If you’re doing work on your property, there’ll be many times when you need to work at height. You may be up on the roof, fixing the guttering or cleaning it out, or you may be on a ladder to paint the upper-floor window frames. Even if you’re on a step-ladder decorating, that’s still a height.
Even if you take all precautions to use ladders properly and safeguard yourself from falling, though, do you pay as much attention to the dangers of falling tools?
The Damage Falling Tools Can Do
UK Construction Online gives the precise figures on how dangerous a falling tool can be, explaining that “a claw hammer dropped from 6m is equivalent of being dropped from the second floor of a building, attaining 24 mph/39kph on impact with an impact weight of 117kgs.” Imagine what that could do if it were to fall on someone. A tool doesn’t even need to be as heavy as a claw hammer to be fatal.
The danger of falling tools is recognised as a major issue by the construction industry. HSE directives specify that “when working at height, dropped tools must be eliminated as far as is practical. It is no longer sufficient to merely manage or limit injury.”
DIYers may not be legally obliged to follow these practices, but common sense dictates that securing tools when working at height is essential. If you want to safeguard you colleagues, friends and family whilst working from height then you can find tool tethering safety equipment at enfieldsafety.co.uk.
Tool Tethering
Tool tethering includes various methods of securing tools, either to yourself or to the structure you’re working on, to prevent them from falling. A range of belts and holsters is available if you need to be mobile, but otherwise you can use lanyards, karabiners, tethers or shackles, according to the tool.
It’s vital to get the right tether for the right tool and situation, or it could be almost as useless as having nothing. H&S Works gives a run-down of questions you should ask before determining what tether you need. Alternatively, you could consult your supplier when buying, explaining the situation and asking for advice.
Be Safe Working on Your Property
“It will never happen to me” — perhaps the six most dangerous words you can utter. Accidents can happen to anyone who doesn’t take measures to prevent them, and dropping a tool from height at home could easily kill someone. Perhaps one of your children.
Make sure that doesn’t happen by tethering your tools with tool tethering equipment from Enfield Safety.