Fall Protection Storage

At some point in our careers we have planned, inspected, and utilized fall protection to complete a task. Sometimes fall protection is used for just a few moments during a particular task, while in other situations it is a part of your everyday work attire. Whether you use it 8 hours a day or 15 minutes a week, fall protection equipment needs to be stored properly to help ensure it works when you need it the most.
Fall protection equipment is sturdy and quite resilient, but that does not mean that it is indestructible. There are many external forces that can cause damage to fall protection. Weather, water, chemicals, and sharp or abrasive edges are just a few of these forces we need to avoid when we are storing our fall protection equipment.
Fall protection equipment should be stored hanging up in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight and the elements. Many sites utilize gang/job boxes for fall protection storage. If this is being done on your site, take a look at what your fall protection equipment is exposed to. Do you have harnesses laying at the bottom of the gang box with tools on it or did you go to lunch and leave your fall protection equipment lying on the ground?
Take time this week to look at fall protection storage on your site, challenge yourself and your team to identify possible fall protection storage issues and make a conscious effort to properly store fall protection. In the end, properly storing your fall protection equipment may make a life or death difference.