Fall arrest PPE

<p>Fall arrest systems are safety systems that catch a person in the event of a fall and reduce the impact energy to minimize injuries. This is ensured by a fall-absorbing element. Depending on the application, a fall arrest system can be equipped with a retractable type fall arrester, a lanyard with energy absorber or a moving fall arrester.</p>

<p>In the event of a fall, the person who has fallen must be checked immediately to ensure that they are conscious and responsive. First aid measures should be initiated if necessary. Prolonged suspension can be dangerous and can lead to suspension trauma, a potentially life-threatening situation caused by the blood vessels in the legs being pinched off. After the rescue, the person should be medically examined immediately, even if there are no obvious injuries.</p>

<p>Correct use and training of users are crucial to ensure the full protective effect of fall arrest systems. Regular checks and maintenance of all components of the system are essential.</p>

<p><i><strong>Example of components</strong></i></p>

<ol><li><strong>Safety harness:</strong><br>
Carries the person and distributes the forces evenly</li>

<li><strong>Lanyard:</strong><br>
Connection between the harness and the anchorage device</li>

<li><strong> Energy absorber: </strong><br>
Reduces the impact energy to minimize the load on the body</li>

<li><strong>Anchorage device:</strong><br>
Fixed point to which the system is attached (e.g. Primo anchor points, lifeline systems, rail lifeline systems)</li></ol>

<p>Work positioning systems are an essential part of fall protection and enable users to stabilize themselves in a specific working position in order to work safely and effectively. In accordance with DGUV Information 201-056, these systems provide controlled positioning at a workstation at height, but are not primarily designed to arrest a fall.</p>

<p>The system allows you to have your hands free to carry out work such as assembly, maintenance or repair. Work on building facades or industrial plants, street lighting or telecommunication masts are possible areas of application where the user must remain in a certain position in order to work safely.</p>

<p><i><strong>Example components</strong></i></p>

<ol><li><strong>Safety harness:</strong><br>
Safety harness with additional retaining eyelets.</li>

<li><span><strong>Lanyard:</strong></span><br>
Adjustable ropes or straps that connect the positioning belt to a fixed structure.</li>

<li><strong>Anchor devices:</strong><br>
Fixed point to which the system is attached (e.g. Primo anchor points, lifeline systems, rail lifeline systems)</li></ol>

</p>In contrast to personal protective equipment against falls from a height (PPE), collective protection measures not only protect individuals, but generally all persons in areas where there is a risk of falling. The most common form of collective protection is <strong>guardrails<strong>, but scaffolding and safety nets can also be appropriate measures.</p>

</p>Guardrails are generally preferable to individual protection measures such as anchor points or rope systems. However, there are plenty of exceptions where collective protection measures are not feasible. Due to various circumstances, such as the statics or the pitch of the roof, individual protective measures must be used in these cases.</p>

</p>With collective protection, the individual protective equipment of the person on the roof is irrelevant. In addition, compared to individual protection measures, there is no need for user training for the corresponding guardrail systems. For roofs that are regularly walked on and used by several different people, guardrails are therefore a much more user-friendly solution.</p>