The ANSI/ASSP Z459.1 standard, the first of its kind, establishes safety requirements for rope access systems. We spoke with Loui McCurley, chair of the ANSI/ASSP Z459.1 subcommittee, about rope access work, the Z459.1 standard and how it can help keep workers in these environments safe.
Connected technology has emerged over the last decade and can boost the level of safety for those who work at elevation, enhancing a fall protection equipment program.
You don’t need a vivid imagination to picture the dangers of a falling tool. A small 1” socket falling from a height of only 30 feet can cause great bodily injury, or even death, if it strikes someone.
The history of human innovation for working at height dates back centuries. Scaffolding – first depicted in drawings from ancient Greece in the 5th century BC – was fashioned from wood secured by rope knots.
Ladders are one of those standard, time-tested pieces of equipment that would presumably need no training, yet according to OSHA, falls remain the No. 1 cause of death in the construction industry.
Fall protection equipment is an essential component of your safety, but you also need to know how to use the equipment properly. For this, you need appropriate training and an understanding of what is required to be compliant.
No fall protection equipment — regardless of how effective — can save an employee who is not properly trained in its use. Therefore, to maintain a safe and productive environment for workers at height, proper fall protection training is the first and most important step in your fall protection program.
Working alone and working at heights for me began years ago as an instrument technician in a large steel mill in western Pennsylvania. We always tried to work in pairs but there were occasions when I had to work alone or apart from my buddy.