The following is a complete list of published articles on our website.
A Safe Descent: Selecting a Rescue System for the Wind Energy Industry
By William Wright
Building or maintaining a wind farm can be a tall order, especially when crew members need to scale soaring turbines. When working on a wind project, preparations should be made in the event a rescue situation occurs. A single rescue system cannot efficiently handle every scenario an authorized rescuer may encounter in the wind energy industry...Read More >>
Addressing the Needs of the Heavier Worker in Fall Protection
An Interview with Randall Wingfield
In this interview, Randall Wingfield, president of Gravitec Systems, Inc., and chair of the Z359 Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) on Fall Arrest and Protection, explains how those in fall protection are addressing the needs of the heavier worker...Read More >>
Competent Fall Protection Person Training
By Kevin Denis
One of the questions most frequently asked is, "What kind of training do I need to be a Competent Person in regard to fall protection?" Although it seems like a straightforward question, the answer can be a little tricky. Many people believe the singular requirement to achieve Competent Person status is completion of a fall protection course, but it's just not that simple...Read More >>
Considerations for Fall-Arrest Anchor Points
By W. David Lough
All fall-arrest equipment must meet some sort of standard and pass some tests so equipment manufacturers can ensure end users and employers that the equipment will perform to specifications. These standards (ANSI Z359 Fall Protection Code) are the first defense in place to save lives while working at height...Read More>>
Fall Protection and Rescue: A Systems Approach
By Kevin Denis
There are significant benefits to understanding fall protection and rescue systems as a whole and designing, planning and purchasing accordingly...Read More >>
Fall Protection PPE and Third-Party Testing
By W. David Lough
For years, it has been a buyer beware mentality for SH&E professionals responsible for procurement of workplace fall protection equipment. The acquisition of equipment that does not meet the standards implied by the manufacturer is a real concern to the consumer-whether the consumer is a large entity making a million dollar purchase or a small business spending its safety budget for the year...Read More >>
Hardware Compatibility: Your Life Depends on It
By W. David Lough
Compatible connections. No, we're not talking about dating and whether a love match will crumble or bloom. We're concerned with fall protection equipment and the harmonious interplay of connecting hardware. Unlike finding your one true soul mate, there are multitudes of compatible configurations among fall protection components. And while lost love results in only a broken heart, hardware incompatibility is a matter of life and death...Read More >>
Is Online Fall Protection Training Effective?
By Kevin Denis
Imagine that you just have completed a 2-hour fall protection course online and you have received a certificate for your wall. However, you feel a little confused and concerned. You're confused because the certificate is very formal in its appearance and has many references to OSHA, but you don't think you did much to deserve it. You're concerned that tomorrow you may be walking high steel and this certificate is your defense that you know what you're doing...Read More >>
Rigid Weight vs. Human Weight: 1.4 Multiplier Test
Gravitec Systems, Inc.
It is widely acknowledged that when personal protection equipment is activated during a fall, some of the energy of the fall is absorbed by the human body. When conducting dynamic fall protection equipment tests using a rigid weight, there is a need to compensate for the fact that a human is not involved. Historically, a multiplier of 1.4 has been used to compensate for the energy-absorbing qualities of the human body in rigid weight tests. This standard has been applied by all testing agencies, governing bodies, and standards organizations....Read More >>
Click here to read Gravitec's complete Material Testing Report for the 1.4 Multiplier
The Future of Fall Protection Equipment Testing
By W. David Lough
There have always been a multitude of questions surrounding the testing of fall protection equipment. How does a company ensure compliance with industry standards? Is there traceability for testing of fall protection equipment? Can end users be sure that the fall protection equipment they are using passed the applicable American National Standards Institute (ANSI) test requirements in their entirety? Is the test laboratory compliant with a specific laboratory standard? Is it possible to compare results of testing with a laboratory in different geographic locations? Does every test laboratory understand the product it is testing? This list of questions can go on and on, and in the past, there have been no comforting answers for the people who depend on this equipment to protect their lives. The answer to all of the above-mentioned questions is "no," creating a "buyer beware" market for many years. Thankfully, change is in the very near future...Read More >>