Worksite Safety: Three Critical Tips for Working at Height

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If you are involved in at height tasks in construction, renovation and building maintenance, you should be diligent in upholding your personal safety. Working from an elevated area can be dangerous. A single fall can cause debilitating injuries and even death. Therefore, you should take the correct measures and precautions to prevent such unfortunate occurrences. Here are practical tips for working at height while minimising personal safety risks.

Choose the Right Access Equipment

You should choose the best elevated work platform for your tasks. The correct equipment will help you ensure that you can perform your task comfortably. The most important factor to consider when choosing the access equipment is the working height. In general, this refers to the total height of the platform plus the height of an average worker. You should be certain that this height matches your work requirements. You should also check the safety measures incorporated in the equipment to prevent falls. For example, a general elevated platform should have rails for passive protection.

Obtain a Fall Arrest Harness

You should have a fall arrest system when working at height. In general, there is no guarantee that you will not fall even if you choose the correct access equipment. This type of personal protection equipment will prevent a dangerous fall if you do slip from the platform. Under ideal circumstances, you should have a full body harness for optimal safety. This equipment will hold you up securely in the air after a fall. When choosing your fall arrest system, you should take the environment and type of work into consideration. For instance, a nylon harness might not be the best choice for at-height welding because it is vulnerable to heat. An alternative fabric like Kevlar might be more suited for this hazardous task.

Inspect Your Equipment and Fall Arrest Gear

You should perform regular inspections of your elevated access equipment. Ideally, you should have the platform or other machinery checked every time before use. The setup can sustain damage while no one is watching. This precaution will help you detect problems early and fix them before a fall. You should also check the personal protection gear before use. In general, a harness is useless if it is not strong enough to support your weight. Therefore, you should check the gear for tears and signs of weakness to prevent failure during a critical moment. If your harness saves you from a fall, you should not reuse it without assessing the impact of the usage on the system.

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16 February 2018

Understanding Aspects of Industrial Supply

Gaining a good understanding of industrial supplies can really help a man to get ahead. I'm Jo and while I do not work directly in the industrial equipment or supply business, I have learnt a lot from my brother who works in a large factory in Sydney. I would often spend weekends down there watching the guys at work. Now and again, my brother would ask me to help him out so we could try and find a good deal on a new piece of kit. I did it, and I learnt a lot while I did it. I hope you like my blog.