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Safety First!
We work to live, not live to work. Unfortunately, some workers suffer severe injuries and sometimes fatal incidents while performing the scope of their work.
It's no secret that the construction industry is one of the most dangerous industries in the world.
Being Struck By "Falling tools and Materials".
"Being struck by" falling tools and materials is considered to be in "The Fatal Four". It is estimated in the US alone, someone is struck by a falling object or tool on a jobsite every 10 minutes.
Some walk away with scratches, others however, are not so fortunate. Lacerations, concussions, fractures and sometimes death
can be the result. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), can result in life changing consequences. See link (Mayo Clinic)
It is estimated that someone is struck by a falling object
on a construction site in the US every 10 minutes.
In addition to the human cost, some companies will never recover from the financial repercussions of jobsite accidents such as these.
Costs such as fines, lost time claims, retraining costs, civil litigation and in some cases criminal charges (criminal negligence), could spell disaster for the business you worked hard for years to build. It can all disappear in an instant with one tragic event. Article link
Tool & Material Weights
Klein Lineman: 1 lb
25ft Milwaukee Tape: 0.93 lb
Klein Torpedo Level: 0.45 lb
1/2" P Clamp: 0.102 lb
3/4" P Clamp: 0.116 lb
1" P Clamp: 0.1442 lb
Pipe-Pal Spacer Weights
1/2" Deep: 0.065 lb
3/4" Deep: 0.072 lb
1" Deep: 0.073 lb
Protect your melon! Source: Black & Veatch
Using the right tools for the job are vital not only from an efficiency standpoint, but also from a safety standpoint. Pipe-Pal spacers greatly reduces the risks and outcomes in "being struck by" a falling tool incident in respect to conduit installation spacing.
Our spacers range in weight from just under an ounce (0.5 shallow) to just under 4 ounces (4.0 deep spacer). They also feature a small hole in the upper corner should you wish to tether it with a safety harness (aircraft cable).
Pipe-Pal Spacers are even lighter than the P-Clamps being used to support the Pipe.
Pipe-Pal spacers also have neodymium magnets in them to allow installers work in a more hands-free fashion. This gives the worker the ability to catch or secure an item that might have the risk of falling, thus further reducing the risk of injuries to the individual that might be below them.
Strains (Musculoskeletal Injuries or MSI)
Another common injury that can result from overhead work are Musculoskeletal Injuries. Commonly known as strains. These type of injuries
can occur as a result of overreaching, working in awkward positions, repetitive motion, etc. Detailed information on MSI injuries can be found here (service BC website). MSI's are one of the leading causes of lost time incidents in the work place, with the neck and shoulder areas being some of the common areas of incidence. The costs associated with this type of injury are enormous.
By reducing the amount of movements required to space conduits and also by offering a more hands-free method of conduit installation spacing, Pipe-Pal spacers can greatly reduce the risk of MSI's.
With the minimal effort being required for spacing the conduit with Pipe-Pal spacers, you
can be assured that productivity will increase, while MSI incidents in respect to the scope of work will decrease.
It's not a matter of why you should want Pipe-Pal spacers on your jobsite, but why you need them.
Conclusion
PPE is considered "the last line of defence". Many workers only look directly at the examples/scenarios presented to them. They would look at that melon in the image above and say, "He should be wearing a hard hat!". Although that is true, no one knows exactly where on their body they are going to be struck. The object(s) or tool(s), may strike their shoulder, or the leg, or maybe they are tying their work boots at the time of impact and the object hits them directly in the neck or spine.
If we knew where the object was going to strike us, then it is likely that we would know we were going to get hit. Therefore, we could avoid it all together and workplace incidents would likely not happen. Also, there is nothing guaranteeing it is going to be just one item falling either. Objects might rain out of the sky. In some cases, required controls are completely ignored by some of the workers on the site. Always make sure you are adequately trained for any scope of work you are required to perform!
In conclusion, the best way to approach safety is with the worst, worse scenario in mind. Using the best the tools designed for the job and being prepared for the worst. By doing so, we increase our awareness and also can prepare ourselves and likely reduce the risks further.
We are responsible for our own safety, however, we are accountable for the safety of others. Lives depend on it! Work safe!