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Learn about personal fall arrest systems, including components, inspection, and your responsibilities to prevent work-related injuries and deaths from falls. Training objectives, hazards of working at heights, system components, inspection requirements, and employee responsibilities are covered. Helpful resources and information on cleaning equipment are provided.
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Learning Objectives • Objectives: • Use • Upkeep
Agenda • Overview: • Components • Inspection and cleaning • Your responsibilities
Section 1 Overview
The Hazards of Working at Heights • Statistics: • 100,000 work-related injuries and deaths yearly • Falls are one of the highest causes of workplace deaths • Millions spent yearly on workers’ compensation claims • Fines for fall protection regulation breeches increased
Employee Training • Employer must provide training: • Nature of fall hazards in work area • Assembling, maintaining, disassembling, and inspecting system • Use of the personal fall arrest system • Fall protection plans for your workplace
Employee Training • Some circumstances for retraining: • When previous training is obsolete • Changes in equipment • Inadequacies in employee skill
Section 2 Personal Fall Arrest System Components
Personal Fall Arrest System Components • Basic components: • Anchorage • Connectors • Body harness and lifeline • Lanyard • Deceleration device
Performance Criteria • Performance criteria of personal fall arrest system: • Maximum arresting force 1,800 pounds • Prevents free falls over 6 feet • Stops any lower level contact • Limits maximum deceleration distance to 3½ feet
Body Harness • Body harness: • Provides freedom and minimizes stress to body • Never use to hoist materials • Body belts are not personal fall arrest systems • Attach at center of back, near shoulder, or above head
Vertical Lifeline or Lanyard • Vertical lifeline or lanyard: • Minimum breaking strength 5,000 pounds • Protected from cutting or abrasion • Each employee attached to separate lines • Self-retracting lines sustain 3,000 pounds
Horizontal Lifeline • Horizontal lifelines: • Designed, installed, and used under supervision • Part of complete personal fall arrest system • With horizontal lifelines that may become vertical: • Connecting devices must lock in both directions
Webbing • Webbing: • Ropes and straps in lifelines and lanyards • Strength component of body harness • Made from synthetic, not natural fiber
Connectors • Connectors: • Made from drop-forged, pressed or formed steel, and equivalents • Corrosion-resistant finish, with smooth surfaces and edges • Ring and snaphook minimum tensile strength of 5,000 pounds: • Proof-tested tensile load minimum 3,600 pounds
Anchorages • Personal fall arrest system anchorages: • Independent of anchorage to support or suspend platforms • Supports at least 5,000 pounds per person • Part of a personal fall arrest system • Maintains a safety factor of at least two • Used under supervision
Section 3 Inspection Requirements
Inspection of Body Harness • Inspect the following: • Webbing • D-Rings/back pads • Attachment of buckles • Tongue/grommets and buckles • Friction and mating buckles
Inspection of Lanyards • Inspecting various lanyards: • Wire rope lanyard: • Watch for cuts, frayed areas, or unusual wearing • Web and shock absorbing lanyard: • Bend over pipe or mandrel to observe each side • Rope lanyard: • Inspect fibers from end-to-end • Shock absorber pack: • Examine for holes and tears • Check snaps and thimbles
Cleaning • Steps to cleaning equipment: • Remove dirt with damp sponge using plain water • Sponge with mild soapy water • Lather vigorously then wipe with clean cloth • Hang dry in area free of excess heat or sun • Store in clean, dry, space free of fumes and corrosives
Section 4 Your Responsibilities
Your Responsibilities • Your responsibility: • Recognize fall hazards • Understand basic components • Know care and inspection procedure • Adhere to your training
Additional Information • Construction - Pocket Guide. OSHA Publication 3252, (2005) • Fall Protection in the Construction Industry. Oregon OSHA, (2003, October) • Compatibility of Personal Fall Protection System Components. OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB), (2003, September 22) • Fall Protection for Aboveground Storage Tanks. OSHA/Safe Tank Alliance • Fall Protection Safety Tips Sheets for Employers and Employees OSHA/Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Alliance