Fall Protection Equipment Saves Lives

This past spring, a contractor faced a potential $70,000 fine from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for committing a violation of fall protection safety. The violation is considered “one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.” Allegedly, workers were exposed to a 50 foot fall while working without fall protection on a building’s roof. Employees are required by the United State Department of Labor Law 1926.501(b)(2)(i) to use fall protection when working from heights of 6 feet or greater.

Too many accidents occur every year in the workplace and too many times it is because of the lack of safety equipment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 253,440 reported cases if work-related non-fatal falls, compared to 814 fatal falls reported by private industries in 2007. Accidents are not inevitable, and falls are no different. With the right combination of education, equipment and training, you can eliminate falls from your workplace.

Working in a high-risk industry is dangerous enough, so whether you’re on a roof, platform, ladder, moving vehicle, or high rise, you need protection from falling. Falls from scaffolds, roofs and ladders constitute half of all disabling falls and they are often due to loss of balance because of tripping, slipping, and shifting or unstable ladders. Unfortunately, you cannot trust your body to have excellent balance at all times. With the right fall protection equipment, you can prevent disabling injuries and fatalities in high-risk workplaces.

Fall protection is more than wearing a hard hat and a safety harness. It starts with prevention and equipment. First you must identify all the potential fall hazards in your work environment: unprotected floor openings and edges, shafts, skylights, stairwells, and roof openings. Inspect fall protection equipment for defects. Use general equipment and installations like covers, handrails, guardrails and parapet walls to help prevent falls from happening. Select and wear personal fall protection equipment appropriate for the job at hand. Educate employees on current hazardous areas, signs of potential hazards, and have them continuously monitor for ongoing fall protection. This is as easy as a weekly safety meeting, discussing procedures in using fall protection equipment and responding to emergencies.

If your company is in need of new fall protection equipment, now is a great time to upgrade for the summer months. Established in 1992, Empire Safety and Supply has been providing clients with quality fall protection equipment for high-risk work environment needs. Their product lines range from harnesses and connecting devices, to fall protection systems and rescue/escape. Empire Safety and Supply represent over 800 manufacturers to offer clients the fall protection solutions and information they require. Empire Safety and Supply has a Warehouse and Inventory Support Team with the capability to ship thousands of products across the country and globe.

Ethan Luke http://www.empiresafety.com fall protection Established in 1992, Empire Safety & Supply has been providing our clients with quality solutions to their Safety, Hazmat, Industrial, and Controlled Environment needs.

Fall Protection Lanyard Use

Tips for Skiing with Kids

Family ski trips can be fun; but also have the potential to be frustrating. With advance planning, however, you can ensure that you and your family all leave the slopes with huge smiles on your tired faces. With younger children, there is the chance that they will require extra help and a lot of patience.

If possible, it is best to put new skiers into lessons before letting them hit the slopes with you. Although it may seem like a great idea to teach your own child to ski, they just might learn better from a professional instructor and it will be more enjoyable for you to ski with them.

Aside from actual skiing technique and practice, there are two aspects of skiing that determine how well your family ski trip goes. One aspect is comfort and one is safety. Getting lost in a sprawling ski resort would be quite frightening for a child, even if they are older. Just as when you visit a theme park with children, you need to have a plan in case someone gets lost.

Ribbon lanyards are great tools for two reasons; they are great for holding lift tickets, and they can also hold important information. For instance, when you are skiing with your family, you can have them wear ribbon lanyards or even jewelry lanyards to hold tickets and also slip in a piece of paper with your name and cell phone number on it. If any smaller skiers get separated, they can find resort personnel and show them their information card and ask that you be called.

Jewelry lanyards are great choices for the ladies in the bunch. Jewelry lanyards look more like necklaces than ribbon lanyards, yet they are just as strong and much of the time they have the same features. Comfort comes in layers – literally. Dressing in layers is ideal for small skiers for two reasons: it is warmer and also more comfortable. Conditions can change throughout the day on the slopes, and dressing in layers makes it easier to stay comfortable through any temperature.

Outer layers should feature flaps over zippers and high collars to keep little necks warm. Cuffs should be fitted so cold air and snow stay out. Under layers of clothing should not be cotton, as this material holds moisture. Many skiers prefer to wear silk undershirts and pants.

Eye protection is a must for all skiers. Leaving the slopes with sunburned eyeballs is no way to end a great day of fun. Because small skiers may fall more frequently if they are not naturals at the sport, finding sunglasses that feature a rope around the neck may be the best idea. This way you don’t risk losing their important eye protection.

Eyes are not the only things that can get sunburned. Sunlight bouncing off of bright white snow is the ideal way to get a nice red face. Today you can find sunscreen with SPF as high as 100. Using a high SPF sunscreen and re-applying it throughout the day will guard your little one (and you) against harmful UV rays and make your skiing experiences more enjoyable.

Fall Protection Treestand Safety Harness by Hunter Safety System

Safety harnesses are a very importantpart to any hunter’s toolbox. When hunting from a treestand it is veryimportant to stay safe and always remember to wear a full body harness.With more than 50% of hunting injuries coming from treestand falls staying safe while in the tree is vital. In an effort to provide thehighest quality treestand safety harnesses Hunter Safety System isdedicated to saving the lives of hunters. It is important when pickingtree stand harness to make sure that they fit correctly and you don’texceed manufacture recommended weight limits. With harnesses ranging in sizes from Youth Small for the young hunter to 5XL for the hunter weighing up to 400 lbs. there is a full body harness for almost every hunter.

