Fall Protection Friday: Rigging & Leading Edges

This Week’s Toolbox Talk Attached Below!

Welcome back, let’s Build Smart & Build Safe! We often think of rigging as a "ground" activity, but many of the most dangerous lifts occur at the building’s edge. Whether you are receiving a load on a high-deck or guiding a beam into place on a steel skeleton, the "Red Zone" isn't just a circle on the floor—it’s a vertical drop.

Many focus so much on the weight of the load that they forget the worker at the edge is facing a double hazard: the moving material and the fall.

The Leading Edge Hazard

When a load is being flown to an upper floor, the "receiving" crew is often required to work at the very edge of the structure.

• The "Swing" Factor: A load doesn't always come in perfectly still. A gust of wind or a quick crane movement can turn a 2,000-lb pallet into a wrecking ball. If you are standing between the load and the edge, a minor swing can knock you off the building.

• Leaning Out: There is a dangerous temptation to "reach out" to grab a tagline or guide a load in. Your fall protection must be 100% tied off before the load even enters your zone.

• Tethering Tools: In these elevated "Red Zones," it isn't just you who can fall. Any tool used to assist the lift—prying bars, radios, or wrenches—must be tethered. A dropped tool from the 5th floor is just as lethal as a dropped load.

Tagline Safety at Height

Taglines are essential for controlling a load from a distance, but at height, they require extra caution.

1. Avoid Entanglement: Never wrap a tagline around your hand, arm, or waist. If the load falls or the crane takes a sudden "up" command, you could be pulled over the guardrail or through the leading edge.

2. The "Out" Path: Always position yourself so that you have a clear path to move away from the edge if the load swings toward you. Never get "cornered" against a perimeter cable.

3. Standardized Height: Ensure the tagline is long enough so that you can control the load while staying well back from the edge until it is low enough to be safely landed.

Implementation: The Elevated Lift Check

Before receiving any materials at height today:

1. Check Your Anchor: Verify that your lanyard or SRL is attached to a certified anchor point. Remember, if you are working near a "leading edge," you must use a "Leading Edge" (LE) rated SRL.

2. Inspect the Perimeter: Ensure guardrails or perimeter cables are secure and haven't been weakened by previous lifts.

3. Clear the Landing Zone: Ensure the area where the load will be placed is free of trip hazards. You don't want to be backpedaling away from a swinging load and trip over a pile of scrap at the building's edge.

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-The Safety Man