Blog

D-ring extensions allow easier access to the dorsal D-ring without having to go through the yoga contortions sometimes required to hook up your fall protection, but these extensions are not for every situation and must be used with care. Adding extra length to fall protection can result in additional swing forces acted upon the climber in the event of a fall. That makes intuitive sense. You're making the pendulum longer, so the swing could be wider. Using an extender may be allowed with lanya …

Fall protection equipment needs to be regularly inspected by a Competent Person according the specifications set forth in the ANSI Z359 protection codes if you want your Z359-rated equipment to be considered usable. Inspection is critical for all fall protection safety equipment, whether you intend to meet the highest standards in the country or not. To do this effectively, it's important to have a consistent process for the inspection. For each piece of equipment you have in your inventory, …

Can I Attach a Self-Retracting Lifeline to a Lanyard? No! This question lands on our virtual doorstep more frequently than we’d like. It's easy to understand why people ask: you have a Self-Retracting Lifeline (SRL) and it almost reaches the user or you just need a little more room to stretch to the side, so you want to use a connector – and what do you have plenty of? Lanyards! It’s an easy solution to talk yourself into. But when you consider the components that make both devices w …

Recently a construction company contacted us to ask about using a Miller Beam Anchor. They knew the anchor had the ability to provide anchorage for fall protection when used in a horizontal application. The 8816-14 from Miller is a typical beam anchor designed to provide an overhead attachment point on an I-beam or an H-beam. What they wanted to know was could they use the same product in on a vertical beam? I'll keep the suspense to a minimum. Yes. Turns out Miller is perfectly happ …

ANSI Z359.1 was published in 1992 and approved a scant 15 years later. Slowly grind the wheels of progress. And ANSI Z359 is progress in terms of worker safety, even if it is going to cost more money in the short run. Greater regulation of worker safety almost inevitably means increased administrative work and expense for employers, compliance provides improved safety for workers and increased protection against litigation. Certainly these are both worthy goals, whether you're working in the …

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 OSHA still establishes the laws surrounding workplace fall protection and is tasked with enforcing them, many organizations look to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for the most current safety procedures and best practices. The new(ish) Z359.1 standards from ANSI are an attempt to create a more holistic fall safety program. One of the biggest differences between these new specifications and the existing OSHA fall safety requirements are regular inspections of all fall sa …

As construction projects take shape there is often no place overhead to attach fall protection equipment. This means foot level connections need to be made, and the fall protection has to be rated for the extra forces that can be generated from a fall. Enter the Nano-Lok Edge self-retracting lifeline from DBI-SALA. The Edge series of Nano-Lok SRLs have 8 ft. galvanized steel lifelines. Steel is used for lifelines in leading edge work because there are often unfinished, sharp edges th …

With recent changes to the ANSI fall safety standards regarding inspection of SRLs (self-retracting lifelines) utilities, oil & gas companies, petrochemical, and other site management teams are trying to determine when their devices need to go in for servicing. The answer is - it depends. The frequency of inspection depends on how often the SRL is used. The equation is further complicated by the fact that the ANSI requirement also says that their stated inspection times are superseded by t …

Lots of folks out there are finding they need to put together a post fall rescue program. But wouldn't it be easier if a fallen worker could simply rescue themselves? How much time and manpower could be saved, not to mention allowing the fallen worker to avoid the discomfort and possible long term health effects of suspension trauma. Now there is a product called the Latchways Personal Rescue Device (PRD) does just that. Rescuing a worker after they have experienced a fall is often a …