Falls are the cause of 20% of all job-related injuries and deaths each year. OSHA cites more companies for fall protection violations than any other category and recently we’ve learned that OSHA has grown their fleet of inspectors. For you that means there’s a higher chance of having OSHA personnel on your jobsite, so are you prepared? Do you know the rules and regulations that pertain to your industry’s health and safety? You may have never been visited by an OSHA inspector in the past, so it’s common to think that you’re doing everything correctly because that’s just how you’ve “always done things”.
In general industry workplaces, OSHA requires fall protection systems for anyone operating at 4’ above a lower level. Is this a surprise for you? Don’t worry! At Malta Dynamics it’s our mission to make sure that you and your workers are educated on fall protection and using safety systems safely.
Our number one goal is making sure that workers make it home safely at the end of the day. So, we’ve dedicated ourselves to developing a line of fall protection equipment that is comfortable and functional. At Malta Dynamics we have a unique business model because we send all our products out into the field for real workers to test before we put our products on the market. We trust the opinions of the men and women who use fall protection gear daily to help us perfect the designs. The basic fall protection system includes an anchor, personal lifeline, and a full body harness. Keep reading on this page for an introduction to fall protection precautions and for some helpful tips and resources for keeping your employees safe at heights.
One of the integral parts of your safety fall protection system is the anchor. You’re only as safe as your anchor, so it’s important to make sure you choose the correct anchorage for your work environment. It’s also important to remember that your anchor is only as strong as the structure it’s attached to. From concrete anchors to roof anchors and billboard anchors to standing seam anchors, we’ve got you covered.
Your full body harness is something that should be durable, functional, and comfortable enough to want to wear all day. We’ve engineered and tested a wide range of harnesses that range from minimal coverage for work environments that might be warm or in confined spaces, to harnesses with all the bells and whistles for workers that need extra padding or lumbar support. Our harnesses come in a variety of sizes to suit all body shapes and sizes.
Self-retracting lifelines are revolutionary safety protection devices. They feature an internal braking mechanism that can detect a fall immediately and brings the worker to a safe halt. Self-retracting lifelines have a cable that is stored inside a thermoplastic housing. The lifeline pays out and recoils as the worker moves about the jobsite, this eliminates the possibility of tripping over the lifeline and keeps the cable tangle-free.
Arresting a fall is just the first step of making sure the worker is safely rescued. Once the fall has been caught, a quick rescue is important because suspension trauma can cause severe secondary injuries or even death. Rescue equipment like a suspension relief strap allows the worker to evenly distribute the suspension force on their body and provides a larger window of time for rescue before irreversible damage occurs. A ladder rescue system is another helpful piece of equipment that can be used by someone with minimal rescue experience. It can be deployed to allow the rescue victim to quickly and efficiently climb to safety.
At Malta Dynamics, we think it’s important to be an educational resource for employers and employees. We’ve developed a library full of fall protection resources that are free for download. A good understanding of how fall protection works and why it’s important is a helpful first step to ensuring safety while working at heights.
Proper jobsite hazard assessments and fall protection education for yourself and your employees will save lives. We offer a one-day onsite analysis of your jobsite that includes a training course on the ABCs of fall protection, a site walk, basic assessment of your facility, and inspection of your fall protection equipment.
Accidents can happen to anyone, so make sure you’re prepared. At Malta Dynamics, we offer a 4 hour course on fall protection awareness that provides an overview of fall safety, principles of fall forces, equipment inspection procedures, and real world exercises and hands-on activities. We also offer a competent person training course to provide students with the skills necessary to evaluate hazards and supply participants with the knowledge and skills to perform and log annual inspections on equipment.
Do you want to try the XSERIES or other fall protection equipment before you commit to a purchase? You can rent the XSERIES, self-retracting lifelines, and rescue equipment for as long as you need it to see how fall protection benefits your work environments. The peace of mind and confidence that employees gain from feeling secure and protected is priceless. Contact a Malta Dynamics fall protection expert today to find out more about our rental program.
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