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Just as there are plenty of cars that will get you from A to B, just like safety equipment that will keep you safe and cover your OSHA requirements. But not everyone wants to drive a Smart Car. In fact, if you drive all the time or you have lots of equipment to haul around (to take this metaphor a bit further) that little sucker may not be the right choice at all. Let's take a look at some of our most popular ppe and the upgraded items that may just be a better bargain at the end of the da …

Personal protective equipment like hard hats and harnesses aren't made to last forever. So much of this equipment has elastomeric or plastic parts that are particularly susceptible to deterioration over time. Abrasion can weaken stitching, nylon straps can be snagged and torn - even metal pieces corrode. Typically it's recommended by manufacturers that reusable PPE be replaced every 2-5 years even if it hasn't been damaged. But there are ways to extend the life of your PPE. Safety eq …

While roof work in many parts of the country is slowing down or confined to winter repair projects, in California there are still roofing projects in full swing. Because I work for a safety company I can't help but look to see what safety equipment (if any) they're using when the work is happening in my neighborhood. So far, even since the OSHA rule changes earlier this year, only about half of the crews I see working are wearing the mandated fall protection. This is probably due to …

Working at height can be challenging enough without having safety equipment that binds and weighs you down. Many of our customers climb regularly, and the feedback we are getting about the Miller AirCore Full-Body Harnesses is positive across the board. There are a range of requirements for harnesses meeting OSHA and ANSI fall safety standards. With the AirCore, Miller has managed to meet these standards using 16% less material overall. The results are greater mobility, reduced weigh …

OSHA changed the rules for residential construction workers on March 15th, 2013. No longer will they be issuing reduced fines, helpful hints, and consultations on compliance with the fall protection regulations. They are in full-enforcement mode, and you should be in full-compliance mode if you want to avoid serious penalties. Unless you are able to plausibly demonstrate why conventional fall protection is not feasible or why it presents an even greater hazard when used, your residentia …

At height workers, whether they are working solo or as part of a team, must be supplied not only with proper fall protection, but also a plan for rescue. If you or a co-worker fall and aren't able to conveniently self-rescue, what is your plan? Typically workers wearing self-retracting lifelines (SRLs) are generally stopped quicker and closer to the spot they fell from than workers wearing traditional shock-absorbing lanyards. The second group, when they fall, often are stopped relat …

On March 5th, a Tuesday, the western span of the Bay Bridge in San Francisco Bay was transformed into a 1.8 mile long art installation while continuing to serve as a major traffic artery for the area. The project involves over 25,000 LED lights attached to the vertical suspender cables of the bridge and coordinated into computer-driven imagery. The artist, New York-based and Yale-educated Leo Villareal, creates works of art that bridge the gap (pun marginally intended) between art and t …

Harnesses are made to protect you in the event of a fall. But they're not made to protect from multiple falls over time. That won't stop workers from suiting up for work today wearing their "lucky harness" that saved them last June.The problem is, that lucky harness isn't going to be so kind the next time something happens. According to Miller (now under the umbrella of safety giant Honeywell), harnesses have about a 5 year life expectancy from their first date of use even if they never experi …

Scissor lifts are one of the most popular ways for workers to reach projects at heights. But do the guard rails on these lifts provide all the fall protection necessary for the workers utilizing them? The American National Safety Institute ( ANSI) deems guard rails around the work platform to be a sufficient fall prevention measure. But in practice they may not be. Fall protection needs to be evaluated in relation to the work being performed. If you have a scissor lift in operation at …

Petzl has been in business making climbing and rope access gear for over 65 years. The equipment they make is rock-solid, long-lasting, and easy to use. You know it's going to stand up to hard use on the job site or during a rescue. What you might not know is that from now until October 28th 2012 all Petzl products are 20% off at pksafety.com. The sale includes items like the fantastically comfortable Petzl AVAO Full Body Harness C71AAA with FAST buckles for easy donning and doffi …