When To Wear A Body Harness For Man Lifts

When To Wear A Body Harness For Man Lifts

Meta Description: Understand that wearing a full-body harness is necessary for occupational health and safety while operating man lifts. Key fall protection factors for these elevated work platforms are analyzed based on OSHA standards.

Working at heights comes with inherent risks that require proper safety measures. This article analyzes when a body harness is necessary for man lifts such as scissors and boom lifts.

A clear understanding of regulatory standards helps ensure the well-being of workers. Let’s examine these guidelines and how to comply with harness requirements for elevated work platforms.

Key Takeaways

• OSHA requires fall protection when using aerial lifts like boom lifts. A harness and restraint lanyard must be worn.
• Fall protection isn’t mandatory for scissor lifts as long as guardrails are intact, but it’s still recommended.
• Proper planning is important when using lifts. Consider lift design, work environment, and fall clearance to ensure fall protection is implemented safely.

Understanding the Need for Body Harnesses in Man Lifts

Providing fall protection for workers operating elevated machinery is crucial. Falls from man lifts and aerial work platforms can cause serious injuries or even loss of life. Using proper personal protective equipment like body harnesses can help ensure the safety of those working at heights.

Different Types of Man Lift

A few common elevated work platforms are frequently used in construction and maintenance tasks.

• Aerial lifts: Also called boom lifts or cherry pickers, aerial lifts have an extendable arm or boom that allows vertical and horizontal movement. This makes them suitable for tasks requiring an extended reach.
• Scissor lifts: Scissor lifts provide a vertically elevated work platform with a scissor-like mechanism to raise and lower. They offer vertical movement and a large platform, ideal for tasks on flat surfaces.

OSHA Regulations for Fall Protection in Lifts

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established standards for fall protection depending on the type of lift used in general industry.

• OSHA requires workers to wear a personal fall arrest system like a body harness for aerial lifts. This is because the risk of being ejected from the lift is significant during travel or on uneven surfaces.
• In scissor lifts, standard guardrails typically satisfy protection needs. However, additional measures may be required if guardrails are compromised or during tasks that increase fall risks, like working near edges.
• A personal fall arrest system or travel restraint system featuring a body harness prevents falls and limits forces on the body in the event of a fall from heights.

Using lifting equipment without fall protection puts workers at risk of severe injury or even death from a fall. Following regulations and proper equipment ensures a safe working environment when tasks require an elevated position.

When is a Harness Necessary?

A harness is necessary for fall protection whenever an individual is exposed to fall hazards at elevated heights. Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS) are designed to include harnesses and crucial safety equipment for preventing injuries from aerial lifts.

Requirements for Boom Lifts

For boom lifts, which provide both vertical and horizontal movement, OSHA requires the use of fall restraint or fall arrest systems at all times due to the significant risk of ejection from the boom lift. Workers must wear a harness connected to an anchor point or retractable lifeline to prevent being catapulted out of the basket. These personal fall arrest or restraint system systems ensure worker safety while operating boom lifts.

Requirements for Scissor Lifts

Scissor lifts typically have more prominent, enclosed work platforms with guardrails as passive fall protection. OSHA does not mandate harness usage for standard scissor lift operation. However, employers must carefully evaluate job tasks and conditions to determine if additional active fall protection is necessary.

Choosing the Right Harness

Selecting the appropriate harness is crucial for worker safety when working at heights. A harness is the most important personal protective equipment in fall protection systems. It must be chosen carefully based on the work environment and tasks.

Full Body Harness vs. Chest Harness

A full-body harness is always preferred over a chest one when wearing a body harness for man lifts and fall protection. It distributes fall arrest forces over thighs, pelvis, shoulders, and torso, which helps reduce injury potential to the user. A full-body harness offers full body coverage and freedom of movement compared to a chest harness, which only protects the upper body. It suits all activities, including climbing, overhead work, etc.

Other Harness Features to Consider

Along with choosing between a whole body or chest harness, there are other essential factors to evaluate. The harness material should be durable enough to withstand wear and tear and environmental conditions on the jobsite. Features like padding, adjustability, and attachment points are crucial. Padding provides comfort and impact absorption in case of a fall.

A harness must include attachments at the back (dorsal D-ring) and sides (side D-rings) for connecting fall arrest equipment, tools, and other gear. Adjustable and customizable straps allow a comfortable fit for different body types while wearing other protective equipment like hard hats. Appropriate harness anchorage and hardware compatible with the fall arrest, restraint, or rescue system are also essential. These factors ensure the safety, functionality, and performance of the harness.

Using the Harness Correctly

Proper harness fit and attachment are essential for fall protection. A harness that is not adjusted correctly or attached to unapproved anchor points puts the worker at risk of injury from a fall. Taking the time for a few simple checks can help ensure a safe work environment at heights.

Attaching to Designated Anchor Points

Attaching fall arrest lanyards and lifelines to anchor points rated for such use is critical. Guardrails are designed for a different purpose and should never be used as anchors. The lift manufacturer’s instructions or a qualified person can identify approved attachment locations designed with safety factors to withstand dynamic forces in case of an arresting fall. Using unrated points can jeopardize the system’s integrity and endanger workers.

Adjusting for Proper Fit

A full-body safety harness that is too loose or tight can create hazardous conditions. When open, the harness may not distribute fall forces properly to more vital parts of the body and could cause injury. If it is too tight, circulation may be reduced, affecting performance and safety.

Taking a few moments to adjust all straps, including leg loops and shoulder pads, ensures the harness fits snugly but not uncomfortably. This proper fit is necessary for fall protection harnesses with aerial lifts, scissor lifts, and other mobile elevating work platforms.

Benefits of Using a Harness

Using the proper personal protective equipment is crucial for worker safety. Harnesses provide lower protection for employees performing tasks at height.

Increased Safety

A harness spreads the fall arrest forces across the body belt, thighs, pelvis, shoulders, and chest in the event of a fall. This significantly reduces the impact on the body compared to a fall protection system that only a body belt or uses a belt.

A harness also prevents injuries caused by hard falls, keeping the worker’s body securely upright. This is a significant safety benefit for tasks requiring an aerial lift where the risk of ejection from the basket is present.

Peace of Mind

Feeling secure while working at height is essential for mental well-being and focus on the job. Harnesses provide workers with confidence and peace of mind by ensuring complete body protection in case of an accident.

When wearing a harness fitted with a side lanyard attached or a retractable lifeline anchored above, employees are less stressed about fall hazards. This lets them concentrate fully on the task rather than worrying about falls, increasing productivity. Regular harness use as part of a fall arrest system can help reduce anxiety and improve morale for inspections or repairs of building facades, bridges, and other structures.

Proper harness selection and fitting are important to gain these safety and productivity benefits. Employers must provide harnesses approved by national standards and train workers on correct donning, sizing, inspection, and care.

Developing a Fall Protection Plan

Developing a comprehensive fall protection plan is crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of workers. A well-thought-out fall altogether plan helps establish clear guidelines, responsibilities, protection requirements, and protocols for fall arrest systems, fall restraint equipment, aerial lifts, and more.

Training Employees

Providing proper training to employees on fall protection equipment and safety practices is a key part of an effective plan. Training helps employees understand proper procedures for inspecting personal fall arrest systems, setting anchors, using fall restraint devices, and more. Regular refresher sessions keep fall hazards and protocols top of mind.

Conducting Inspections

Another important element is routine fall protection equipment inspections like full body harnesses, lanyards, lifelines, fall arrest systems, and anchorage connections. Inspections help determine if any fall hazard equipment shows signs of wear, corrosion, cuts, or tears that could compromise integrity.