National Safety Stand Down - Fall Arrest Systems on the Roof
Fall protection is a major safety focus and concern for CentiMark on all roofing projects. The first step in preventing roof falls is to inspect and identify the potential hazards on every job. Personal fall protection can be placed into two different categories: fall arrest and fall restraint. Any personal fall arrest or restraint system is only as good as the equipment and the properly trained user.
A fall arrest system is designed to protect an individual after a fall has taken place. The system, if used properly, will prevent a worker from hitting the ground after a fall has occurred. Since the protection occurs after a fall has taken place, fall arrest systems must withstand more force than a fall restraint system.
Fall arrest systems are used while replacing deck, working on steep sloped roofs and working on areas on bad deck. Fall arrest systems consist of a full body harness, a shock absorbing lanyard, a retractable lifeline and an anchor point. The systems must limit a fall to six (6) feet or less.
Fall restraint systems, when properly used, are designed to prevent a worker from falling. In order to achieve this, the fall restraint system is made to prevent an individual from being able to reach a fall hazard. These systems are used on low sloped roofs where the roofer must be kept away from a roof edge or skylight. The fall restraint system allows roofers to work up to the edge, but restricts them from being able to go over the edge and fall. Fall restraint systems consist of a full body harness, a lanyard or rope grab and an anchor point.
Safety at CentiMark
Safety and injury prevention are our responsibility at CentiMark. We provide you with the latest safety products and advancements to protect your building and the people inside it. Prior to the start of any roofing or flooring project, we review all safety plans with our customers and crews. Our goal is for all CentiMark associates to return home safely to their families every evening.
About National Safety Stand Down:
The National Safety Stand Down is organized by the Department of Labor to prevent falls in construction. ​Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 370 of the 991 construction fatalities recorded in 2016 (BLS data). Those deaths were preventable. The National Safety Stand Down raises fall hazard awareness across the country in an effort to stop fall fatalities and injuries.
Blog contributed by Jim Penney, CentiMark Ltd Safety Manager, Mississauga, ON, Canadaby Jim Penney, CentiMark Ltd Safety Manager, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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