Understanding Fall Arrest and Fall Restraint Standards and Why They Should Be Implemented

The ANSI/ASSP Z359 fall protection and fall restraint standards cover fall protection equipment and systems for climbing, rescue, work positioning and other fall hazards. Also, these standards affect training, and proper identification and abatement of hazards to protect people working at height.

Importance of Using Fall Protection and Fall Restraint Standards

American Society of Safety Professionals Organizations and businesses can rely on the standards in the Z359 Fall Protection Code for addressing a long list of fall protection and fall restraint requirements that must be followed in the workplace. With this code, safety professionals can understand these requirements more clearly, allowing them to develop an all-inclusive managed fall protection program together with active fall protection systems.

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Fall Arrest Mechanism

Fall arrest is fall protection that aims to safely keep a person from falling. Other types of fall protection include fall guarding (prevention of access to fall hazard area) and fall restraint (preventing falls of persons who work in a fall hazard area). Look for more facts about safety at https://www.huffingtonpost.com/topic/workplace-safety.

Fall arrest systems are crucial in scenarios in which workers need to be in elevated positions, automatically exposing them to a falling risk. These systems are necessary for those who are working from a minimum height of 6 feet. Working height stands for the distance that runs from the walking surface down to the lower level.

General (nets) and personal (lifelines) are the two key forms of fall arrest. The fall arrest system is used only when a fall has occurred. Based on OSHA standards, only retractable lifelines, or full-body harnesses with shock-absorbing lanyards are accepted as personal fall arrest systems.  Full-body harnesses are meant to scatter arresting forces all throughout the body, while shock-absorbing lanyards bring down the total forces applied.

Types of Fall Protection Systems

Depending on their purpose and the activities they are designed for, OSHA recommends various types of fall safety equipment, such as body belts, suspension belts, rope grabs, rails and more.

Finding the Right System for Your Team

Unsure which of the systems mentioned above is right for your team, or whether the one you're using or might use passes OSHA's standards? Don't hesitate to seek the help of professionals who can give you all the relevant details and provide the fall arrest protection equipment you need to secure your workers. Begin your online search for a good workplace safety partner. Be sure to check it out!