Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/70749
42 • JULY 2012 • WORLD FENCE NEWS OSHA outreach program aims to educate construction workers on ways to prevent falls Editor's note: Last month's Edi- • Three slide operators to choose from! Residential to heavy industrial with more to come! • Rack and pinion design eliminates the need for a chain. We sell directly to dealers! 1-877-331-4747 • 1-850-477-5861 www.RotaryGateSystems.com Check out World Fence News OnLine! www.worldfencenews.com tor's Column dealt with an unfortu- nate (and costly) experience one Illinois fence contractor had with OSHA stemming from his workers being caught not wearing required fall protection gear (among other viola- tions). In light of the fact that in the construction industry in the U.S., falls are the leading cause of worker fatal- ities and injuries, we are publishing portions of an OSHA outreach pro- gram whose goal is to educate con- struction companies on OSHA regulations designed to prevent falls. The first of two installments was pub- lished in the June issue, as the regula- tions are quite lengthy. We now follow up with the second installment. This is in no way a comprehensive review of all applicable OSHA regulations, but simply an educational outreach. Al- ways consult official sources for regu- lations and requirements. Because many fence installations require work- ing at heights (such as on large back- stops), fall protection should be high on your list of topics at company safety meetings and tool box talks. Personal fall arrest systems These consist of an anchorage, connectors and a body belt or body harness and may include a decelera- tion device, lifeline, or suitable com- binations. If a personal fall arrest system is used for fall protection, it must do the following: • Limit maximum arresting force on an employee to 900 pounds when used with a body belt; • Limit maximum arresting force At Western Tube & Conduit customer satisfaction and quality are the first order of business. Our Fencepost and Fencerail production is ISO-9001:2008 certified - and our products are manufactured to meet all the applicable state, federal, industrial and regulatory specifications and requirements. While we regularly stock standardized products and sizes, we are happy to provide custom dimensions as well. All our Fence products are galvanized with high purity zinc. We use high frequency welding (ERW) to turn the highest quality strip steel into tubing, and then a continuous hot-galvanizing process to zinc-coat the products smoothly and evenly. A zinc-rich interior organic coating, a chromate conversion coating, and a clear exterior organic coating provide the complete finish package that gives them superior protection against the elements and long life as a result. Gal-Z serves customers looking for shaped Fence tubing as well as corrosion-protected mechanical tubing. It can be purchased in squares and in rectangles, and it provides excellent environmental durability while also fulfilling the need for strength and weldability. on an employee to 1,800 pounds when used with a body harness; • Be rigged so that an employee can neither free fall more than 6 feet nor contact any lower level; • Bring an employee to a complete stop and limit maximum deceleration distance an employee travels to 3.5 feet; and • Have sufficient strength to with- stand twice the potential impact en- ergy of an employee free falling a distance of 6 feet or the free fall dis- tance permitted by the system, whichever is less. As of January 1, 1998, the use of a body belt for fall arrest is prohibited. Personal fall arrest systems must be inspected prior to each use for wear damage, and other deterioration. De- fective components must be removed from service. Dee-rings and snaphooks must have a minimum tensile strength of 5,000 pounds. Dee-rings and snaphooks shall be proof-tested to a minimum tensile load of 3,600 pounds without cracking, breaking, or suffer- ing permanent deformation. Snaphooks shall be sized to be compatible with the member to which they will be connected, or shall be of a locking configuration. Unless the snaphook is a locking type and designed for the following connections, they shall not be engaged (a) directly to webbing, rope or wire rope; (b) to each other; (c) to a dee- ring to which another snaphook or other connecter is attached; (d) to a continued on page 44