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Hi, my last post about fall distance brought me a related question, and I thought the answer I gave might be of interest to the rest of our readers.

What kind of fall protection do I need for maintenance work on an HVAC system about 14 feet off the ground? It seems ridiculous to install a railing system for this kind of short-term work.

For a general question like this, I usually find it useful to think about broad approaches to Fall Protection safety. This can help to point out a workable solution. First, an example of the problems in viewing a short fall distance as something less than a real problem…

Rolling Scaffold for Glazier

I have a friend named Steve who worked as a glazier. He was at a job in San Francisco on Post Street, on one of those small rolling scaffolds about 4 feet off the ground, working on the caulk around a store window. He lost his balance, fell and broke his neck. This put him in one of those ‘halo’ devices for about a year. He has since recovered, but not to the point of returning to work, and remains on full disability.

In the absence of a railing or other restraining device, the fellow should certainly be wearing fall protection. The usual components are a full body harness, shock absorbing lanyard, and a fall rated anchor point. This much is pretty straightforward. What I would like you to think about are the particular details of the work site. An example would be a swing fall; the lanyard is properly attached, catches you, but you swing like a pendulum into an object, causing some degree of injury. This is way more common than you might suppose.

So even if you wear the safety related fall protection items properly, there is still danger. Should you happen to fall and everything works as it was designed, you still have to get down. This element of rescue is often overlooked and has caused lingering injury and even death. Once you are hanging there in your harness, watching the world go by, what do you do then? First, there is a problem called ‘suspension trauma’, where the blood gets in your legs but doesn’t return due to the constriction of the leg straps. A further explanation may be found on our page about Suspension Trauma, along with a product that we recommend to users of full body harnesses.

Worker Hanging Around After a Fall

Over a relatively short period of time (variable due to weight, fitness and health) you will lose consciousness and perhaps expire. This is while waiting for a rescue. If you were working alone (not a good idea!!), this might not happen right away. And if you hit your head, you might not be yelling! So, your co-worker has to be able to get to you from below, or somehow hoist you from above. All the connectors (hooks) will be under tension, and so will be hard to disconnect.

Another concept that may be useful in this instance is ‘fall restraint’. We still wear the full body harness, and are connected by a lanyard. But the lanyard is attached in such a way that the length will not let you get to the edge. That is, as you approach a point where the work surface falls away, you are held back by the lanyard.

We often say, you need to plan the rescue before you start the job. Hopefully this helps?

Rick Fall Protection, Home Improvement

Self Retracting Lifeline

I had an interesting inquiry from an overseas customer about the fall distance when using a self retracting lifeline. This was an instance where the technical nature of the question caused me to check with the manufacturer…just to be sure.

Dear sir,
What is a total estimated fall distance of Self-retracting lifeline, and detail of it (Free fall distance/length of SRL/etc..)? What if my working platform is 6 feet (1.8 M) above ground. So my self-retracting lifeline is hanging above ground about 13 feet (3.8-4.2 M), not 18 feet (5.6 M). Am I going to hit the ground? Does the self-retracting lifeline have shock absorber? If not, how is it going to decelerate the falling? I think it just might immediately stop like a safety-belt in the car.

Thank you for the inquiry. I checked with the engineers at DBI/SALA to get a response on your question. Here is what they say…

The recommended clearance below a person connected to a SRL is 6 ft. (1.8m). So someone standing on a platform 1.8 m high, attached to an SRL overhead, who falls off, will stop well within 6 ft. ( 1.8m) or less. The 6 ft. distance is worst case with the person weighing 310 lbs. and also includes a small safety factor when calculating the distance. The free fall distance will be less than 2 ft. The deceleration distance included with the free fall distance will be 3.5 ft. (1.1m).

Self retracting lifelines have built in energy absorption. Some models have a disc brake system and others have a external shock that extends to absorb energy. The brake is activated by inertia. The brake activates so you can move around easily, but if you fall, the brake activates and stops your fall.

