Using Fall Protection Equipment Properly

Climbing White Tiger by Dean Croshere via flickr.com

Even though SkyPro and the SkyPro Mini greatly reduce the risk of fall when cleaning windows on buildings, it's always a good idea to brush up on fall protection best practices. Start the New Year off on a safe foot with this article by Craig Firi on the Construction Business Owner website.  

In 2011, the leading cause of worker fatalities on construction sites were falls, accounting for 251 deaths. Fatal falls are often the result of a lack of proper safety gear or the misunderstanding or misuse of equipment. The effectiveness of fall protection equipment, no matter how durable or reliable, is compromised when workers don’t use it correctly.

To ensure the safety of their at-height teams, construction companies must get serious about fall protection equipment and learn what systems and components are ideal for each job. Safety gear is not one-size-fits-all, nor does one product fit all applications.

You should be familiar with the following four functional categories of fall protection equipment:

Fall arrest – If any risk that a worker may fall…

Read the full article at Constructionbusinessowner.com.

Happy Holidays!

We hope you're enjoying relaxing and spending time with family and friends.

Best Wishes,
Sky Pro

Christmas Lights by Alcion via Flickr.com

OSHA Rules to Plan for in 2014

OSHA updates are on the horizon. EHSToday.com covers the expected rules changes so you can get a head start on planning for the upcoming year. 

Twice a year, OSHA publishes a regulatory agenda as a way to keep the regulated community informed regarding upcoming activity. The latest edition was issued in July 2013 and includes a list of 26 rules in various stages of development as well as milestones scheduled for completion in 2013.

While the progress on these OSHA rules is hypnotizingly slow, it is important to stay informed because OSHA offers the regulated community the opportunity to provide feedback and input during the rulemaking process. The agency also provides extensive supporting analysis – mandated by Congress – that can help an EHS manager get a head start on assessing his or her organization's readiness for these new or changing rules. The following are summaries of three rules that OSHA is working on that should be considered when planning for 2014 and beyond.

Read the full article on EHSToday.com.

Thanks for visiting us at ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America 2013!

We were so excited to see everyone, and show off the Sky Pro system in Las Vegas at the ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America 2013 show. If you want to see what all the fuss is about, or if you want to relive the show, check out the video on the ISSA.com website.

Click to see the video!

Ice Melt's Place In A Green Cleaning Program

It's getting frigid and greenery is a distant memory (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least!) However, should being green should be a priority? For a lot of people, traditional salt is used to prevent slips and falls, even though it's known to harm the environment. CleanLink is discussing green winter slip prevention.

According to Jan/san distributors, most facility executives in the snow states opt for the status quo when it comes to ice melt: a sodium chloride rock salt that is cheap, effective and easy to apply.

“What the facility executives care about is reducing slips and falls,” says Mark Petruzzi, vice president of Green Seal, adding that in that sense, rock salt does the job. “It’s cheap and it works — to a point.”

As building owners strive for LEED status, and custodial operations managers build their departments around environmentally sound practices, this pervading mentality is changing — and it’s only natural that ice melt manufacturers begin to follow suit.

But, standards on existing “green” ice melters are lacking. While some manufacturers have worked to develop a chemical blend that is both high performing and friendly to the environment, others have been charged with “greenwashing.” The void of information surrounding these products has made choosing a green ice melt especially confusing for buyers.

Read the full article on CleanLink.com.