Fall Arrest Harness

[mikewhite85]

After many years of climbing I finally bought a bucket truck. Too many super dead ash trees around here risky to climb.

What do you guys use for fall arrest? I assume it's not kosher to just lanyard my treemotion into the ring on the boom.

I've used a JLG style lift a few times but have never been in a legit bucket truck. Any words of wisdom or best practices?

 

[tree MDS]

Is it just me or does it look like the bucket part of the bucket truck is missing?

 

[ATH]

I've just used a "basic" fall arrest harness available at about any place that sells safety equipment. Doesn't need to be as comfortable/adaptable as the Tree Motion. Hopefully you'll never put weight on it! Do make sure it is properly fitted and adjusted though. John Ball always has good emergency room pics. At one of his talks he had a pic from someone who was wearing not too loose. Crushed his nuts when he fell.

There are climbing harnesses made to take shoulder straps that will turn them into a fall arrest harness. There are shoulder straps for the tree motion, but they are NOT rated for PPE - just to hold a chest ascender.

 

[PJ41]

Harnesses are available from Northern Tool, Industrial Safety Supply, Uline among others. Prices I'm looking at run $42.95 to $329. You'll probably need to buy the lanyard separately. Make sure the attachment point on the bucket is secure. This is one of those things to spend money on high quality equipment.

Good luck

 

[WmTreeCo.]

Fall arrest harnesses will save you, then try kill you. Especially heavier people who can't be rescued immediately. The leg straps cut into your leg arteries and when the pressure is released, can be fatal. Look up Suspension Trauma.

It's been some time since I've had to wear a fall arrest harness, but maybe they make better ones now that don't cut into your legs so bad?

Also, they come with solid or shock absorbing lanyards that extend, something to keep in mind if your working over power lines or closer to the ground, your gotta know how far your falling out of the bucket before you stop or hit what's under you.

 

[mikewhite85]

Is it just me or does it look like the bucket part of the bucket truck is missing?

YES I ordered a new bucket from altec. Boom is currently getting inspected. It's a 55' platform height/ 60' working. I wish it was 10-15' higher but it will save me tons of time on climbing! Just under CDL too.

Thanks, all, for the advice.

 

[softdown]

With the same question, I found myself here. Didn't really find what I was looking for.

I'll go ahead and guess that staying in and around the bucket is preferred to falling. Generally speaking. Bought a pallet of various harnesses at auction. Sometimes I wonder what the story behind the sale was.

 

[softdown]

YES I ordered a new bucket from altec. Boom is currently getting inspected. It's a 55' platform height/ 60' working. I wish it was 10-15' higher but it will save me tons of time on climbing! Just under CDL too.

Thanks, all, for the advice.

How is your bucket truck working out for you? Recently got the larger of mine back to Colorado after some repairs in Kansas. Have yet to really use it. Drives nice, trucks have better seats than cars. Not to mention all the huge windows and enhanced visibility.

Man alive does that DT466 have an enormous oil filter! Yet the truck only holds about 60 gallons of fuel. Engine temp actually fell ten degrees ascending a steep Colorado pass. That impressed me - it kicks the radiator fan into a much higher speed when stressed a bit.

 

[lohan808]

YES I ordered a new bucket from altec. Boom is currently getting inspected. It's a 55' platform height/ 60' working. I wish it was 10-15' higher but it will save me tons of time on climbing! Just under CDL too.

Thanks, all, for the advice.

Mike there is an add on for your fall harness you should get. 3M/ SALA make a set of deployable foot hoops that will save you from suspension trauma. Idea is when you are suspended, these foot loops are attached to the hip strap cross over points on the side in small bags like 3" pouches. You reach in and pull em out drop your feet in them and adjust the dangle. It takes the tourniquet effect pressure off your thighs by allowing you to "stand" on your feet. Believe me they work... ask me how I know.

 

[softdown]

Mike there is an add on for your fall harness you should get. 3M/ SALA make a set of deployable foot hoops that will save you from suspension trauma. Idea is when you are suspended, these foot loops are attached to the hip strap cross over points on the side in small bags like 3" pouches. You reach in and pull em out drop your feet in them and adjust the dangle. It takes the tourniquet effect pressure off your thighs by allowing you to "stand" on your feet. Believe me they work... ask me how I know.

Looks like this should work -

 

[mikewhite85]

Thanks one year later! It has been an incredible investment. Here's a shot from yesterday's oak pruning.

We have a couple harnesses now. Can't even tell you what brand. I let "big Dave" choose what he wanted since he runs it 90% of the time

 

[spiercev]

Looks awesome! Nice clean truck. I will say, a bucket truck saves so much time on jobs that are accessible. Just a comment on the fall protection: I agree that a very basic harness works just fine; You aren’t using it for positioning so it’s strictly safety. And the fall lanyard should be NEW and be a specific rated fall protection end to end lanyard
that snaps directly to the back of the harness and then to the fall protection point without any other hardware in line.

 

[forstmeister]

I agree with the folks that say don’t splurge too much on a harness. They’re mostly going to be fine. I wouldn’t spend $200 on one ever.

One note: the manufacturers I’ve talked to tell me they don’t have an expiration date. Inspect them regularly and they can last for many years as long as you don’t put a load on them. I had a boss years ago that claimed the opposite and replaced our harnesses for no damn reason and ate a bunch of my safety budget up that year for nothing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GoBigRed]

I use lifts a lot as an electrician. Scissor lifts, bucket trucks, zoom boom (jlg), etc.

There are two definitions to know when dealing with these. Fall arrest and fall restraint. Fall arrest equipment stops your drop if you go over the side. Fall restraint keeps you from going over the side in the first place. Just about every authority having jurisdiction will have their own rules to follow that either supplement or go beyond federal guidelines under OSHA (federal guidelines).
My recommendation, before you buy anything, is contact your state L and I office to see what they require. Each state is different and has their own rules and requirements. You don’t want to spend money on anything until you know it’s accepted by the AHJ for the type of work or conditions you are using it for.
You also need to make sure that trucks fits those requirement and more specifically that bucket. Then you need to find out if that bucket serves as fall restraint and what is needed while you are up there. Then you need to make sure the gear you buy meets your state or county’s requirements

it’s a can of worms and requires you to do some leg work. But it beats the fines that can be assessed if an inspector drives by your job and wants to check your rig and gear. And if something does happen, and you hurt yourself or get killed, L and I will not pay, or your own insurance, if you don’t follow their rules for safety equipment and gear

Folks don’t think about this and it does bite them in the butt often. It’s not just as simple as buying some gear and thinking you are good to go. Do your homework and ask questions to the folks who write and enforce the rules in the state and counties where you work. Once you have those answers, then you can ask about gear type and manufacturers.