For those who work in industries that involve fall risks, fall arrest harnesses are a must. That being said, not everyone knows why they’re important or why these are useful compared to other harness. Below, we’re going to go over all of this and more! For more information, keep reading.
What are they?
When you’re working at a height, your safety, as well as the safety of your team, is most important. After all, there’s no point in efficiency or speed if you’re not safe or if you don’t have the health to go with it.
Fall harnesses are useful because they can slow down you fall. The idea behind this is simple: when you fall, a lot of kinetic energy is flowing as a result. A fall arrest harness will absorb some of that energy and, as such, will decelerate.
Some people wonder why they should be using an arrest harness when it does not break the fall completely. At the end of the day, these harnesses prevent injuries during a fall. When you’re in the process of falling, you’ll also have complete control over your range of motion and how you fall.
According to the World Health Organization, the second leading cause of accidental deaths around the world is falling. More than anything, this shows that falling isn’t a rare accident that happens to unlucky people. It takes one fall for you to end up severely injured.
Fall Arrest Harnesses Vs. Fall Restraint Harnesses
It can be difficult to tell the difference between fall arrest harnesses and fall restraint harnesses. Not only do they look the same, but their names are also similar. We’re going to go over some of their differences to ensure that you know which harness to buy for your needs.
What are fall restraint harnesses?
One of the most common questions we hear is, “What are fall arrest harnesses?”
Where fall arrest safety harnesses prevent you from falling to quickly, fall restraint harnesses prevent you from falling altogether. That’s because a fall restraint harness will prevent you from going too close to edges that can cause falls from a height.
You’ll mostly need a fall restraint harness if you’re scaling buildings because they provide you with more range of motion and an increase in overall flexibility.
Should you buy a Fall arrest harness?
In short: you should definitely use a fall arrest harness if you’re working from a height. Likewise, you should buy an arrest harness if you need more control over your movement. If you don’t need as much range of motion, a restraint harness can also be used.
Keep in mind that you should also keep your arrest harness in a safe place. Things like sharp objects and chemicals can affect the integrity of your harness and, subsequently, can cause an equipment failure when you need to use the harness. You can also have your equipment tested to ensure that it’s safe to use.
Considerations when using harnesses
Now that we’ve gone over the basics, it’s time to discuss the various components you should consider before you buy an arrest harness.
Pendulum Effect
You may have already heard of the pendulum effect. This happens when a worker hasn’t been secured properly. Usually, a worker needs to be secured to an anchor above them. If they’re not, the pendulum effect can cause them to start swinging side-to-side. This will happen until you lose momentum.
The main concern with the pendulum effect is that workers can find themselves being knocked into the building, or even into surrounding buildings and structures. Not only can this leave you injured, but it can also be life-threatening.
Have a Plan B
If a fall does take place, you’ll need to have a plan to back you up. Most organisations and companies call these plans emergency or rescue plans. Depending on your equipment and resources, this plan will look different to everyone.
When you’re creating this plan, you should think about the site you’re working on. Generally, most employers have a rescue system ready to go. You should always formulate the plan depending on the site you’re working on. This will require you to change your plan every time you change sites, but it’s well worth it.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to choosing the right equipment, we recommend our Yale fall arrest harness. Not only do they provide you with additional support in an emergency, but they also slow you down if you fall from a height. Because of this, you can turn what otherwise be a disaster into a mere inconvenience. These harnesses also provide control over motion when you’re falling.
If you have any questions about fall arrest products get in touch with Lifting365!