3 Add-ons for a Complete Fall Protection of Your Site

There are many ways in which companies can ensure workers safety, get them Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) compliant with OSHA standards, and not spend a fortune on equipment that provides protection and performance.

The last line of defense for workers on construction sites is the PPE they wear. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that American employers could save each year approximately $90 million in workdays not lost if their workers didn’t experience injuries on jobsites. So what solutions are available for companies that want the performance and protection their workers need, but don’t have the budget for a complete change of equipment?

With the National Safety Stand-Down week just around the corner, it’s a good opportunity for companies to evaluate their options while raising fall hazard awareness. Typically, the Safety Stand-Down means taking a break from work to have a toolbox talk, a safety equipment inspection, develop rescue plans or discuss job hazards. This would be a great moment to check ways to become compliant without compromising the budget or safety.

Philip Jacklin, Fall Protection Specialist for Honeywell, recommends checking out the possibility to get reliable add-ons for the existing equipment to ensure full compliance and protection.

Here are his 3 proposed solutions (and an extra option):

1.      Rebar Hook Anchor 

Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) is one protection option required by OSHA for workers on construction sites who are exposed to vertical drops of 6 feet or more. When selecting the right connection device for your PFAS, you must choose the connector attachment you need for your work. And you typically have two options, the smaller snaphook (most users have anchor attachment points to connect into) or the larger rebar hook (to attach directly to pipes, beams, rails, etc.).

But what happens if you purchased a Self-Retracting Lifeline (SRL) with snaphooks and your next project will require the larger-opening rebar hooks? Fall Protection equipment can’t be modified in the field, so do you have to buy a whole new SRL? Of course not!

The innovators at Honeywell Miller have you covered so you don’t have to buy a duplicate product or compromise your safety for an immediate, temporary need. Enter the Rebar Hook Anchor (480-Z7/19INGN). “Connect your snaphook to the attachment point on this anchor, and you now have a rebar hook end on your connection device!”, advises Philip Jacklin.

2. SRL Top Ladder Bracket 

An update made in 2018 to OSHA 1910.28’s Walking Working Surface standard requires that all fixed ladders 24ft & taller (20ft & taller in California) must be equipped with a permanent fall protection system.  Additionally, all eligible existing permanent ladders must be retrofitted with a permanent fall protection system by 2036.

Let’s say you have so many ladders that upgrading them all with a cable or rail-based solution while also upgrading your users with a chest d-ring version of their harness seems daunting. But you want to make sure your facilities are compliant and safe as they could possibly be as quickly as possible.

Honeywell Miller has a creative solution and you probably already have 3/4 of the components necessary (ladder, harness & SRL). The SRL Top Ladder Bracket system is a less expensive way of getting your fixed ladders compliant without requiring an upgrade to your current harness. This system allows the user to use their existing harness and utilizes an easy-to-install attachment to your ladder.

You’re able to attach an SRL of your choice (we recommend the HONEYWELL MILLER FALCON™ SELF-RETRACTING LIFELINE) for your user to connect to before their ascent/descent.

3.  Leading Edge SRLs – the 2-in-1 system!

One of the hottest topics of discussion in fall protection revolves around the use of Leading Edge SRLs, as they protect users that must attach to an anchor beneath their dorsal d-ring (or more commonly at their feet). SRL-LE units have an integrated shock absorber on the lifeline and typically cost more than a standard SRL.

If you’re purchasing an SRL, is it worth it to make the upgrade to an SRL-LE even if you think the user may never require a Leading Edge SRL? If that user has to, even once, use an anchor point mounted on the ground, they are running the risk of overloading their SRL, severing their lifeline, and their equipment can no longer arrest their fall.

The user with an SRL-LE can confidently tie-off to any anchor point available to them. If they have an overhead anchor point, the SRL-LE works as a standard SRL. But if they tie-off at foot level and succumb to a fall, their equipment has the tried & tested strength to withstand the extra forces placed on a lifeline after their fall. 

“This is an extremely handy tool for anyone working at heights that wants to be prepared for any situation they might run into the field”, explains Philip Jacklin, adding that “purchasing an SRL-LE is really like buying two SRLs at once, for the price of just one”.

For more details on the differences between SRLs and SRL-LE, read also When and Why Do You Need a Leading Edge SRL?

Bonus Solution - Hard Hat Tether

If you have the problem of hard hats falling off workers and don’t want to risk their head being exposed to hazards whilst retrieving their hat, a Hard Hat Tether is a great, inexpensive solution! While this tether will not prevent a hard hat from falling off the user’s head, it limits the distance travelled once the hard hat is removed. One end of this tether ties to the suspension in your hat, and the other end is attached to your clothing or safety vest.

Discover more innovative fall protection equipment exploring Honeywell's fall protection equipment.

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