Two new documents from the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) are geared to help protect workers whose jobs expose them to fall hazards. A Personal Fall Protection Equipment Use and Selection Guide provides practical, hands-on guidance for fall protection users and administrators in their selection, use, maintenance, and inspection of fall protection equipment. A companion document addresses topics in fall protection on which manufacturers get frequent inquiries.

Prepared by manufacturers in the ISEA Fall Protection Group, the use and selection guide describes the process of developing a corporate fall protection program, explains the components of fall protection systems, gives examples of how to select equipment for various types of work, and outlines steps for planning the use of fall protection systems.

The guide also contains inspection and maintenance guidelines, definitions, a list of applicable OSHA regulations and US and Canadian consensus standards, and links to ISEA companies and other sources of information.

“Falls are a leading cause of death and injuries in the workplace, and they’re preventable,” said Bob Apel of MSA, chairman of the Fall Protection Group. “At many worksites, fall hazards can’t be eliminated, and ISEA members make the best equipment and systems in the world to prevent and stop falls. This guide will help employers and users understand how to select the right equipment and use it properly.”

Equipment issues include anchorage strength and location, horizontal lifelines, harness attachments, positioning of self-retracting lifelines, twin-leg lanyards, and tie-back applications. There are discussions of the importance of ensuring compatibility among components and connectors in a fall arrest system, determining the service life of equipment, planning systems to protect heavy workers, and post-fall suspension. Specific application topics include welding, residential roofing, and aerial lift devices.

Both documents are available online in PDF format. They are available free of charge, and will be updated as required by changes in regulation or standards.