Falls are the single biggest cause of death on worksites across the U.S., which makes a sturdy fall arrest system vital to the success of your project. In 2011 alone, OSHA notes that 259 deaths in construction were due to jobsite falls.

Help reduce this risk at your worksite by providing OSHA-compliant fall protection without cutting job efficiency or causing your costs to balloon. A secure point of attachment is the first step to mitigating your fall hazards and creating a safe work environment. Your team at Onsite Safety provides the full line of fall protection from fall protection products to training to safety consulting designed to meet your specific needs for the safest workplace possible.

Anchorage and Anchorage Connector: Fall Protection Anchor Hardware

Anchorage is commonly referred to as a tie-off point. These tie-off points, which include I-beams and trusses, must be able to support 5,000 lbs. in the direction a fall may occur. To support that weight, a fall protection anchor connector is used to join the anchorage to the connecting device, like a beam anchor or truss anchor.

Body Wear: Fall Arrest Harness Systems

Your body wear, or fall arrest harness, is personal protective equipment worn by your staff while they are working on platforms, elevated work stations or other raised location. A harness is the only acceptable form of body wear for fall arrest. The harness distributes the force of a fall throughout the body to avoid injury and keeps the worker suspended in an upright position while awaiting rescue. Older, ineffective systems may prevent the fall, but injure the worker.

Connecting Device: Retractable Lanyard and Shock Absorbing Lifeline

The retractable lanyard and similar devices are the vital link that joins the body wear to the anchor or anchorage. When deciding which type of connecting device to use, you must consider the potential fall distance. Shock absorbing lanyards reduce the amount of impact forces a body takes during a fall, reducing the injury risk on extremely high worksites.

Understanding the ABCs of preventing worksite injuries and deaths with the right fall arrest system is essential to keeping your employees safe and your business in compliance with OSHA regulations. There are a lot of products out there. Unsure which system your project calls for? Contact our professionals at Onsight Safety to speak to an experienced professional that can show you how quickly and easily you can protect your employees from worksite falls.