OSHA Betters Americans' Lives

Thanks to Rigid Lifelines tweet, I stumbled upon this great article by Clyde Payne.

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In the 40 years since the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created, the agency has led the way to historic declines in workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses.

Today OSHA continues to make a difference in the lives of all workers by ensuring that businesses provide safe and healthful conditions for their workers.


At the turn of the 20th century, death in American workplaces was all too common, working conditions were dreadful and few laws existed to protect workers.

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To Read the Rest, Follow the Link:
http://bit.ly/OSHA-ClydePayne

That's all from Versatile Systems, Inc.

Help VSI "Stop The Count"

Did your contractor submit a fall protection plan?

Being in the fall protection business I tend to always have my eyes on the sky. Whether I’m looking for new business or birds I couldn’t say. What I can say is that almost every day my eyes lock in on a guy, or group of guys working on rooftops without any sign of fall protection. I’m not talking about little residential roof repairs either; these are huge roofing projects on the buildings of very large companies.

Roof work with parapet walls that are below 42” will always subject workers to a fall of more than 6’. Does your HVAC or Roofing contractor have a written plan expressing how his company plans to deal with this exposure? If they do have a written plan, are you able to decipher whether it works? Will it be effective at limiting the risks posed to the elevated workers? And will it protect both companies from extensive liability?

A great fall protection plan should include the identification of the fall hazard, method of fall protection that is going to be used, type of fall protection equipment utilized, documented inspection sheets for fall protection equipment, fall protection training documentation, and a rescue plan. This should be an absolute requirement for any contractor performing work on your company’s roof.

The signed plan is a promise to your company that the contractor has taken the necessary steps to keep his people safe while on your building. It’s also documentation that you’ve done your due diligence in protecting your company’s assets if an accident does occur.

Versatile Systems, Inc. helps many companies not only write their fall protection plans but review the plans of their sub-contractors as well. A third party review by a professional fall protection company will ensure the viability of your contractor’s plan.

Have a Great Day. Have a Safe Day.

Best,

Versatile Systems, Inc.

The Big Drop

Hello,

The Fall Protection Expert here with answers for you.

I asked all of you what the maximum deceleration distance (in feet) a fall arrest system would allow an employee to travel and many of you got back to me very quickly. Some not at all. And well, there were definitely a few incorrect answers.

Yearning for the answer? You came to the right place.

According to OSHA standards 1926.502 and 1910.66, a FAS is required to bring an employee to a complete stop at a distance no greater than....

Temporary Handrails

Temporary Handrails, a set on Flickr.

Not to brag or anything, but Versatile Systems is a fall protection company up to any challenge. We recently finished a job requiring roughly 500 rails and bases that fortified the edges of a 250,000 Sq Ft multi-level rooftop. It was tough, but the symmetry sure looks pretty.

Rooftop fall protection at its finest.

Sincerely,
Jack

Fall Restraint Vs. Fall Arrest

Fall Restraint Vs. Fall Arrest

Hi there,

Let’s take a stroll down the hypothetical boardwalk. 

Shall we?

Let’s say you’re working in an elevated area. And let’s say this elevated area has a leading edge. And let’s say that falling off this leading edge would result in a 50 foot drop to certain death.

Okay.

Now let’s say you’re exuberant about the breath which enters your lungs each and every morning. And let’s say your excitement for tomorrow motivates your actions today. And let’s say that it’s for these reasons that you wish to take a rain check on the 50 foot gravity ride. And it’s for these same reasons you want to altogether scrap your rendez-vous with the pavement.  

So hypothetically, in the case of what’s detailed above, would you:

A: Install a Fall Arrest System

                Or