Article - Safety Harnesses
Texas America Safety Company Fall Protection About Safety Harnesses |
|||||||||
When you have employees that must work off the ground on scaffolding or catwalks, OSHA regulations require them to be wearing safety harnesses. Falling from a height is one of the leading causes of death in the construction industry and is one that can easily be reduced or eliminated altogether. By equipping your employees with the appropriate harness and training them in its use, you give them the protection they need to remain safe at all times when they have to work above the ground. The general guideline states that anyone who must work at a height of more than six feet off the ground should be wearing an appropriate safety harness to stop them from falling to the ground and injuring themselves or worse. While some employees are not going to be happy about your insistence that they wear one of these safety harnesses, your adamancy may one day save their life.
|
Cut Here
When you have employees that must work off the ground on scaffolding or catwalks, OSHA regulations require them to be wearing safety harnesses. Falling from a height is one of the leading causes of death in the construction industry and is one that can easily be reduced or eliminated altogether. By equipping your employees with the appropriate harness and training them in its use, you give them the protection they need to remain safe at all times when they have to work above the ground. The general guideline states that anyone who must work at a height of more than six feet off the ground should be wearing an appropriate safety harness to stop them from falling to the ground and injuring themselves or worse. While some employees are not going to be happy about your insistence that they wear one of these safety harnesses, your adamancy may one day save their life.
For this reason alone you should never let an employee climb the scaffolding, rigging or work on the catwalks without wearing and using his safety harness. Of course just because you insist that all of your employees wear safety harnesses does not mean that they are going to use them. If an employee does not take the few extra seconds to properly anchor his harness, he might as well not be wearing it. The harness itself is only one half of the picture, the other half is taking the time to properly anchor it to an approved anchor point that will support his weight should he happen to fall. You will find that there are several different varieties of safety harnesses available to choose from, each of them is designed to be used in a different field. There are lightweight basic harnesses for use by roofers and those who are at a relatively low risk of falling. For those involved in construction and road work there are lightweight vest harnesses in bright colors that make it easy for motorists to see those who are working. If you are planning to purchase safety harnesses for your employees you need to ensure that any you are considering have been tested and certified to meet all OSHA standards that cover them.
You might want to talk to your employees and see which style of harness they would feel more comfortable wearing. You might find that taking the time to talk to your employees first will increase the likelihood that they will wear them every time their job requires them to be off the ground. At TASCO you will find a full selection of safety harnesses in various sizes, styles and colors that can be used in any industry that requires its employees to work at heights requiring their use. To go with their selection of harness you will also find safety lanyards, retractable lanyards and confined space systems to keep your employees safe at all times when they are working above ground level. All safety equipment has been certified to meet OHSA standards and ANSI Z359 standards.