How To Maintain And Inspect Your Fall Protection Equipment

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Fall protection systems are required safety equipment for employees working at heights. OSHA regulations state that all personal fall arrest systems be inspected on a regular basis for considerable defects such as: cuts, rips, abnormal wear, mold, stretching, alterations, or additions that will affect its efficiency and impairment due to deterioration, contact with fire, acids or corrosives, etc. Fall protection systems ought to be inspected prior to each use by the user and at least yearly by a knowledgeable inspector and should be maintained on a regular basis.

Maintenance and inspection checklist

Anchorage systems:
• Scrutinize all workings of the anchorage system
• Examine any abrasions, wear points, or broken threads or swags in the sling fabric
• For synthetic slings and anchor straps, examine all sewing and loops for wear, chemical damage, burn damage, and/or ultraviolet weakening
• Refer to tags connected to the anchorage to establish when the sling should be taken out of service—if it's on or past the date, retire the sling
• Check cable slings for undue damage to the steel fibers; retire if frayed
Snap hooks and carabiners:
• Inspect snap hooks and carabiners and all vital components for staining, deformation, cracks, or abnormal wear; remove from service if any of these is discovered
• Retire immediately if it has been used in a fall or if the spring brake and gate are bowed or if the gate keeper no longer engages the slot cleanly
• Broken snap hooks and carabiners should be tagged and taken out of service
• Clean dirty snap-hooks and carabiners with a solvent or submerge in boiling water for 30 seconds to eliminate grease and cleaning agents and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth—make certain gate and gatekeeper function properly when cleaning is complete
Lanyards and energy absorbers:
• Inspect lanyards under slight stress
• Inspect all components for abrasion, staining, cracks, and torn stitching; remove from service if any of these is found
• Clean on consistent basis to eliminate dirt and grit that can roughen the fibers (use only mild detergent—never abrasives or solvents which can break down the fibers and remember to dry carefully)
• Lanyards and energy absorbers should have a permanently attached label that indicates the manufacturer’s name, serial number/lot number, manufacture date, maximum elongation, maximum arresting force, maximum free fall, and capacity—remove components with absent tags from service
• If the lanyard is 5 or more years old, remove from service regardless of condition
Retire the lanyard after a hard fall, when the shock absorber has been even minimally impacted, if the lanyard has been involved for any other purpose other than fall protection, if the system shows too much wear, chemical damage, burn damage, and/or ultraviolet deterioration.

Fall arrester
• Inspect for signs of wear, corrosion, rust, and other defects; remove from service if found
• If any sign of wear or malfunction, remove system from service immediately.
Self-retracting lifelines (SRL)
• Send back to the manufacturer for servicing and recertification once a year
• If SRL housing becomes yellow, gathers moisture, or the indicator has been activated, remove from service at once and return it to the manufacturer for repair and re-certification

Harness
• Check for frayed threads, cuts, tears, or loose connections
• Examine the stitched areas carefully
• Look for burn holes from welding or other heat sources; retire if found
• Make certain harnesses are not painted or marked (paint and other materials can degrade the webbing)
• Wash the harness in a mild soap and rinse multiple times to remove any soap residue and hang to dry out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry environment;
• Retire harness from service after 5 years even if it has not been used
• Harness should have a non-removable attached label indicating manufacturer’s name, serial number/ lot number, manufacture date, and capacity. If tag is missing, remove from service

Ropes
• Examine under slight tension
• Check for broken fibers, severely worn areas, or change in the consistency of the core
• Inspect for soft areas, bulges, or excessive stiffness; remove from service if any of these is found
• Avoid exposing rope to harmful chemicals, moisture, acids, or oils. Remove from service immediately if it has been exposed to these substances and damaged
• Do not use the rope after it has been used in a fall arrest
• Clean the rope on regular basis to remove dirt or grit. Use tepid water and mild detergent, rinse several times to remove soap residue and suspend in a dry, cool, dark area
• Store rope in a strong, weather- proof bag (rope must be Fully dry before storing)
• Rope should have a permanently attached label indicating manufacturer’s name, serial number/lot number, manufacture date, and capacity. If tag is missing, remove from service
• Retire rope after 5 years of service, regardless of state.

A final message: Like all safety equipment, the manufacturer's recommendations for use, inspection, care, and maintenance for fall protection systems should be followed.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

About The Author: Mike Richards is a risk management expert specializing in protective safety equipment and health safety equipment.

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