Fall arrest systems are a safety system that is designed to stop a fall from happening. It may stop only part of a fall, but it can prevent a large part of one from occurring. Other types of fall arrest systems are fall protecting (restricting the movement of a person in a fall risk area) and fall arrest (restricting the movement of a person in a fall arrest hazard area).
A fall arrest system can be used at any worksite to reduce worker exposure to falling hazards. The system works best at heights. However, there are many instances where the fall arrest systems are required to be installed below ground level. In these cases, the system may have to be installed on a steel support beam. The worker would need to wear fall arrest gear and use other fall safety practices to make the job site safe. These practices include:
Workers should always be aware of where their lifeline rope is when they are working. This lifeline rope is also called a fall arrest system. It is used to stop the fall once the worker has fallen to the ground. The fall arrest systems come with a variety of different names. The names that they use may befall arrest ladders, fall arrest cables, or fall arrest towers.
The fall arrest systems generally consist of two parts. One part is the lifeline rope that connects workers to the safety railing. The second part is a heavy-duty safety fall protection equipment cord that attaches to the top of the lifeline rope. Other parts of the fall arrest systems often include emergency escape handles, trip devices that link workers to the top of the lifeline rope, a system that sends an audible warning to the workers and emergency lighting that is able to light the way for workers in low light situations.
The lifeline rope and safety fall arrest system work in tandem to prevent falling accidents. The rope usually comes equipped with a fall arrest system that works to prevent a fall from occurring. The fall arrest systems do not just stop the fall once the worker hits the ground. They also ensure that the worker is automatically dragged away from dangerous heights. This is done through a number of different devices.
In some cases, the fall arrest systems can incorporate passive restraint systems. A passive restraint system can prevent falling by applying continuous pressure on the person that is falling. When the worker tries to rise and struggles against the force of the water, the system will stop applying pressure. This stops the worker from climbing any further. Passive restraint systems are also used to protect people from heights.
There are several different types of personal fall arrest systems that have been designed for different purposes. For example, there are fall arrest systems that are connected to personal flotation devices. These are usually employed when a worker is suspended from a high platform or from an airplane. These devices are able to keep a worker in place and prevent them from floating away from a precarious situation. These devices have also been successfully used to keep divers safe.
A vertical lifeline system is also available to workers who need a bit more assistance. This type of personal fall arrest systems does not use a continuous vertical lifeline system. Instead, it uses a series of individual devices. One will attach to a worker’s harness and another will attach to a personal flotation device. The third device, which is not connected to any other devices, will slow the descent of a worker so that he or she does not fall into the water.
