Sunday, October 26, 2008
Decoding the New Fall Protection Code
LiveDesign: "Some of the big changes involve the minimum load ratings for fall protection equipment. Snaphooks and carabiners were and still are required to be able to support a load of 22.2 kN (about 5,000lbs), but they used to be allowed to open a bit with a load over one kN (about 225lbs). Now, they must be able to support 61 kN without the gate opening as much as 3mm (about 1/8”). Furthermore, the minimum side load rating on a snaphook or carabiner has been increased by more than a factor of ten from 1.55 kN to 16 kN. There’s a fair amount of personal fall arrest equipment now in use that does not meet the new requirements."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I realize that safety is a bid concern in our industry, and any industry for that matter. How do you put a price on someone's life? I can't,but I have to wonder about the ratings required by the new standards. Typically the reason for things like this to get changed is in reaction to something that has occurred. Now I guess I haven't been paying attention to the news because a 5000 pound person falling and dying due to breaking their fall arrest system had to make headlines. Come on people, try common sense for a change.
I wonder what the catalyst was for these new adaptions of the existing codes. Someone must have done something fairly silly to require such high ratings on the new gear -- especially referencing the new rating on gate of the carabiner. My biggest qualm with this is that those who already own fall arrest systems will be forced to upgrade. Does that mean if I walk into a house tomorrow with my existing 'biners and harness that I'll be turned away because I don't have new hooks that are up to snuff?
I actually disagree with the idea that these new regulations are here because something happened. Instead I think that somoeone probably looked at the spec and thought that they had reasoning for numbers to be higher. It is really a bummer for those with systems that now need to be updated. Though in the big picture, can you really put a price on life?
Not having read all the code updates, its sounds like design factor has been raised to account for equipment negligence. The need seems to be negated by all the rules about becoming an authorized person though. I mean, if you have been trained and are "authorized" to use the equipment then does the design factor really need to be 20:1 (roughly)?
Post a Comment