If you’re working in construction and related industries, you’ll already understand how easily accidents can happen and why safety precautions are paramount. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, construction-related fatalities comprised 16% of all workplace fatalities in the 2015–19 period, and being hit with falling objects was the fourth highest cause of death. Besides the devastating consequences of fatality, construction-related accidents have an enormous social and economic impact on the industry, which was the third highest-ranking industry in workplace compensation claims for the 2018–19 period. It’s up to responsible workers and employers to take appropriate measures to reduce the social and economic impact of these preventable accidents in the industry—which isn’t difficult, with the right products.

Why tools need to be tethered
The risks of dropping hammers, wrenches or nail guns might be self-explanatory, but the physics of working at heights means that even a small tool like a tape measure or screwdriver has the potential to cause serious injury. Even at lower heights, like upper levels and decks of residential sites or inside warehouses and industrial facilities, tethering has the potential to eliminate a significant proportion of workplace injuries, as well as significant economic expense due to compensation, losses in productivity, and replacing equipment.

While it’s standard practice in Australia for people working at heights to use safety devices like harnesses and passive engineering controls like toe boards, netting, and barricades, Australia doesn’t enforce standards specific tool-tethering devices, particularly for small tools. However, the ANSI ISEA 121-2018 standards call for active controls to prevent accidents and injuries arising from dropped objects, which is why Ergodyne has voluntarily adopted the standards for our range of tool-tethering products, against which all of our products are tested and rated.

Multi-industry tool-tethering solutions
Making your workplace a Drops Free Zone™ has never been easier. Using the ANSI ISEA 121-2018 standard as our guide, Ergodyne has designed and tested a range of innovative tool-tethering and transport systems to meet the needs of all tradespeople working at heights. Our products are designed to be used across industries, from traditional heights work like roofing, scaffolding, and tower work, to plumbing, electrical and carpentry trade work that intermittently require working at heights.

The Ergodyne SQUIDS™ range of next generation shock-absorbing tool lanyards were strategically designing according to the ANSI ISEA 121-2108 standards and include:

• The new 3148 Tool Lanyard XL & Loop comes with a 36kg weight rating, making it the gold standard for securing large tools and equipment
• The 5555 Aerial Tool Belt, in combination with the 5556 Tool Belt suspenders, provides handy D-rings for hassle-free attachment of tools and equipment
• The 5740 Hoist Bucket and 3192 Wrist Lanyard Kit, which can tether up to four 1.4kg tools

The unique features of these innovative products comprise a comprehensive dropped-objects prevention plan, which has been designed to make your site a Drops Free Zone™.

This article was provided by Ergodyne.