shock absorbing devices.
Shock Absorbers When used, the fall arresting
force will be greatly reduced if a fall occurs.
Rope Grabs A deceleration
device which travels on a lifeline, used to safely ascend or descend ladders or
sloped surfaces and automatically, by friction, engages the lifeline and locks
so as to arrest the fall of an employee.
Retractable Lifeline Systems
Gives fall protection and mobility to the user when working at height or in areas
where there is a danger of falling.
Safety Nets Can be used to lesson
the fall exposure when working where temporary floors and scaffolds are not used
and the fall distance exceeds 25 feet.
Rail Systems When climbing a
ladder, rail systems can be used on any fixed ladder as well as curved surfaces
as a reliable method of fall prevention. Effective
January 1, 1998, body belts are not acceptable as part of a personal fall arrest
system. (Note: the use of a body belt in a positioning device system is acceptable
and is regulated under paragraph (e) of 29 CFR 1926.502). An employee who uses
a body belt as a personal fall arrest system is exposed to hazards such as falling
out of the belt, serious internal injuries, and technical asphyxiation through
prolonged suspension.
Inspection and Maintenance:To
maintain their service life and high performance, all belts and harnesses should
be inspected frequently. Visual inspection before each use should become routine,
and also a routine inspection by a competent person. If any of the conditions
listed below are found the equipment should be replaced before being used. Harness
Inspection
1. Belts and Rings: For harness inspections begin at
one end, hold the body side of the belt toward you, grasping the belt with your
hands six to eight inches apart. Bend the belt in an inverted "U." Watch
for frayed edges, broken fibers, pulled stitches, cuts or chemical damage. Check
D-rings and D-ring metal wear pads for distortion, cracks, breaks, and rough or
sharp edges. The D-ring bar should be at a 90 degree angle with the long axis
of the belt and should pivot freely. Attachments
of buckles and D-rings should be given special attention. Note any unusual
wear, frayed or cut fibers, or distortion of the buckles. Rivets should be tight
and unremovable with fingers. Body side rivet base and outside rivets should be
flat against the material. Bent rivets will fail under stress. Inspect
frayed or broken strands. Broken webbing strands generally appear as tufts
on the webbing surface. Any broken, cut or burnt stitches will be readily seen.
2. Tongue
Buckle: Buckle tongues should be free of distortion in shape and motion. They
should overlap the buckle frame and move freely back and forth in their socket.
Rollers should turn freely on the frame. Check for distortion or sharp edges.
3. Friction
Buckle: Inspect the buckle for distortion. The outer bar or center bars must
be straight. Pay special attention to corners and attachment points of the center
bar.
Lanyard Inspection When
inspecting lanyards, begin at one end and work to the opposite end. Slowly
rotate the lanyard so that the entire circumference is checked. Spliced ends require
particular attention. Hardware should be examined under procedures detailed below.
Hardware
Snaps:
Inspect closely for hook and eye distortion, cracks, corrosion, or pitted
surfaces. The keeper or latch should seat into the nose without binding and should
not be distorted or obstructed. The keeper spring should exert sufficient force
to firmly close the keeper. Keeper rocks must provide the keeper from opening
when the keeper closes. Thimbles:
The thimble (protective plastic sleeve) must be firmly seated in the eye of the
splice, and the splice should have no loose or cut strands. The edges of the thimble
should be free of sharp edges, distortion, or cracks. Lanyards
Steel
Lanyards: While rotating a steel lanyard, watch for cuts, frayed areas, or unusual
wear patterns on the wire. The use of steel lanyards for fall protection without
a shock-absorbing device is not recommended. Web
Lanyard: While bending webbing over a piece of pipe, observe each side of
the webbed lanyard. This will reveal any cuts or breaks. Due to the limited elasticity
of the web lanyard, fall protection without the use of a shock absorber is not
recommended. Rope
Lanyard: Rotation of the rope lanyard while inspecting from end to end will
bring to light any fuzzy, worn, broken or cut fibers. Weakened areas from extreme
loads will appear as a noticeable change in original diameter. The rope diameter
should be uniform throughout, following a short break-in period. When a rope lanyard
is used for fall protection, a shock-absorbing system should be included. Shock-Absorbing
Packs
The outer portion of the shock-absorbing pack should be examined
for burn holes and tears. Stitching on areas where the pack is sewn to the D-ring,
belt or lanyard should be examined for loose strands, rips and deterioration.
Visual Indication of Damage to Webbing and Rope Lanyards
Heat
In
excessive heat, nylon becomes brittle and has a shriveled brownish appearance.
Fibers will break when flexed and should not be used above 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chemical
Change
in color usually appears as a brownish smear or smudge. Transverse cracks appear
when belt is bent over tight. This causes a loss of elasticity in the belt. Ultraviolet
Rays
Do not store webbing and rope lanyards in direct sunlight, because
ultraviolet rays can reduce the strength of some material. Molten
Metal or Flame
Webbing and rope strands may be fused together by molten
metal or flame. Watch for hard, shiny spots or a hard and brittle feel. Webbing
will not support combustion, nylon will. Paint
and Solvents
Paint will penetrate and dry, restricting movements of fibers.
Drying agents and solvents in some paints will appear as chemical damage.
Cleaning
of Equipment
Basic
care for fall protection safety equipment will prolong and endure the life of
the equipment and contribute toward the performance of its vital safety function.
Proper storage and maintenance after use is as important as cleaning the equipment
of dirt, corrosives or contaminants. The storage area should be clean, dry and
free of exposure to fumes or corrosive elements. Nylon
and Polyester
Wipe off all surface dirt with a sponge dampened in plain
water. Squeeze the sponge dry. Dip the sponge in a mild solution of water and
commercial soap or detergent. Work up a thick lather with a vigorous back and
forth motion. Then wipe the belt dry with a clean cloth. Hang freely to dry but
away from excessive heat. Drying
Harness,
belts and other equipment should be dried thoroughly without exposure to heat,
steam or long periods of sunlight. | 