Capital Safety

Hopefully this answers your question. With the platform being so low, it was good to see this for myself as well.

Falls from a height of ‘only’ 6 feet can be quite dangerous. A Self Retracting Lifeline is the best means I know to protect you in the event of a fall. Of course, better not to fall in the first place. Guard rails or some other engineered solution that keeps you from going over the edge is preferable. But the workplace is not always that easy.

And, please plan for what you are going to do after the fall occurs. The SRL keeps you from hitting the ground, but now you are just hanging there. Better to plan in leisure than react in panic.

Rick Fall Protection

Multipurpose Leather Drivers Gloves

I was updating the descriptions on some of our cowhide leather drivers gloves, and I was reminded of how versatile and useful this product is. These days the majority of our glove sales are in the newer synthetic styles, such as the Ansell Hyflex and Mechanix Glove brands . These are usually a fabric shell with a coating of some sort. They are cost effective and offer many useful properties.

But then you come back to leather. When I’m working around the yard or doing the DIY thing, I usually gravitate back to a leather drivers glove. Something about the feel, fit and even the smell that brings back comforting memories. I can remember being a teenager some 30+ years ago (OMG!) and driving a tractor during a summer job. My employer gave me a pair of leather drivers style gloves that I wore pretty much all summer. How do simple things like gloves bring back such vivid memories?

Interesting, but that is probably a subject for another sort of blog.

Rick Hand Protection, Home Improvement driver glove leather cowhide diy

Asbestos Removal Equipment

One of our most persistent lines of inquiry has to do with asbestos in the home. As an avid Do-It-Yourselfer, this has been a subject of interest to me for years. Since I had a few questions along the same line of inquiry last week, I wrote this ‘general’ response. You can probably figure out what the questions were…

For our homeowner DIY customers, we see asbestos in 3 main areas; furnace duct work, popcorn ceilings and linoleum type (maybe not actual linoleum) flooring. The duct work is usually a metal tube covered with a paper-like coating meant to provide some measure of insulation. The problem comes when you want to modify or upgrade your heating system (same thing applies to boiler type heating plants). When you mess with the duct, the coating crumbles. This is called ‘friable’ asbestos. The particles can become quite small, and if inhaled can cause mesothelioma. This is the disease afflicting shipyard workers and the like. So, back to our story…The homeowner gets a price from the furnace company to remove the ductwork, and once they get up off the floor, they figure…heck, I can do that for almost nothing…What usually happens is they do a good, but maybe not good enough job, and it gets left for the next homeowner to discover, or not. You see, the particles are small and very hard to notice if you aren’t looking for them. The flip side is that it is almost impossible for a homeowner to effectively mitigate the problem. To the point that if it gets tested by a pro, they will almost certainly find asbestos particles and red flag the house, initiating a cleanup and legal dispute.

So the best answer in most cases is to leave it where it is if possible. If the material is contained, it really poses no problem. There are paint-like products meant to seal it in place, among other strategies.

For popcorn ceilings…depending on the year installed (usually before ’72) there may be some percentage of asbestos. We’ve heard of quite a few folks tackling this one. Same basic problems as noted above, but it is possible to do a fairly good job, if you’re careful. The idea is to put down plastic (6 to 10mil thick) on the floor, reaching a foot or 2 up the wall and taped off. Then hang plastic (can be somewhat thinner, i.e 2 mil) on the walls (right up next to the ceiling), again taped off, so that it overlaps the ‘tub’ you have made on the floor. You put on the Tyvek bunny suit, a P100 rated respirator, gloves etc. and use a pump sprayer to moisten the ceiling. Put a detergent liquid in the water to reduce the surface tension. Then scrape off the popcorn with a pole scraper, all the while spraying. Once you are done, bag the stuff up in marked bags and dispose of properly.

