Remember: Body belts are no longer acceptable
Federal safety officials are reminding occupational health providers that, as of January 1998, body belts are no longer acceptable as part of a personal fall arrest system for construction workers.
Also, locking snap hooks must now be used in personal fall arrest systems. Both changes were part of the final rule on safety standards for fall protection in the construction industry that was issued Aug. 9, 1994. The phase-in period specified that those changes would be delayed until January 1998.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Washington, DC, notes employees are better protected in a fall when wearing a full body harness instead of just a belt. Studies indicate that workers suspended in body belts receive internal injuries and cannot tolerate suspension long enough to allow rescue. The change to locking snaps will help provide more protection against rollout, in which snap hooks accidentally become disengaged.
OSHA also offers this further guidance on the use of body belts:
• In aerial lifts, belts may be used if the system is rigged as part of a positioning device body belt system that limits free fall to two feet.
• With respect to the use of body belts by workers covered under OSHA’s electric power generation, transmission, and distribution standard, linemen’s body belt systems are not considered personal fall arrest systems and they may continue to be used.
• All steel erection activities are excluded from the construction fall protection standard, so these changes do not apply. t
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