Height safety must be one of the primary concerns when you are sending workers to work at a high level in your projects. It may be a construction site, a cleaning and maintenance project, some repair work, or some kind of rescue work. There can be dozens of such job which requires taking risks by working at high levels where one fall will definitely be fatal or injure the person for a lifetime. That is why as a responsible contractor and organizer for such work force; you must be concerned about using all the required equipments for safety during such work. Proper knowledge of working at height safety and fall protection solutions is also a must in this field for every contractor.
Concept of PPE and PFPE
These two terms are really very common when you are working at height safety and fall protection solutions. PPE refers to Personal Protective Equipment, and PFPE refers to Personal Fall Protection Equipment. PPE is carried or worn by the user to stay protected from any risks of personal injury. PFPE are similar to PPE which are used for preventing against fall while working at heights which can lead to mortal risk and injuries.
Both kinds of equipments are a must when you are working at height safety and fall protection solutions. Both PPE and PFPE are a must for your workers. There are many things to care for when you are selecting the best fall protection solutions for your workers. The quality, usability, compliance, cost, and many such factors come into the scene when you are selecting these products.
Factors Affecting your Choice of Fall Protection Equipments and Solutions
Buying just any PFPE is not the solution. You will have to go through a few checks before making your final decision.
- The first stage is to see that your workers are trained to handle their fall protection equipments. If they are not trained, then before buying one, you must provide them a thorough and rigorous training program, so that they can handle whatever fall protection equipment they are given.
- Next, you will have to see that whatever equipment you are buying for working at height safety and fall protection solutions are complaint to your requirement as well as the state rules and norms. Instruments and safety gears must be of standard compliance.
- After acquiring your safety and fall protection equipments, you must get them periodically tested for quality and strength. This is because any unnoticed deterioration in strength and operability will become the reason of death or injury for a worker working at height.
Types of PFPE in Working at Height Safety and Fall Protection Solutions
As per your requirement of working at height safety and fall protection solutions you may choose amongst three PFPE types.
- Travel restraint PHPE completely prevents a fall and restrict the access to the location where falls can occur. When using them the worker is connected and restricted from any such movement where they may get to the edge and fall. These do not demand shock absorbers as they completely prevent fall.
- For workers working in a hands free job, where they have to use a ladder, rail or cable etc., for accent and balancing, they need full support while being suspended at the height. You need to purchase Positioning PFPE for them.
- Another solution, the Personal Fall Arrest Systems are for limiting shocks and injuries by providing a full body support and harness. Here the free fall is restricted to 6 feet, after which the shock absorbers would let the worker balance the situation while staying suspended with full support.