Fall Safety Harnesses Can Kill
Fall Safety Harnesses Can Kill
The moment you walk in the door you can feel a change in the air. The leaves are changing colors and the crisp morning dew is turning into a harsh wind that bites your skin. Summer is coming to a close and fall is quickly approaching. Fall brings with it some of the best parts of autumn: cooler weather, leaves changing colors, apple pie, pumpkin spice latte’s... And for most people this isn’t all bad. But for others autumn can be a dangerous time of year where there are hidden hazards lurking around every corner at home or work.
The biggest threat to our safety this time of year is going to be the leaves, but other culprits include: pumpkins, corn stalks, broken glass or even the shadows your brother casts from the tree branches. You should be aware of these hazards and take precautions for your own safety.
Recently, a fatal fall occurred at a university in Pennsylvania. An employee was working on a scaffold when he lost his footing and fell nearly 40 feet to his death. He had been wearing a fall/fall protection harness at all times while working on both scaffolding and ladders, but like many people he decided to not wear anything while walking home from work.
This is the first fatality of a fall protection worker at a university in recent memory.
Although helmets and safety harnesses are available to buy, many people still choose not to purchase them, or do not use them properly. These two inventions alone could have saved this man’s life and a lot of people’s lives. The cost of these products is relatively low and do not take up very much room. If you live in an area where there are trees that can be dangerous for your safety (such as the woods, mountains or fields) you will find it beneficial to invest in one or both of these life-saving items.
Now fatal falls can happen without any fault on the victim's part. A number of factors come together to make a fatal fall happen: a person's balance, their ability to see, the location of the workplace, the weather conditions and many other factors.
One of the most common mistakes people make at work is not wearing a safety harness or helmet. Other common mistakes include forgetting to use your safety equipment or taking it off before entering a building. These are two situations where accidents could happen. If you are working on a scaffold at least 50 feet off the ground you should always wear your safety gear (fall protection harnesses and helmets).
You may think that wearing your safety gear will make you look silly; but like everything in life being safe is all about looking smart as well.
These two inventions alone could have saved this man’s life and a lot of people’s lives. The cost of these products is relatively low and do not take up very much room. If you live in an area where there are trees that can be dangerous for your safety (such as the woods, mountains or fields) you will find it beneficial to invest in one or both of these life-saving items.
If you are ever working on a ladder, ladder safety harnesses are highly recommended. They can be used with any kind of ladder too: Extension ladders, step stools and more. Just make sure you use the proper ladder when using your safety harness. Here are some safety tips that will help keep you safe while working on ladders:
- Make sure your belt (or chest strap) is always secure
- Keep the head of the belt in sight so that you can quickly access it if necessary
- If possible, always work in groups of 2 or more when climbing to a height greater than 10 feet.
As far as falls themselves go there is no denying that they can be extremely dangerous. The most common fall accidents happen at home or workplace, and sometimes someone slips, trips or loses their balance in other locations. So what are the possible results of a fall accident?
A fall can result in many different injuries including: broken bones, head injuries, burns, internal bleeding and more. When someone falls they can strike their head on the ground or against an object and sustain a brain injury. Falling can also cause life-threatening internal bleeding and broken bones. If you do sustain some kind of injury after a fall you should seek medical attention immediately.
Falls are becoming more common then ever before due to the fact that we are living well into our eighties and nineties now, so falls are bound to happen with this generation. As technology advances people get less physically active which means that adults become weaker over time. With the elderly and older adults being smaller in size, they are more of a risk for falls.
If the person is not wearing fall protection equipment or a helmet, they can fall out of their workplace and become more seriously injured in the process. The danger with falling from heights is that a person’s muscles can seize up and cause them to fall at an abnormal angle. This could result in serious injuries such as head trauma, internal injuries or broken bones.
Falls are becoming more common then ever before due to the fact that we are living well into our eighties and nineties now, so falls are bound to happen with this generation. As technology advances people get less physically active which means that adults become weaker over time. With the elderly and older adults being smaller in size, they are more of a risk for falls.
In order to avoid a serious fall injury you should take precautions such as wearing fall protection equipment (helmets, harnesses and ladder safety harnesses). Always make sure that you keep the area around your workstation clean and clear from hazards. Remember, the best route to safety is prevention .It doesn’t matter if you are at work or home there is always some kind of hazard lurking around every corner.
October is here and Halloween is just around the corner! Time to pull out those costumes for the whole family including your little one's.
Every year many people are injured or killed on Halloween night. Falling off a ladder, getting hit by a car, or slipping and falling in the bathroom are some of the most common ways that people get hurt on this spooky holiday.
As we have discussed in previous posts here at Safeguard Your Work, ladders can be very dangerous and easily cause serious injuries for the user. When working above ground level it is recommended that you wear your fall protection equipment (fall harnesses and safety helmets) to avoid any possible injuries that could develop after a fall. Also make sure your ladder is always being used properly with all rungs being used to avoid accidents as well.
Conclusion
With all of the technologies that are available to us today, there are many ways people can get injured. Sports injuries, slips and falls and workplace injuries are just a few of the ways that accidents can occur. Although there may not be a lot you can do to prevent injuries in everyday life, while working your best to take care of yourself can help keep you out of situations that could lead to injury. Making sure your safety equipment is up-to-date and working properly will also help you avoid accidents during your workday.