There was an interesting article in today’s Arizona Daily Star…
“Permanent roof anchors prevent workers’ falls”…A Tucson homebuilder has proposed a solution to the biggest safety problem in the construction industry – falling. More construction workers die after falls than in any other type of accident -about 440 workers in 2004, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In Tucson last year, a foreman fell to his death at a construction site.
” A couple of years ago, residential builder KB Homes noticed its number of fall accidents rising………..Higher demand for housing put pressure on trade workers to keep up, and new housing designs have steeper roof pitches, creating new hazards. In 2004, KB Home became the first residential contractor in Arizona to team up with the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health on a safety program.
Now, the company is starting to place anchors on roof trusses before they are installed, providing a consistent, permanent point at which workers can tie on their safety lines……”
Is this consistent throughout the industry? I think it is a good thing….Any thoughts on this?
Replies
Although this is not the tavern I will give my standard complaint - YOU SHOULD GIVE LINKS TO ALL SUCH ONLINE ARTICLES.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/138478
"Now, the company is starting to place anchors on roof trusses before they are installed, providing a consistent, permanent point at which workers can tie their safety lines. The new system will be used on new Tucson homes in the next few weeks and eventually at all KB Home building sites nationwide, said Borane, who spearheaded the project.
KB Home is the first big builder to make permanent anchors a part of company safety policy, said Ed Marquardt, president of Guardian Fall Protection, the Kent, Wash., company selling the anchors to KB Home. The two companies have been working on the anchor plan since November.
The anchors, called the Guardian Truss Boss, were designed specifically for KB Home to meet safety requirements and to stand up to heat and design requirements. Because KB Home was worried about the anchors degrading in the sun, Guardian designed a cap made of a heat-resistant plastic and made it in colors to match KB Home roofs, Marquardt said. "
Could not find Truss Boss on their website.
http://www.guardianfall.com/page.php?id=56
Thanks, Bill, I'll remember that....
One recent example that was discusssed on one of our jobs. If the plumber has to go up and cap a vent stack for a pressure test, It is up say 12' and plug the pipe and down again. easy.
Now if he has to scale all the way to the anchor (which is mostly attached at the ridge) say an additional 15', then he had alreay had to don a fall protection harness and have his rope. So he then caps his pipe, goes BACK up the roof, to detatch, and has to free walk ALL the way down.
He'll have to repeat that if ( alot don't) he wants to uncap the vent stack OR install a boot ( most dont do that either).
So, I can't agree with ALL of the saftey stuff, some times tripping over a rope, is just that.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
" I am not an Activist, I am, a Catalyst. I lay around and do nothing, until another ingredient is added"
This caught my eye because of all the building going on here in Tucson!So, you're saying it would be more of a PIA than it's worth?104 right now and I truly feel for those guys on the roofs!
Well, yeah, it IS a PITA, but beats death from falling. What I was getting at, is I roof, I know that I roof, I expect to be on a roof and the proper harness etc. Cuz I am there ALL day, my exposure is a quntun leap greater than a plumbers occaisional trip up.
But NOW , he has to expose himself to MORE time up there and climb HIGHER up WITHOUT being tied off, unless he hitches to a safty line that is already strung, than he would if he could just get up and back down after a 30 second task of capping a vent.
Yeah, we got whacked late afternoon with the "Stoopids", walking around in a daze from the heat, and that was just soldering gutter up in the lift basket.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
" I am not an Activist, I am, a Catalyst. I lay around and do nothing, until another ingredient is added"
OK, I got you!!
This morning I found a PDF file that the WTCA puts out regarding fall protection and erecting trusses. You can download it at:http://www.sbcindustry.com/images/publication_images/b11.pdf?PHPSESSID=3dl7qn0b0qis8p65ot24vgtr51
Q: Why do brunettes know so many blonde jokes?
A: It gives them something to do on Saturday night.
"the company is starting to place anchors on roof trusses before they are installed, providing a consistent, permanent point at which workers can tie on their safety lines."
There has been quite a bit of talk about that in the truss industry. I don't know if the WTCA ever took a formal position on it or not, but...
Roof trusses with plywood on them are plenty strong. But unbraced trusses aren't. If someone anchors to an unbraced truss, there are a couple of theories about what might happen.
One is that the truss may break from the impact load.
Another is that workers who are tied off may take more chances than they normally would, thinking that they have adequate fall protection.
Another possible scenario is that the shock load cause a whole set of partially braced trusses to fall over - Maybe taking more guys down with it.
I don't know of any specific cases where any of those things have happened.
I'll try to do some research at work tomorrow and see what I can find out.
I'll do the rest.