Stumbling, slipping, and falling are some of the main causes of accidents on oilfield and industrial sites. From screwdrivers and hammers to mobile phones and heavy equipment, any falling device can be fatal at construction sites. While safety equipment can minimize the injury to a great extent, it is still recommended to stay away from falling objects. Safety devices like helmets can safeguard workers from any falling object but tethers can prevent them from falling in the first place.
Several workers die on construction sites every year by falling objects or equipment. The risk of injury due to falling of heavy objects from heights does not occur only in construction sites or industries. It may occur in any industry such as oil and gas, food factory, telecommunications or any other industry that involves working at heights.
However, it can be prevented by using suitable tool tethering while working at high altitudes.
What is Tool Tethering anyway?
Tethering of tools is a method of preventing tools from being dropped while working at higher locations. It involves securing tools to either an anchor point or the operative.
Tool tethering is a type of fall protection provided for various kinds of tools used in work at higher locations. It is used as an added protection tool to safeguard the workers and other people below the worksite. It minimizes the risk of injuries due to falling objects at construction sites or worksites of various industries.
Tethered tools are secured with the help of a tool lanyard to an anchor point which is a fixed part of the working location or the individual using the tool.
Importance of Tool Tethering
- Tool tethering ensures that the dislodged or dropped tool does not fall a long distance away that the tether allows it to.
- It makes sure that any individual at a lower level is not hit by dropping to objects from a higher altitude.
- It prevents injuries caused due to swinging tool hazards.
- It offers hands-free tool switching and reduces dangling tool lanyards.
- Few tools come with a pre-equipped tool tether while others require tethering of tools with the help of retrofit.
- It reduces swinging tool hazards on worksites.
- It is quick and easy to use even if you do not have any prior experience.
- It allows the user to switch from one place to another while maintaining a complete tie-off.
- It offers a cheaper and easier method to mitigate the risk of injury through dropping objects.
- It makes the onsite workers feel relaxed and rest assured of their safety while working.
- It is economical, durable and lasts for a very long time.
- It is made with chemical, impact and corrosion-resistant materials for prolonged usage under various conditions
- Implementing tool tethering allows completion of the project with no hassle or injuries.
While dropped objects can cause major injuries and fatalities, there are certain instruments that are widely used in industries that increase the risks all day. Due to the advancement of technology, expensive and heavy equipment is used on worksites at great heights. The falling of this equipment is a loss to both the company and the workers.
Thus the risk is not limited to the worker or individual injuries but it can cause monetary loss too. Companies also deal with the loss or damage of such expensive equipment.
Specialty tethering product
LHR Safety offers an extensive range of personal protective equipment (PPE) to various industries. The safety of employees working in industries is the most important in any business. LHR safety aims to provide maximum safety to shape the future of industries. LHR safety always keeps in touch with customers, to understand their safety needs and provide them with better safety solutions.
For this reason, LHR safety has developed a wide array of specialty products apart from their standard security products such as tethered tools.
Tethered Tools® is a specialty product that prevents objects from falling. GrabItTM hand safety tool is a specialty product that prevents hand injuries. These tools encourage workers to prioritize safety in their day–to–day activities at the worksite.
LHR’s Tethered Tool® kit offers optimum tie-off protection at heights. These tools are tethered with strong, durable, hi-viz nylon lanyards that are secured with triple-action twist-lock gate carabineers. They provide optimum safety and supreme performance that is long-lasting.
It enables the users to work at heights by tying off their tools at a fixed place. When used effectively, no tools or objects will be dropped and the hazardous situation can be prevented making the worksite safe for everyone.
The tools are tethered with strong nylon lanyards and come with either the standard aluminum alloy snap hooks or the optional stainless steel snap hooks.
13 Piece Tethered Tool® Kit: TTK-13 contains 7/8″ x 3/4” Box Wrench, 1” x 15/16” Box Wrench, 15” Crescent Wrench, 24” Aluminum Pipe Wrench, 6pc Box Wrench Set, 6lb Sledge Hammer, 1-1/8” x 1-1/16” Box Wrench, 1-5/16” x 1-1/4” Box Wrench, Double Hook Hoisting Lanyard, 28” Pry Bar, Flat/Phillips Head Screwdrivers, 7″ Curved Jaw Locking Plier, Bucket Sling (bucket not included), and a storage box.
Best Buy LHR’s Tethered Tool® kit – 13 pieces with global shipping here.