Electricity Today T&D Magazine

A personal fall protection arrest system (PFAS) is comprised of three vital components: an anchorage, body wear (full-body harnesses), and a connecting device (a shock-absorbing lanyard or self-retracting lifeline). The safety of at-height workers depends on these three components, and each one must be in place and used properly to provide maximum worker protection.
When discussing fall protection, anchorage connectors and full body harnesses receive a lot of attention. We don’t always stop to think about connecting devices like self-retracting lifelines or shock-absorbing lanyards, and yet these are the two components that bear the greatest forces during a fall.
Before...

Ineffective or missing fall protection has been OSHA’s most-cited violation every year since 2011, and falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. Year after year, fall protection remains a key concern for employers throughout the United States. Not just that, but electrical workers routinely face hazards in the form of high-voltage equipment, dangerous heights, and extreme weather conditions.

OSHA recognizes these dangers and in 2014, updated some of its fall protection regulations to keep employees safe while working at heights. 29 CFR §1926.954 covers PPE requirements, including fall protection, and 29 CFR §1910.269 covers electric power...