ASSE sets the standard on fall protection and they’ve recently announced two new revisions for the ANSI Z359 series of standards. So if your company or organization wants to protect it’s employees, you’ll want to keep up with the new releases in this series. The most recent updates are for the ANSI/ASSE Z359.4 and the ANSI/ASSE Z359.13. The new 3rd Editions for each provide the latest best practices for protecting folks from these hazards as well as details on improving equipment. Here’s the details:
ANSI/ASSE Z359.4, 2013 Edition, Safety Requirements for Assisted-Rescue and Self-Rescue Systems, Subsystems and Components
This standard was developed to help people who are involved in rescue operations with fall hazards. This standard reviews both the equipment and performance criteria for systems, subsystems, and components for pre-planned assisted rescue as well as self-rescue.
Not only that, but training and pre-planning requirements are defined. And there are criteria for equipment marking, testing, care and use.
Please note: the standard is for occupational use only and does not apply to sports activities or the specialized rescues that may result (like mountaineering).
A great feature of this new edition is the use of explanatory notes down the right hand side of the publication. While not a enforceable part of the standard, they help the user understand what the committee intended in some particular parts of the document.
ANSI/ASSE Z359.13, 2013 Edition, Personal Energy Absorbers and Energy Absorbing Lanyards
Again, this standard is intended to be used by employers to help minimize the hazards from falls in work situations. In this case, the emphasis is on the lanyard, a piece of fall protection equipment. The lanyards described in this standard are tethering devices meant to attach the individual to an I Beam or other fixed object. It does not cover the use of personal protection equipment for sports related activities or for window cleaning.
The equipment detailed in this standard is meant to be used by people weighing between 130 and 310 pounds. You’ll be able to find information on the requirements for performance, design, marking, testing, instruction for use, inspection, maintenance, and how to determine when to remove the equipment from service.
Again, the use of the explanatory notes accompanying the text provides added information on the standard’s specific clauses. And there is an extensive section at the end of this 54-page document which has a series of drawings to clearly show various connection points, etc.
These ASSE standards and the balance of the series are all available from Document Center Inc. under license agreement with ASSE, the American Society of Safety Engineers. You can buy them in paper or pdf format by going to our web store, www.document-center.com. Or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). We can answer questions you may have about these standards, since we’ve been helping folks like you since 1982.
