Your life depends on it

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Understand the purpose for fall protection
Identify fall protection locations
Understand and be familiar with how to use fall protection equipment
Understand employee’s responsibilities
Understand the regulations
Answer questions
Practice proficiency

Training is a part of this process

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Protection at WBI Holdings may include:
◦ Guardrails with toeboards,
◦ Handrails
◦ Personal fall arrest systems
 Anchor points
 Full body harness
 Restraint system
 Shock absorbing lanyard
 Fall limiter lanyard
 Retractable lifeline
 Rope grabs with vertical lifeline
 Connectors
◦ Engineered horizontal lifelines

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Flat and sloped roof locations when within 6 feet of the edge
Exterior and interior equipment, equipment or working platforms, catwalks, antennas/towers etc.
Exterior and interior fixed ladders above 20 feet
Open excavations or pits
Required use of articulating man lifts
When leaning outside the vertical rails of ladders and when performing work where 3 points of contact can’t be maintained
Scaffolding erection
Whenever there is a fall hazard above 6 feet or more
Guardrails may be required on stairways (4 or more steps) and walkways over 38 inches (4 feet)

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Engineering controls
◦ Can the task be done remotely?
◦ Could it be redesigned?
◦ Engineered systems can be designed with 2 to 1 safety factor
Fall prevention system
◦ Guardrails (4 or more stairs and above 38 inches/4 ft)
 Open walkways
 Open pits
 Open wall openings
 Stairways (don’t forget the handrails)
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Work platforms
◦ Restraint System
 Harness attached to a line or lanyard
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Line or lanyard attached to anchor point
 Prevents fall beyond edge of working surface
Feasible Controls Types of controls

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Fall Arrest System
◦ Full body harness
◦ Lanyard or self retracting lifeline
◦ Anchor point

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5000 pound anchor point for free fall situations or
◦ not part of an engineered fall arrest system
Engineered horizontal lifelines can have a safety factor of 2 to 1
◦ 350 pound person and equipment = 450 pounds
◦ Anchor points need to hold 900 pounds
Self Retracting Life Lines – not part of an engineered system
◦ Engage within 2 ft – 3,000 pound
◦ Engage at or above 2 ft – 5,000 pound anchor

4 ft
3.5
1 ft
5 ft
3 ft
Total Estimated
Fall distance
16.5 ft
Know your distance! Don’t forget your connectors

2 ft
3 1/2 ft *
1 ft
5 ft
3 ft
14’ 1/2
Know your distance! Remember to add your connectors.
* 39 inches is required by code probable stop is 2 to 6 inches

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Will the PPE keep you from falling a great distance?
Will the PPE keep you from hitting equipment?
Will the PPE lessen the damage or injury?
Consider what the PPE will do – stabilize, prevent injury, prevent death

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Permanent and Temporary solutions
◦ Designed by an engineer
◦ Installed and used as designed
Have to know how many workers are allowed
Have to understand the tension on the line

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Work as directly under the anchor point as possible to prevent swing back
Even with a retractable life line – consider the swing should you fall
When using the crane trolley remember to pull it so it is right above you
Think it out Before you snap it in

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Examine and verify the nylon webbing to ensure there are no burn marks, or torn, frayed, broken fibers, pulled stitches or frayed edges
Examine D-ring for excessive wear, pits deterioration or cracks
Verify the buckles are not deformed, cracked and operate correctly – and easily
Grommets (if present) must be secure and not deformed
Rivets must be tight and not deformed
Tongue/straps should not have excessive wear
Harness Front and Back

Six steps to save your life http://www.millerfallprotection.com/fa ll-protection-products/videos/howto-put-on-a-harness-six-easy-stepsthat-could-save-your-life-2

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Check for cuts, burns, abrasions, kinks, knots, broken stitches, and excessive wear
Inspect snaphooks for hook, locks and eye distortion
Check carabiner for excessive wear, distortion, and lock operation
All locking mechanisms must seat and lock properly and prevent hook from opening
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Visually inspect shock absorber for signs of damage – look closely where it attaches to the lanyard
Verify points where lanyard attaches to the snaphook is free of defects
Lanyards and Shock Absorbing Lanyards

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Inspect for hook and eye distortions
Verify there are no cracks, pitted surfaces or eye distortions
Ensure the keeper latch is not bent, distorted or obstructed and seats within the nose without binding
Ensure the spring mechanism closes the latch securely and locks properly
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Inspect for integrity and attachment to solid surface
Snaphooks/Carabineers
Tie-off adaptors/Anchorages

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Visually inspect to ensure no physical damage to the body of the unit
Ensure all back nuts or rivets are tight
Ensure the entire length of strap is free of any cuts, burns, abrasions, kinks, knots, broken stitches, or excessive wear and it retracts freely
Test unit to ensure it locks correctly with a sharp pull on the lanyard
Self Retracting Lanyards
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Articulating Manlift
Horizontal Lifelines – line and anchors
Guardrails
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Conduct
◦ Visual inspection for structural integrity
◦ Follow manufacturer’s recommendations
Other

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Never store personal fall arrest equipment in the bottom of a tool box, on the ground, or exposed to the elements
Equipment should be hung up to retain its shape
Hanging equipment in a compressor building, warehouse, or locker is acceptable
Your life
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Equipment should be kept relatively clean
◦ Clean with a mild soap and water
◦ Hang to dry
Equipment should not be stored near corrosives, excessive heat, chemicals, moisture or sunlight
Is on the line

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Means of getting the person down or up depending on the space and the work
◦ Rope to bring down employee at 3 ft per second decent (Rescumatic or Rollgliss systems)
◦ Self rescue or assisted rescue
Use of Relief Step Safety
Device
Fall protection is both Up and down situations

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Documented inspection required annually for all equipment
◦ Documented monthly inspection required for selfretracting lanyards
Annual training required
Harnesses, lanyards, snaphooks, carabineers, tie-off adaptors and anchorages must be destroyed if involved in a fall
Self-retracting lanyards must be inspected after a fall
◦ Manufacturer’s may have additional servicing and maintenance requirements – consult the user’s manual

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Recognizing fall hazards
◦ General overview of fall protection
◦ Identify fall hazards at company facilities and work areas
Controlling fall hazards
◦ General overview of equipment
◦ Means of control at our facilities
◦ Ensuring co-workers and contractors control fall hazards
◦ Inspection and maintenance of equipment
◦ Installation of equipment
◦ Use of equipment
◦ Employee responsibilities
Review of Company policy
Hands on performance observation

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Go to a location where a harness, lanyard, anchor points are needed for fall protection
Determine what equipment is necessary
Inspect equipment
Determine anchor points
Prepare to perform a climb
Discuss the rescue plan should a fall occur
Don equipment and perform a climb
After all the class has performed a climb consider a rescue operation