Fall Safety for the Ironworker - by Marty Sharp, Occupational Health & Safety - The National Magazine for Safety, Ergonomic, and Occupational Health Professionals
Because ironworkers are getting bigger, manufacturers are finding it more challenging to build systems that comply with the 1,800-pound maximum arresting force requirements.
Some years ago, I built a harness for an ironworker who had an 80-inch waist and 54-inch thighs. He was bigger around than he was tall. I asked the Safety Director if a person this size should even be 6 feet off the ground. He said, this is a "Right-to-Work" state and if you don't outfit him, we will have bigger issues. We built him the harness and put him in a short, heavy-duty lanyard. Incidentally, it had more grommets than we've ever put on a waist belt.
I recall saying, "It doesn't matter how good the fall protection you are using is . . . if you don't tie off, you'll die off."