The Pro series treestand hunting harnesses has eight pockets to keep all your smaller hunting gear within easy reach. Rubber coated buckle straps help to eliminate noise on the safety harness and make it easier to put on. Break away stitching allows for shock absorption in the event that you do fall. The waist and leg straps are full adjustable so you don’t have to sacrifice comfort for safety. Available in APG Realtree and in weight capacities up to 400 lbs. this is the most versatile harness in the Hunter Safety Systems line of full body treestand safety harnesses.

Hunter Safety Systems Reversible All Weather Full Body Safety Harness

The reversible treestand harness by Hunters Safety System is available in two different styles the Realtree and the Mossy Oak. Both of the harnesses have a camo pattern on one side and blaze safety orange on the verse. Theses vests meet orange safety requirements for all states. Saddle style leg straps help to eliminate pressure to the crotch area providing a more comfortable fit while hunting. Featuring a new deer drag strap that also doubles as an extra safety device in the event of a fall these harnesses are all about safety and comfort. The Reversible harnesses also include a lineman’s climbing strap that keeps both hands free when installing ladder sections.

Treestalker Tree Stand Harness by Hunter’s Safety System

The Treestalker hunting harnesses come in two different styles. The original Treestalker is an economical version of HSS’s full featured models offering lighter weight and increased storability. Also available is the Lil Treestalker youth safety harness for the child hunter in your family weighing between 50-120 lbs. Both treestand harnesses have built in webbing, quick-snap seat belt style buckles, deer drag, and life-saving suspension relief. Keeping the youth hunter in your family safe has never been easier.

Railcar Fall Protection

Railcar fall protection is essential for the workers on top of railcars since it is known that there are varying fall protection needs within the different industries that access railcars. Over the last two decades, there are some railcar fall protection solutions that designed for many such industries like grain, plastic, chemical, manufacturing, utility, transportation, and so forth.

Whether the worker is loading or unloading, servicing, inspecting, painting or doing any other work on railcars, railcar fall protection systems are designed to be user-friendly, not compromise the job efficiency, and yet provide continuous and complete coverage from fall hazard. The systems is designed for single, double or multiple tracks, and engineered for workers to pass one another.

Rail car fall protection is very useful to keep your rail yard and train siding area safe and operating at maximum efficiency. Losing staff due to falls is upsetting and makes it difficult to adhere to the rigorous operating hours and maintenance schedules required to keep your trains in service. Therefore, protecting your maintenance staff and creating a safe, accident free railcar facility is essential. Thus, railcar fall protection program is very important to be applied.

Moreover, railcar fall protection can be used for a variety of rail yard and siding locations. Railcar fall protection is designed to accommodate the storage and servicing of stationary rolling stock that needs to provide different coverage from fall protection equipment installed for loading and unloading grain or coal. Industrial rail sidings found at factories, in underground mines, outside quarries, servicing wharves, foundries, refineries, warehouses, etc. each in turn need their own engineered solution to protect railcar workers from falls.

There are several options of equipment that can be used for railcar fall protection. On the following explanation is going to deliver two examples of railcar fall protection equipment that commonly used today. So, just take a look at the explanation below.

Portable Platforms for Rail Cars

The first example of railcar fall protection equipment is delivered by SafeRack. SafeRack’s patent pending MAU-I portable platform serves as a rail car loading rack, or as a general-purpose rolling ladder that will work for any application where a safe, stable, dependable rolling platform is needed. SafeRack portable platforms are available in perpendicular or parallel configuration models. Perpendicular configuration allows for easy spotting with the tank truck, while parallel configuration is designed for increased maneuverability in tight spaces.

Moreover, this railcar fall protection equipment comes with the ladder which is available in two adjustable sizes, with 10 to 14 foot and 12 to 16 foot models depending on the needed height. Each unit is tested for a 500 pound capacity and is height adjustable via a hand winch.

Green Railcar and Tank Truck Safety Bridges (Gangways)

The second example of equipment for railcar fall protection is the Green Railcar and Tank Truck Safety Bridges. They are specifically designed for various industries and applications that require accessing the top of a vehicle. The Safety Bridge is designed for applications where the working range is within 15° above or below the platform height. The Green Railcar and Tank Truck Safety Bridge provides a solution for various applications that have an access problem.

Respiratory Safety And Fall Protection Measures

Lots of people are working at an area in which may be regularly exposed to dangerous smoke. For instance this mostly occurs in a construction area. In this matter an individual should be cautious for the reason that smoke and also gases can cause enormous health risks. To safeguard oneself you must have respiratory safety measures. However exactly what respiratory safety measures does one need to have within the work area?

It can be a great option to put on respirators for those who are constantly exposed to smoke. Put on the respirator at the appropriate way and will also be prepared to avoid the dangerous air containments. On the other hand you ought to make the respirators safe by means of regular inspections to make sure they are cleaned as well as disinfected and also any other repairs in case necessary are intended. In the event that there are areas at the work area in which keeps chemicals safety posters, warning signs will have to be post and appropriate safety procedures will have to be implemented in case anyone enter the areas. Consistent safety and health training can be a sensible way to find out about the safe and secure respiratory measures.

The above mentioned are the respiratory protection measures. In addition to the whether or not you're working at a construction area you may have a need for fall protection measures. Keep in mind that doing work at a construction area one ought to have recognize in advance just about all possible tripping dangers. The dangers could possibly be unprotected floor openings, skylights and uncork rooftops. It is advisable to secure and additionally strengthen the actual ladders prior to actually climb up to them. At all times make it a point to never stand up on the top rung of the step ladder. Utilize the hand railing whenever you climb the flight of stairways and constantly look at the fall equipments prior to using them.