ISEA's newly revised standard is the global touchstone for
preventing dropped objects.
ARLINGTON, Va., July 18,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- About every 10 minutes, a
worker in the U.S. is struck by an object that fell from
above. It's a hazard that the International Safety Equipment
Association (ISEA) is striving to mitigate with the release of its
newly revised American National Standard for Dropped Object
Prevention Solutions (ANSI/ISEA 121-2023).
"This is the world's only standard for dropped objects
protection," said ISEA President & CEO Cam Mackey. "Our original standard was written
from scratch — which is very rare — back in 2018. The latest update
is the result of hard work and enormous dedication by our Dropped
Object Product Group members."
The updated standard establishes minimum design, performance,
testing and labeling/markings requirements for solutions that
reduce dropped objects incidents in industrial and occupational
settings. It focuses on active solutions workers should use to
prevent falling objects, rather than addressing passive solutions
(which are often ineffective) or personal protective equipment
(PPE) which do not prevent objects from falling.
ANSI/ISEA 121-2023 provides employers with:
- Clear guidance to minimize the risk of dropped object
incidents.
- Minimum design, testing and performance criteria.
- Information on the four active controls: (1) Anchor
attachments (i.e., attachment points designed to be field installed
on structures, equipment or workers, to provide appropriate
connection points for tethering); (2) Tool attachments (i.e.,
attachment points designed to be field installed onto tools or
equipment to provide appropriate connection points for tethering);
(3) Tool tethers (i.e., lanyards or materials designed to connect
tools to approved anchor points); (4) Containers (i.e., buckets,
pouches and bags designed to carry or transport tools and equipment
to and from heights)
Falling Objects Different than Human Falls
While falling object protection differs from human fall protection,
the stakes are equally high. Not only is anyone below an unsecured
object at risk of injury or death, but the risk of collateral
damage to other equipment, to machinery, to building surfaces, to
vehicles and more is also enormous. A wrench dropped from several
stories up can burst a pipe down below and cause major flooding
damage, for example.
"Far more industries face risks from falling objects than they
do from human falls," said Nate
Bohmbach, Senior Director of Product Management at Ergodyne.
"Safety at heights means not only securing anyone working above but
ensuring that nothing on them or around them can detach and drop on
anyone — or on any machinery or building surfaces — below."
Dropped objects protection isn't simply a good idea — it's a
compliance issue. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) requires all employers to address falling/dropped objects
hazards on the job. OSHA included requirements both in its General
Industry (1910.23; 1910.28) and Construction (1926.451; 1926.501;
1926.759) standards.
"It's important for everyone to understand what a tethering
system is and how it works and why no one should be using duct tape
or twine to try to secure things," added Bohmbach. "The global best
practice for dropped object prevention is tethering equipment that
meets this revised standard."
Get the Revised Standard Today
A copy of ANSI/ISEA 121-2023 is available from ISEA online at
https://safetyequipment.org/our-standards/.
About ISEA
The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) is the trade
association for technologies that keep workers safe. Its member
companies, united in the goal of protecting the health and safety
of workers worldwide, are global leaders in the design,
manufacture, testing, and distribution of personal protective and
safety equipment which protects more than 125 million workers
across the U.S. Since 1933, ISEA has been a recognized leader in
the development of ANSI-accredited safety equipment standards, in
the United States and around the
world. ISEA works with Congress and government agencies to consult
with policymakers whose decisions affect the industry.
Nationwide, the safety equipment industry supports 345,001 total
jobs and generates more than $71.6
billion in economic activity. In 2020, the safety equipment
industry paid $5 billion in federal
taxes and nearly $4 billion in state
taxes, for a total tax generation of $9
billion. For more information visit safetyequipment.org.
Media Contact
Nicole Randall, International
Safety Equipment Association, 202-330-2432,
nrandall@safetyequipment.org, safetyequipment.org
Kathleen Fowler, On The Marc
Media, 410-963-2345, kathleen@onthemarcmedia.com,
https://onthemarcmedia.com/
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SOURCE International Safety Equipment Association