Aerial Lifts

There is still a misconception of what to use in a boom lift or aerial lift.  I have been on many of jobsites and have seen people wearing a 6 foot shock absorbing lanyard in the basket of a boom lift.  This is so dangerous because you could bounce out.  That is why OSHA has changed the rule so you are required to use a 3 or 4 foot non-shock lanyard or a retractable.  This way you are using fall restraint instead of fall arrest.

Fall Restraint vs Fall Arrest

Fall Restraint

When working at heights and having to wear Fall Protection, it is always good to try and place your anchor in an area where it can be used as a fall restraint.  Fall restraint is when you limit the person at risk from being able to get to the edge of the surface.  For example:  if you are working on the edge of a surface and you have on a 11ft retractable lanyard, you would place your anchor 12 feet back from the edge of the surface.  This will keep the worker from ever being able to fall over the edge because they only have 11 feet of lanyard.  By laying out your anchors for fall restraint you are taking out of the possibility that someone could fall and have to be rescued.  Not to mention getting hurt in the fall itself.

Fall Arrest

Fall arrest is when the person has actually fallen over the edge and now the lanyard has stopped them from hitting the surface below.  When this happens, the person is in danger of blood clots, swing fall, and even death.  With fall arrest, you must have a rescue plan in place.  This is an OSHA requirement.  Rescue plans are for all the workers on the same crew to know what to do in case one of their co-workers fall.  Trauma straps can also be helpful in a fall arrest situation.