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[TowerTalk] Fall Protection

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Fall Protection
From: "Mark Adams, PE" <msadams@buffalo.edu>
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2006 13:52:06 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Hi Gang,

Just a few notes here as I don't have time to pontificate. I am a Professional Engineer working at SUNY/Buffalo. My expertise is in fall protection and construction safety.

  1. NEVER, EVER use a safety belt in any situation where you might
     fall. If you are hurt and slumped over, you will die after your
     diaghram compresses and you cannot breathe. Bummer.
  2. If you think a belt is safe, put it on, tie a rope to it and an
     overhead member that will take the force, give it 2' of slack and
     jump. Oh, don't do that, you'll break your spine. If your spine is
     OK, you'll like fall out of the belt and smack the ground.
  3. A belt is for POSITIONING only. If you can SAFELY get into and out
     of a work position, you can use a belt to provide hands free work.
  4. Fall protection and positioning are two separate issues.
  5. A FULL BODY HARNESS with side D-Rings for positioning and D-ring
     on the back for fall protection is good. Even better, add a front
     D-ring, a climbing adapter and a top to bottom cable for fall
     protection. This provides ALL the necessary protection.
  6. "If you fall from >20' you'll wish you were dead."  Quote by a guy
     from Miller Fall Protection.
  7. BIG MYTH: If you fall into a full body harness, your legs will
     lose blood flow and you'll die. NOT TRUE. Full body harnesses by
     Miller and the other big boys have sub-pelvic straps that support
     the butt for 45 minutes +/- of relative comfort. Amazing that one
     incident of improper use can produce this type of story.

That's all I have time for, time to check on some scaffold erection.

73,
Mark Adams, PE
ars: K2QO
UB EH&S
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