Every worker is prone to falls, primarily if you work at heights. There are various ways that companies employ to prevent falls from occurring. Collective solutions like guardrails and barriers are a general way of preventing falls. However, at times they become unsuitable, forcing workers to use fall arrest system alongside Personal Fall Protection System (PFPS)
Fall arrest systems is a term that refers to all systems that can be used to prevent a fall from occurring while working at heights. it covers many types of equipment:
- Fall arrest anchor points
- Overhead fall arrest systems
- static line systems/Horizontal roof-mounted cable systems
- Fall arrest rail systems
Workers must choose the right fall arrest system for effective results – this means selecting the suitable systems based on your preference or working height. Sometimes it can be challenging to choose appropriate systems. In this case, call an expert to help you in the selection process.
Fall Restraint vs Fall Arrest
These are two terms often confused. Fall restraint is a system that prevents you from falling. They feature a body holding device with a connection to a reliable anchor; thus, preventing you from reaching zones with high risks of falling. Ideally, a fall restraint means that the fall arrest system is preventing you from possible falls.
On the other hand, fall arrest systems australia offer protection after a fall. They also use body holding devices connected to an anchor. Typically, they prevent you from colliding with structures by arresting a fall.
Fall arrests mean you are working at heights with a risk of falling; thus, you rely on the fall arrest system to save you if the fall occurs. For instance, a worker attached to a static line system using a 15-metre rope is three metres away from the roof edge. Here, the worker can extend the rope line so that he would fall over the border in case of a fall.
When to use fall arrest systems
It would help if you had a fall arrest system plus your protective equipment (PPE) under certain specific circumstances only. These circumstances include working on a narrow ledge, near fragile areas, or on roofs with unusual shapes or building shapes, and you are using a rope or a lanyard. In such cases, there is a massive chance that you might fall into or off the building.
However, before you choose the arrest fall system, you need to analyse the situation to make informed choices critically. Each workplace has specific job requirements, which you need to assess correctly. Nonetheless, the following factors should help you select the best systems.
- The type of work to be done
- Reasons for accessing the working area
- The number of workers
- Workers’ skill level
- The roof structure type
- The frequency of use of the system
- Roof material type
Following the above factors will help you design a safe, effective, and fully compliant fall arrest system. Always buy high-quality systems as they will offer premium support, which undoubtedly provides improved roof safety while working at heights. Most importantly, workers may need training on how to use the fall arrest systems. Besides, the law requires that every workplace has a rescue plan in place. This will help retrieve a person quickly after a fall.