The following is a complete list of publications on our Web site with summaries of the articles in the Testing Publications section.
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 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...Read More >>
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 >>