Fall protection lanyards

Is there a shelf-life for fall protection lanyards ... 

OSHA regulations require that all fall arrest equipment be inspected prior to its use. This includes looking for frays or broken strands in lanyards, belts, and lifelines, and oxidation or distortion of any metal connection devices. To properly maintain the devices, periodic cleaning is necessary. Clean all surfaces with a mild detergent soap, and always let the equipment air dry away from excess heat. Follow the manufacturer s instructions for cleaning and maintenance. Because of the stress equipment sustains from a fall, any equipment exposed to a fall must be taken out of service and not used again for fall protection. 

For example, the old instruction said that employers performing roofing work did not have to use active fall protection systems such as har-ness/lanyard/ lifeline or self-retracting devices, guardrails... 

A personal fall protection system comprises at least a body holding device, i.e. a harness of some type, a lanyard and a reliable anchor. A well thought-out system will seek to minimise the effects of any potential fall. If a fall does occur, that system will arrest the fall with a limited impact force. At this stage, the harness (and the rest of the components in the system) will have stopped the fall, hopefully without it causing any injury. 

A strap provided with a means for securing it about the waist and for attaching it with a lanyard to a lifeline or anchorage point. It is used to provide personnel positioning limits against a fall. They are considered a fall prevention device rather than a fall protection device. It may also be called a Safety Belt. 

A fall protection system that prevents the user from falling any distance. The system is comprised of either a body belt or body harness, along with an anchorage, connectors, and other necessary equipment. The other components typically include a lanyard, and may also include a lifeline and other devices. See also Anchor Point Body Harness, Full Lanyard Personal Fall Arrest System. 

Residential construction poses special concerns for contractors. One of the biggest concerns is falls, so OSHA requires fall protection that meets the residential construction requirements of 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13). According to the regulation, residential construction employers generally must ensure that employees working six feet or more above lower levels use conventional fall protection methods, including guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems. A personal fall arrest system may consist of a full body harness, a deceleration device, a lanyard, and an anchor point. (See the definition of personal fall arrest system at 1926.500). 

Paul doing inspection work on the new building. He is halfway down the list of items to check and notices that he is to verify that some facia has been repaired. The area to check is at the edge of the floor and there are guardrails in place. His fall protection harness and lanyard is in the truck and since he is on the sixth floor. Paid knows he needs to have some t5T)e of fall protection. 

Excessive dirt — Construction work can be very dirty and fall protection gear can get grimy fast. All sorts of contaminates can come into contact with the harness or lanyard webbing. The webbing is made of fibers and when these fibers get dirty they can weaken as the dirt abrades the fibers. Certain chemicals can also eat into the fibers, destroying them so they fail. Instruct your employees to keep their fall protection gear as clean as possible. 

FALL PROTECTION — INSPECTING YOUR HARNESSES LANYARDS-1... 

Demonstrate how to inspect a typical fall protection harness or lanyard. If you have a damaged or defective harness or lanyard bring it in and pass it around to the trainees. Discuss who employees should contact if they think a harness is damaged or defective. Cover any company specific rules you have regarding inspection of this t5rpe of fall protection gear. 

Fall Protection — Inspecting Your Harnesses Lanyards — Sign-Off Sheet... 

This sign-off sheet documents the employees who have taken part in a training session on Fall Protection — Inspecting Your Harnesses Lanyards at this company, ... 

Employees stake their lives on their fall protection equipment. An important safeguard to take is making sure your workers inspect all harnesses and lanyards before putting them on. 

Denny and George are assigned to work on the roof of the new building. Both are checking out fall protection harnesses and lanyards. 

What to look for during the inspection of fall protection harnesses and lanyards. 

Personal fall arrest systems used on scaffolds must (1) meet the reqrurements of 29 CFR 1926.502(d) (fall protection rule), and (2) be attached by lanyard to a vertical or horizontal lifeline, or scaffold structural member. 

All personal fall arrest systems used on scaffolds must meet the requirements of 1926.502(d). This is the fall protection standard. Paragraph (d) specifles the requirements of the fall protection equipment such as connectors, dee-rings, snaphooks, and webbing and lanyards. It also discusses horizontal and vertical lifelines. 

Safety Belt There are several classes of belts worn around the waist for fall protection. Safety belts are useful for very short falls. The longer a fall, the greater the arresting force when one reaches the limits of a lanyard or lifeline. The longer a fall, the greater the likelihood of injury from the sudden stop. Many prefer a safety harness to a safety belt to reduce the potential for injury. 

Advantage harnesses and lanyards are 30-40 percent lower than comparable brands, the company says, with no compromise in quality, fit or function. Fully OSHA compliant, with every batch of product factory tested in a state-of-the-art facility. RTC Fall Protection, wwwfaUpro-tectionjcom, (800) 323-7402. Ckd0 258... 

Falls in the workplace are the leading cause of death to workers this also includes workers within the Service Industry. Thus, the need for fall protection in workplaces when workers are performing their jobs is definitely a requirement. Fall protection must be provided so that workers can concentrate on the job tasks without any fear of falling. Requirements relating to fall protection, as described in this chapter, do not apply to scaffolds, cranes and derricks, ladders and stairways, or electrical power transmission and distribution, each of which has its own requiranents. The major components of fall protection, described herein, are for installation, construction, and proper use of body harnesses and belts, lanyards, and lifelines, and the reqnire-ments for the training of fall protection. 

Restraint Systems —A restraint system prevents a worker from being exposed to any fall. If the employee is protected by a restraint system, either a body belt or a harness may be used. When a restraint system is used for fall protection from an aerial lift or a boom-type elevating work platform, the employer must ensure that the lanyard and anchor are arranged so that the employee is not potentially exposed to falling any distance. 

A. Shock absorbing lanyards are not mandatory but are often used to comply with OSHA s fall protection requirements. The specifications for a personal fall arrest system are in 29 CFR 1926.502(d). One of the provisions in this section requires that when using a full body harness, the system must limit the maximum arresting force exerted on an employee to 1,800 pounds. One means of complying with this section is to use a shock absorbing lanyard. 

---