Look out below
By Rich Vurva
Dropped objects are a leading cause of injury or death in the workplace. In fact, there are more than 50,000 “struck by falling object” OSHA recordables every year in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s one injury caused by a dropped object every 10 minutes. In the U.S., there were 278 fatalities caused by a falling object in 2018.
Many of those injuries and deaths could have been prevented if companies and workers made a better effort to secure tools and materials to prevent them from falling on people below.
For example, tool manufacturers can provide tools with either built-in connection points for placing tethers, or that can be easily retrofitted with connection points.
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| The tethering device for Snap-on’s Tools@Height system are engineered into each tool’s design. |
The Tools@Height tethered tool system from Snap-on Industrial is ideally suited for technicians when working as little as four feet off the ground in industries such as aviation/aerospace, construction, wind, energy and others. What makes these tethered tools different from competing products is that the tethering device is engineered into each tool’s design and not viewed as an afterthought or an add-on. This gives technicians the advantage of having a tool that has full functionality and is not inhibited by the tethering device. Tools@Height are engineered, tested and certified to improve safety and enhance productivity for technicians working at elevated levels. Safety requires tethered tools that are engineered for that purpose such as Snap-on Industrial’s Tools@Height system.
“What makes the Snap-on Industrial Tools@Height system unique is that our tethering devices do not interfere with the intended function of the tool,” said John Ficcadenti, Tools@Height product manager at Snap-on Industrial. “Our tools and tethering systems are engineered in conjunction with the tool, and not merely retrofitted. All system components are tested to perform safely, based on the weight of the tools and the given length of the lanyard/tether.”
“Snap-on Industrial is a leading supplier of tools and protective equipment for professional technicians. We’ve led the research and development of tethered tools for at-height applications,” said Ficcadenti. “Our Tools@Height tethered tool program includes more than 1,000 tools that are designed for work being performed at height or anywhere dropped or lost tools are a concern. All tools are designed with a dedicated tethered system to optimize the tool’s functionality when used at height in various types of critical industries.”
More advice that could save lives
Tools that weigh more than five pounds should never be tied off to a person. A heavy object that gets loose could dislocate a worker’s wrist or shoulder and may even pull the worker from a ladder or scaffold.
If a worker using an attached tool needs to pass the tool to a colleague, make sure the colleague connects to the tool before it’s passed along.
Make sure that workers are trained on how to properly use tethered tools. They need to know how to attach a connection point to the tool, understand the proper use of lanyards and its weight rating.Workers should only bring along the tools they’re sure they will need when working at height. Spare tools can be easily forgotten and might become a hazard.
This article originally appeared in the Sept./Oct. 2020 issue of Industrial Supply magazine. Copyright 2020, Direct Business Media.
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY MAGAZINE
The November/December issue of Industrial Supply magazine features an in-depth cover story about Kimball Midwest. Plus, we're featuring articles by contributing writers Dirk Beveridge, Frank Hurtte, and Mike Marks, as well as interviews with numerous product and distribution industry experts.