For the floors, it really is the black mastic adhesive that had the asbestos, though some tiles also had it. Really tough to tackle this one. If you have ever tried to take that stuff up, you’ll know what I mean. Better to just lay new flooring over it, or I’ve heard people just take up the whole subfloor and be done with it.

Almost forgot…asbestos siding. The siding shingles are hard as a rock, and really only become a problem when they break or are damaged. Careful removal is done quite regularly, though a fussy neighbor could get the city on you. Then you’ll have guys in Tyvek suits working on the house ($$$).

A lot of people have gotten sick over the years inhaling asbestos. This doesn’t have to be you. We know about the dangers, and we know how to protect ourselves. Leave the asbestos in place, undisturbed, unless there is no way around it. Wear your P100 (HEPA) rated respirator and disposable clothing. It should be fine.

Rick Home Improvement, Respiratory asbestos, respirator, Tyvek

3M 6000 Organic Vapor Solvent Respirator

We get questions from users about the use of safety equipment in real world situations all the time. One of the things I’d like to do from time to time is share some of the answers for those of you in similar circumstances. Also, please note that we encourage this type of inquiry. Just so you know, names or details about you will never be used in a blog post. Here is the question…

I would like to buy a mask that can protect me from the fumes of E6000 glue which I believe is highly toxic. Unfortunately, it works great and is the only glue i have found to do the job i need it to do. Which is a good mask for this purpose? I will be gluing on crystals on ice skating costumes and sometimes work for a number of hours. thanks

And here is the answer that I gave, expanded slightly to illuminate some aspects for users unfamiliar with the subject…

Hi, the E6000 glue contains Perchloroethylene, also known as Tetrachloroethylene. This is a pretty nasty solvent. The most common use for it is in the Dry Cleaning industry, where it is often referred to as PERC. As you can see, it is also used as a component in some adhesives. I found a brief explanation about this solvent on the epa.gov website. You might want to take a look: http://www.epa.gov/chemfact/f_perchl.txt

3M recommends using organic vapor cartridges attached to a full face respirator. They say to use a full face mask since the solvent will attack mucous membranes as found in the nose and eyes. This is a particular problem at high concentrations, which are unlikely to occur in your particular application.

With proper ventilation (exhaust fan?), you should be able to get away with a half mask, which costs less money, but don’t ignore this aspect of the problem. And you do so at your own risk (have to say that).

The 3M organic vapor cartridges are…
http://store.pksafety.net/mulcar.html

The 3M full face mask respirator is…
http://store.pksafety.net/fulfacres3m6.html

The 3M half mask respirator is…
http://store.pksafety.net/halfacres60s.html

The 3M 6001 cartridge will fit on either mask. Choose a size, and look for a comfortable fit. When you put on the mask, with cartridges attached, you should not smell or taste the solvent. When you start to smell it, then it is time to change the cartridges. There is no set limit on this time. Less solvents mean the carbon (activated charcoal) lasts longer. More solvent concentration means less time.

When you aren’t using the glue and mask, keep them separated, since the carbon will absorb solvent vapors out of the air. And the mask may pick up the scent. A zip lock bag works well to hold the mask.

Oh, and one other thing. It is a good idea to wear gloves when handling the glue. Disposable nitrile gloves are a good choice to maintain the dexterity you need for the fine work, but still have some chemical resistance.

Thank you,
Rick Pedley
PK Safety Supply

The customer got back to me with a further clarification…

thanks so much for the information. My only concern for the full mask is that I wear glasses. If the half mask covers the nose, then it is the eye membranes that are susceptible. By exhaust fan, do you mean a regular fan or is this something different? If I were to do this outside in full ventilation do you think a 1/2 mask would solve the problem of protecting my lungs and nose from this stuff? I would buy the full mask but I am concerned about spending almost $200 on a mask and eye piece since I don’t know if I am going to be doing this a lot.  Any information you have will be appreciated. Thanks so much.

