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Welding on the ground is already a dangerous proposition because of the severe health dangers it can present. Welding at height, however, is even more potentially hazardous because it adds more complexity to the mix. Slips and falls are one of the biggest hazards present at both industrial sites and active constructions, and welding brings along extra problems such as heavy equipment, having to do precision work that cannot be easily undone, and limited visibility due to eye protection.
As a facility manager or site manager, you need to proactively gauge these hazards and make sure your team has the tools, PPE, and environment to effectively do their jobs without compromising on safety. The responsibilities under this broad task include:
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Assessing work sites to guarantee compliance with OSHA standards
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Recognizing gaps in wearable equipment, PPE, and permanent safety fixtures
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Ordering and providing the right tools so your welders are ready to work without delays
You need two key resources to handle the job: familiarity with the OSHA, CCOHS, or local standards that govern your work environment and a go-to list of essential personal protective equipment that should always be available for welders working at an elevated height. Use our resources to shore up your knowledge of the former, and keep this list of equipment handy for the latter.
It Has to be Wearable PPE, Not Just a Barrier
In many warehouses, construction sites, and commercial facilities, physical fall prevention barriers do a lot of the heavy lifting. Visual barriers, fences, swing gates that automatically default to a closed position, and other permanent or long-lasting fixtures both visually alert personnel to height-related dangers and physically prevent falls. To comply with OSHA standards, your site can't have any gaps in a complete perimeter around any floors or areas more than six feet above the floor below.
But this is not sufficient for welding. Depending on the circumstances, the welders may be outside the bounds of those protective barriers, such as when they're welding exterior building features on a construction site or in elevator shafts. Even fence barriers with study handholds aren't enough; professionals can't catch themselves or secure their grip when their hands are full of welding tools.
As a result, they need wearable fall protection systems that don't simply reduce the risk of a fall but can actively save them. In other words, they need welding fall protection harness products.
4 Types of Essential PPE for Welding at Height
As you inspect your sites and prepare your safety protocols for welders, make sure you have enough of these four non-negotiable types of welder fall protection PPE and general PPE:
1. PPE Safety Harness Products
Welding fall protection harness products are wearable fall protection or fall prevention systems. They are made of robust, comfortable straps that sit around wearers' chests, legs, and hips and have durable D-rings or other hardware where lanyards or lifelines can securely attach. All PPE safety harness options should comply with applicable safety regulations and always be worn.
Ideally, your safety harnesses will have multiple points of connection around both the wearer (to prevent injuries during interrupted falls) and the lines connected to anchor points (these ensure extra support through multiple connection points). They should also be adjustable and not restrict wearers' ability to move freely.
There are different types of harnesses for different welding work. For example, welders can wear fall protection harnesses when standing on potentially dangerous platforms to interrupt a fall. For suspended welders, however, you might invest in harnesses with seats and additional cushioned straps that facilitate longer work sessions without stress injuries.
2. Lifelines
Lifelines are typically attached as vertical lifelines that either stop workers from falling altogether or catch workers early if they do fall. They attach to an anchor point capable of supporting significantly beyond the weight of workers and equipment so it can absorb the force of a fall. Welders should connect their safety harnesses to lifelines that are always attached to anchor points while working on elevated platforms. This applies whether they're fully suspended by lanyards, on a moving platform, or in any workspace without a completely enclosed perimeter.
3. Lanyards
Lanyards are the connective ties that make fall protection harnesses work, and they should be part of your fall protection kit. These heavy-duty cables or webs connect from the welder's wearable PPE safety harness to the lifeline or anchor that will support their weight if they fall. Fall protection lanyards are made of the cables themselves and connectors on either end that are properly rated to handle weight, torque, and force. Welders can also use the lanyards to suspend themselves in elevated workspaces, such as elevator shafts with no barrier, so they can keep both hands on their welding equipment.
Different types of fall protection lanyards work with welding fall protection harness products, such as:
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Positioning lanyards, which have little to no give and which position welders at specific points for work
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Shock-absorbing lanyards, which have some give-and-take strain off the lifeline while minimizing the physical jolt and shock of a fall
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Tie-back lanyards designed with two cables: one as an anchor and the other to absorb shock
Equip your teams with the right lanyards to get work done, minimize shock injuries, and give them peace of mind.
4. Burn Protection Gear
Finally, consider the welding-specific fall protection PPE that elevated welders should have. This includes adequate gloves and clothing that is not flammable and provides thorough heat protection, eye protection such as welding masks, and respirators that filter out toxic welding fumes in compact environments. As you purchase and document welding-specific safety gear, make sure your fall protection systems are properly rated for the total weight.
Tractel is a Trusted Provider of Essential PPE for Welding at Height
Welding at height combines multiple different sources of danger, and even experienced welders will be distracted and nervous in some environments. Invest in protection for your team from the start to protect them, give them peace of mind, and reduce the risk of fall hazards and injuries. Reach out to Tractel today to see our extensive range of fall protection PPE safety harness solutions and other products for welding fall protection.