There are 751 deaths a year in the construction industry. Falls account for 35% of those fatalities. This presentation provides insights, safety tips and pointers on how to select the proper harnesses that will help protect your workers from deadly falls.

1. Your Partners in Safety!
Fall Protection
A Closer Look

2. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Mark Blake
Construction Sales Manager
303-886-6239
Mark.Blake@MSAnet.com
www.MSAnet.com

3. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
MSA—”The Safety Company”
Who we are
•Started in 1914
•Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA
•Largest manufacturer of sophisticated safety equipment
•40 locations worldwide covering 140 countries
•85 sales reps covering US market
•Market specific reps as well as geographical
•Rose MFG founded in 1930
•Purchased by MSA in 1996

4. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Statistics: 2010
Construction “Fatal Four” (57%)
1.Falls = 260
2.Electrocutions = 76
3.Struck-by = 63
4.Stuck-in-between = 32
Total deaths in construction = 751
Falls account for 35%
Source – OSHA.gov

5. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
OSHA—Compliance
Fall protection standards
•The 29 CFR 1926 construction
– 1926.500 – Scope, applications and definitions
– 1926.501 – Duty to have
– 1926.502 – Fall protection systems criteria
– 1926.503 – Training requirements
•The 20 CFR 1910 general industry
– 1910.66 Appendix C – Powered Platforms
– Ladders, Scaffolding
– Vehicle mounted platforms, Manlifts
– General Duty Clause

6. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Consensus Standards
• ANSI—American National Standards Institute
– Committees made up of manufactures,
researchers, end users, regulators
– May or may not be required by OSHA
• Incorporation by reference
– ANSI Z89.1 – required for hard hats (1926.6(h)(28))
– ANSI Z359.1 – (General Industry) not
required for fall protection (1926.6)
– ANSI A10.32 - (Construction) not
required for fall protection (1926.6)
– Standards creation similar to that used by OSHA
• Proposed, commented on, final rule, promulgated

7. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Program Hierarchy
• Corporate policy
– Top of the hierarchy
– Includes regulatory requirements
– Includes consensus standards
– Reflects best practices
• Be careful only to include what you are
willing to execute.
ANSI
Best
Practice
OSHA
Corporate
Policy

8. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
What Manufacturers’ Build Too
• OSHA
– Required for compliance
• ANSI
– Required by policy
• ISO
– Required to prove manufacturer
has a quality program
• Third party testing
– Verifies the manufacturers design and testing

9. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Common Misnomers
• Harness
• Lanyards
• Retractables
• Rescue

10. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Harnesses
Common questions
•“How long can a harness stay in service?”
– 5 Years or Follow the Manufacturer’s guidelines
•When do I inspect my harness?”
– Before each use by user and every 6 Months by competent person
•“Is there a weight limit?”
– 400 lbs (product specific) Older styles = 310 lbs
•“Can I right on my harness or mark it with my name?”
– Yes, any non-toxic marker (Sharpie, Marks-a-lot) meeting the ASTM
D-4236 Standard and stamped

11. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Harnesses
Styles of harnesses
•Vest style
•Pullover style
•Cross–over
Materials used
•Nylon
•Polyester
•Kevlar/Nomex
All synthetic fibers for strength requirements

12. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Specialty Harnesses
• Construction
• Welding
• Oil rig
• Rescue
• Tower climbing
• Arc rated
• High visibility

13. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Lanyards
Shock absorber technologies
•Rip-stitch
•Tear-tape
•Partially orientated yarn (POY)
•Self retracting lanyards

14. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Lanyards
Common questions
•Can I attach 2 lanyards to 1 D-ring?”
– No, each lanyard works independent and as a “System”,
1 point of contact to a D-ring only
•“On what end do I connect the shock pack, harness or anchor?”
– The shock pack always attaches to the harness
•“How far will I actually fall?”
– Free fall + deceleration distance + harness effect + height of
worker = TFD

15. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Lanyards
A. Free fall – 6’
B. Shock absorber – 3.5’
C. Body length – 6’
– Harness stretch – 1’
– Safety factor – 1.5’
A. Total fall distance – 18’

16. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Specialty Lanyards
• Twin leg
• Tieback
• Pigtail
• Welding
• 12’ freefall
• Arc rated

17. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Lanyards
Self retracting lanyards
•Limit fall distance
•Allow more flexibility than conventional lanyards
•Lengths from 6’ – 95’

18. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Lanyards
Specialty SRL’s
•Twin leg
•Twin leg tie-back
•Leading edge

19. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Self Retracting Lanyards
Common questions
•“Can I attach my web lanyard to an SRL to make it longer?”
– No, proper use of an SRL is to be connected between a
harness and anchor point.
•“What is the difference between an SRL and a PFL?”
– They are both “SRL’s”, a PFL is tested to be worn by the user.
•“How do you know when they are deployed?”
– Integral load indicators

20. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946

21. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Rescue
Why is rescue so important?
Suspension Trauma!!!
The worker has 15 – 20 minutes to suspend before the effects set in

22. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Rescue
What is suspension trauma?
•Leg straps on the harness
begin to stop the blood flow
back to the heart
•Venus pooling
•Effects can be deadly

23. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Rescue
What can be considered a
rescue plan?
•911
•Ladder
•Scissor Lift
•JLG
•Mobile staircase

24. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
Rescue
Other rescue devices:
•Block & tackle systems
•Tripods
•Hoists & rescuers

25. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
On-Site Training Is Available

26. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
MSA Products For Construction
• Eye, face, hearing
• V–guard helmets
• Respiratory
• Instrumentation
• SAR/SCBA

27. Fall Protection
A Closer Look
Your Partners In Safety!
The Best ValueIn Safety Solutions Since1946
QUESTIONS