Working from a height is a requirement in many professionals. All types of professionals and not necessarily only the menial job laborers need to work from heights. A recent survey has ensured that a large number of accidents during work hours occur due to falling off from a height. Some of them turn out to be fatal and many of them render ugly and even lifelong physical problems for the victims.
This is why in most of the organizations where the employees need to function from a height has to implement height safety equipment and procedures. These are mandatory as per the laws of employment and ensure that minimum damage is caused to the things and human lives at the workplace in the face of any type of accidents.
These height safety equipments are implemented so that fatal and other accidents can be prevented and is a major responsibility of the employers towards the employees of the company. The following are some of the major elements of a proper and responsible height safety system.
Body Harness – Wherever the employees needs to get up on heights and needs to function from heights, there has to be systems and frameworks of the body harness. These harnesses are body encasings which are attached to cables that are suspended from a secure base. This is a system that ensures that even if a person falls from a height, he or she does not hit the ground with full momentum. In many cases, the person does not hit the ground at all. The person just remains suspended in the air. The quality of these harnesses and its cable must be good, which otherwise could lead to bigger problems.
Guarded Platforms – The platforms or the stairs that lead to heights have to be guarded. The chances of falling off from unguarded stairs and heights are much more. Hence as an important element of height safety system, railings and other guards must be created.
Steady Heights – One of the main elements of an effective height safety equipment is that the heightened platforms that are created have to be balanced and stable ones. Fragile platforms must not be created which otherwise could lead to bigger accidents.
Helmets – Helmets are fundamental elements of a good height safety equipment. The employees must be made to wear these helmets on a mandatory basis. The helmets should be such that it should cover the sides and the back of the head. Any other type of design should not be used. Torchlight on the helmet is also required as it helps to brighten the path in the front and also keep the hands of the person free for support.
Training – Training the employees in the height safety systems is very important. This is how they can be educated about the different dangers and accident possibilities in the workplace and they will also learn to stay safe from them. Proper height safety equipment training prepares an employee mentally and physically about the various dangers of the workplace. This is a training that will help them to stay safe and secure.
24 x 7 Medical Aid – All those organizations who require their employees to work from a height must have a 24 x 7 medical aid so that any emergency can be treated in an effective manner. Cars and ambulances must also be kept handy so that the employees can be rushed to hospitals if there is an emergency.
The above are some of the elements that can make a height safety equipment work. Any responsible organization must device such systems so that better safety and security could be envisaged for their valuable human resources.
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