The personal fall arrest system refers to a system that is used to arrest an employee in a fall from the height. It basically consists of a body harness, anchorage, and connector. The means of connection mostly includes a lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or even a suitable combination of these all components. It is one option of protection that OSHA requires for the workers on construction sites who are exposed to the vertical drops of 6 feet or more.
Components of a Fall Arrest System
A fall arrest system includes:
All fall arrest systems have a suitable body holding device. These devices can hold your body on height and they can protect your body from sudden injuries.
A type fall arrester, guided type fall arrester including a rigid anchor line and they are designed with a flexible support system.
Apart from that, in these systems, you can also find an anchor line, anchor points, connectors, karabiners, hooks and lanyards.
Factors Which Affect the Assembling of a Fall Arrest System
In the course of combining all the components into a fall arrest system, the following aspects need to be taken into consideration:
Suitability of the components as per the intended use of the fall arrest system which takes into account all the different phases of usage
The characteristics of the workplace where the actual free height under the worker must be greater or at least equal to the minimum necessary clearance indicated by the manufacturer of the absorber or fall arrester
The intended user for establishing the needed training
Compatibility of components
Ergonomic considerations
The need to facilitate safe and effective rescue operations
Factors on Which the Fall Arrest System depends upon
There are majorly three factors on which the fall arrest system depends upon. They include:
Anchorages must be capable of supporting 5,000 pounds (22kN) of force per worker.
Must be high enough for a worker to avoid contact with a lower level should a fall occur.
The anchorage connector should be positioned to avoid a “swing fall.”
Benefits of Using the Fall Arrest System
Cost Effective: The safety fall arrest system requires a minimal ongoing maintenance. It also increases the efficiency and helps in providing peace of mind to the company owners, managers, and workers. The company can even order a system to which they can add extensions to later which would decrease their future unit expansion costs.
All round Year Safety: This feature eliminates the snow and ice to get build up during the winter months in the fall arrest system. One of the most important safety features is that of the retractable lifeline because the device stays over a worker’s head at all times for providing him or her with additional support on slick surfaces. It is ideal for tasks that the workers perform on the top of a railcar or truck.
Equipment Stability: The safety system’s structural elements feature a complete technological advancement. For example, the support pieces are hot-dipped galvanized which increases the durability of the system and effectively eliminates corrosion. The safety unit’s coating does not get damaged since the equipment item comes with Teflon wheels that do not need any prior maintenance.
The system lets its workers cover longer distances between support sections than other kinds of safety equipment. This type of setup is cheap since the rigid safety equipment requires fewer materials. The anchorage type is also easier and cheaper for installation as there are fewer limitations for the foundational sections of the unit.
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