My reply…

Glasses can be a problem. They make an eyeglass insert for the full face respirator mask that allows you to have a prescription lens inside the mask.
http://store.pksafety.net/3m68spkit.html

But if you can get ventilation, then using the half mask is likely ok. What I mean by using an exhaust fan is that there is air movement either out of the space or into the space. Not just circulating. Outdoors is good of course.

Thank you,
Rick

Rick Hand Protection, Home Improvement, Respiratory

Since we have started to get orders for sunscreen, I thought it would be good to review some thoughts about protecting yourself from solar radiation. This has been a popular topic year after year. And since I have fair skin, it is one I take personally.

Here in sunny California it may only be February, but with our drought conditions, the risk of sunburn starts early. In the weeks ahead, days will be growing longer and work on outdoor job sites is sure to increase. So thinking about sun safety can’t begin too soon.  If you or your employees will be exposed on the job, it is essential to be educated about the impact the sun can have on you. Different methods of protection, such as sunscreen products or clothing options, can make a difference.

Beyond the heat of the sun and keeping cool in an outdoor work situation, there are harmful rays having an influence on your body. Frequent exposure to damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays causes sun damage. UV is a form of radiation emitted by the sun. UV rays fall into 2 types that you should be aware of; UVA and UVB. The role each play specifically in long term sun damage is not fully understood, but it is believed that UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin and are the major source of early aging and skin cancer, while UVB rays primarily affect the surface of the skin and are the primary cause of sunburns.  We are exposed to these rays everyday, regardless of whether it is cloudy or not.  Standard window glass won’t stop them either. That is why we recommend sun protection for use on a daily basis year-round and this is doubly important for those who work outside.

As an outdoor worker, particularly in the construction or utility fields, it is easy to neglect any type of sun protection. Often their lives are at risk from falls, electrical hazards and other hazards that require their more immediate attention.  Who wants to be bothered by having to apply sunscreen; it takes time. For many of our customers, the new fast absorbing sunscreen sprays and sunscreen towelettes make application complete in just moments – just wipe it on. Very little mess and the skin feel is almost unnoticeable. Be sure to apply to areas like behind the ears, the backs of hands, the neck and other spots not being protected by clothing or sun safety accessories such as sun flaps attached to hardhats.

Please beware of the idea that a deep tan is offering you some sort of protection from the sun. If this sounds familiar, please note that the UVA rays are still penetrating your skin and causing harmful reactions. The least problem is leathery skin as you get older, caused by a breakdown in the collagen of your skin cells. More serious are the cancers that may be caused. Basic rules of sunscreen use to follow are to be sure to use a sunscreen product that protects from both UVA and UVB rays.  We recommend SPF 30.  Apply about 30 minutes before sun exposure, make sure all exposed areas are covered, and reapply approximately every 2 hours.  Where at all possible, work in the shade or during the non-peak hours of exposure from 10am – 4pm.

Although even sunscreen products will not completely block all of the sun’s harmful rays, by using it regularly in combination with sun protective clothing, outdoor workers should be able to minimize their risk of sun damage.  An assortment of sunscreen products are available; single application packets, sunscreen towelettes, pump sprays or bulk sunscreen in gallon dispensers encourage workers to protect themselves in all ways possible.  Education and awareness of the potential long term danger, beyond just the threat of uncomfortable sunburn today is also often all that is needed to encourage these protective measures.

Rick Home Improvement, Sunscreen Sunscreen, UVA, UVB

Hi,

This is Rick Pedley, President of PK Safety Supply. Our blog is going to be used as a way to share some of the responses we give to customers on questions about safety and safety products.  Hopefully you will find something of interest, and feel free to comment.

I have been in the business of selling safety products for over 30 years.  Safety is our only business, and we get a lot inquiries. So with the help of the PK Safety staff, we’ll be publishing articles that should be of interest to our customers and friends.

Thank you

Rick Uncategorized