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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equation is further complicated by the fact that the ANSI requirement also says that their stated inspection times are superseded by t …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Self-retracting lifelines have created a new level of fall protection for at height workers since they were first introduced. Fast-activating braking systems have lowered both fall distances and fall forces. As the use of SRLs (more broadly referred to as self-retracting devices or SRDs) has increased across a wide range of industries, the American National Standards Institute ( ANSI) has taken a close look at the use and maintenance of these life saving devices. Their findings have resulte …

Workers and employers are becoming more aware of the problems associated with suspension trauma (also called orthostatic intolerance) which can affect a fall victim who is held aloft by their full-body harness. What people have been asking with some regularity lately is if the suspension trauma straps from one company will work with a harness from another. The answer, as far as we can tell with the products we have tried and the manufacturers we've talked to, is yes. Last week a cust …

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) doesn't make the laws, but it does influence the standards adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) which is tasked with enforcing safety and health legislation. ANSI fall safety standards such as the ANSI Z359 Fall Protection Code are developed by a consensus of experts in government, private industry, and related organizations. But they're not the law, so why do so many people follow their directives? ANSI Z35 …

Lots of homeowners will be pulling the ladders out to get their lights up this year. But we'd like to focus our attention on the roof guys. If you are planning on getting onto your roof to install Christmas lights, here are a few things you should keep in mind. First, don't be cavalier about this job. It can change your holiday plans in a hurry. One misstep can land you in the emergency room or worse. Last year the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported over 12,000 trips to the hos …

Some jobs sites just don't have any convenient anchorage points. That's why the Miller BackBiter Tie-Back Lanyard is a great piece of equipment. This 6 ft. lanyard with a SofStop Shock-absorber allows you to wrap the lanyard around a structural element and hook it back to itself for reliable and safe fall protection. It's the anchor hook that makes it possible. If you are using this product you probably already know you can't use a regular lanyard in this fashion. The BackBiter lanya …