Tip of the Week No. 107 A – 04/10/06 – PFAS


In almost any aerial project where fall hazards exist, the first worker up assumes the greatest risk of falling.
In addition, that worker is often responsible for attaching the fall arrest equipment that will be used by other workers and, perhaps, other trades.
To accomplish this task without exposing the first worker up to unnecessary risk, a plan is required before the work begins. Workers should be involved in discussions on available systems and their work methods to determine the best-suited fall protection.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edtion” page 61.
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Tip of the Week No. 29 A – 06/21/04 Prevention


Sometimes exposure to a fall hazard cannot be practically prevented during access to a work task, or when at a work position, through such measures as floors, walls, aerial lifts, bucket trucks, guardrails, perimeter cables, crane-suspended work platforms (manbaskets), scaffolds or planking. In these situations, personal fall arrest equipment can be selected to control a fall or provide a reliable means of escape when a controlled-descent feature is operating.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” page 24.
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Tip of the Week No. 35 A – 08/09/04 PFAS


A personal fall protection equipment system should be designed, tested and supplied as a complete system. When purchasing any fall protection or emergency escape equipment, it is best to purchase a complete system from a reputable manufacturer or authorized dealer. A complete system should minimally include not only the device and all accessories, but also service, repair and comprehensive instructions for proper use.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” page 187.
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Tip of the Week No. 8 A – 01/26/04 PFAS


Always design your fall arrest system for easiest postfall self-rescue, or for as short as possible suspension time. The use of emergency responders is a difficult responsibility for those planning the work, since it is necessary to know the capabilities of the responders and have their agreement in advance to ensure prompt resuce.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” page 323.
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Tip of the Week No. 88 – 11/14/05 – PFAS


In most cases, personal fall arrest equipment is designed and should serve as backup protection – that is, it is “passive” until a fall occurs, at which time it either arrests the fall or acts to lower the falling individual in a controlled manner.
This protection must fit in with the mobility requirements of the work task to (1) remain passive, and (2)provide continuous protection.
It also must take into account other variables, such as obstructions below the workstation.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” page 241.
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Tip of the Week No. 76 – 07/11/05 – PFAS


A personal fall arrest system must include not only the device and all the accessories, but also the servicing, repair and comprehensive instructions required for proper use.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” page 307.
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Tip of the Week No. 73 – 06/20/05 – Personal Protective Equipment


In general, personal protective equipment is designed as a backup safety system for an individual during a work task.
In the event of an emergency, the equipment should function automatically to help protect the worker from harm.
A personal fall protection sytem should, therefore, provide continuous and complete protection without interfering with required task mobility.
Properly used, (fall protection)equipment can often provide the most protection for the least cost, with a certain level of potential exposure.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” pages 24-25.
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Tip of the Week No. 69 – 05/16/05 – Fall Arrest Equipment


Fall arrest equipment should be used at all times when a fall hazard of more than 6 feet (or other local trigger height) cannot be eliminated or controlled.
The maximum free-fall distance should be 2 feet for most confined spaces of limited size, but which otherwise meet the criteria of OSHA 1910.66, Appendix C.
Fall equipment with an integral retrieval feature should be considered.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” page 272.
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Tip of the Week No. 61 – 03/14/05 – PFAS limitations


When fall protection of any kind is provided, the project’s competent person must periodically instruct workers in the limitations to that system’s effectiveness.
This includes parapets, guardrails and lifelines. Where building roofs and floors have degraded to the point where any nominal load could cause a collapse or misstep, special requirements apply. For this purpose, any demolition program (removal of any materials, even possibly for maintenance) or work on any roof or exposed floor requires the employer (meaning the owner in most cases) presurvey that structure for adequacy in supporting anticipated loads.
For example, blisters detected 15 feet from an edge with no adequate barrier should be exposed by removing stones and spray painting the blisters for high visibility until repairs are complete.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” page 342.
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Tip of the Week No. 53 – 01/17/05 – PFAS


Historicaly, the notions of user positioning, fall prevention, restraint and fall arrest have been comingled in the literature; as a result, their distinguishing characteristics have not been delineated.
However, the requirements imposed on personal fall arrest equipment and procedures differ markedly from those essential to positioning and restraint.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” page 36
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Tip of the Week No. 17 – 04/05/04. PFAS service.


A personal fall arrest system must include not only the device and all the acessories, but also the servicing, repair, and comprehensive instructions required for proper use. For instance, how would you know a fall arrest device is fully operational and reliable after several months or even years of service?

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” page 307.
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Tip of the Week No. 16 – 03/29/04. PFAS.


No personal fall arrest equipment system can guarantee that workers will not sustain any injury if a fall occurs. The best that can be expected is a substantial reduction in the likelihood of injury. What is certain is that the improper use of equipment will vastly increase the chance of serious or fatal injury because misuse builds false security.

Some examples of misuse: low anchorages; long, slack lanyards; untested anchorages; faulty snaphooks; rolled-up harness leg straps.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” pages 325-326.
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Tip of the Week No. 3 – 12/22/03. PFAS.


Who can guarantee that any worker can select the criteria best suited to a particular kind of work or work method? Reliance on personal choice is not what elevated fall protection is all about.

See “Introduction to Fall Protection, 3rd Edition” page 11.
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Introduction to Fall Protection, 4th Edition #29


Tip of the Week No. 257:
The three basic pieces of a personal fall arrest system – the ABCs of fall protection – are easily illustrated through a conceptual triangle. This “Personal Fall Arrest Equipment Triangle” consists of an anchorage, a body support, and the connecting means such as a lanyard.
When work positioning is used to free up the hands, a similar triangle exists, but the anchorage, body support, and connecting means must be separate and distinct from the fall arrest triangle.
Excerpt from Chapter 6 – Active Fall Protection Systems. Introduction to Fall Protection, 4th Edition. Watch this website for more information about the publication date and how you can order your copy.

Introduction to Fall Protection, 4th Edition #25


Tip of the Week No. 253:
Only one fall arrest system per worker is required for proper protection. However, if the worker is permitted to use the fall arrest system as a tool, for example, by transferring weight to it for support, then a second fall arrest sytem is required. The first line of protection against falls is the worker’s balance. A personal fall arrest system is the backup when inspected and maintained properly.
Excerpt from Chapter 6 – Active Fall Protection Systems. Introduction to Fall Protection, 4th Edition. Watch this website for more information about the publication date and how you can order your copy.

Tip of the Week 320 – 06/11/2012 – Personal Fall Arrest System


In general, personal protective equipment is designed as a backup safety system for an individual during a work task. In the event of an emergency, the equipment should function automatically to help protect the worker from harm. A personal fall protection system should, therefore, provide continuous and complete protection without interfering with required task mobility.
Continuous fall protection uses one or more of the following means:
FALL PREVENTION
Barriers, Covers
Guardrails
Perimeter Cables
Walls, Fences
Platforms, Buckets, Aerial Lifts
Scaffolds, Planking
FALL ARREST
Safety Nets
Personal Fall Arrest Systems

Introduction to Fall Protection, 4th Edition page 34.

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