Capital Safety has announced the launch of their new wind energy fall protection solutions range: the ExoFit XP wind energy harness and Force2 wind energy rescue lanyard. Workers installing or performing maintenance on wind turbines often need to climb a fixed ladder within the tower to reach the nacelle, which may be up to 80 metres from the ground. At times, during the climb or descent, these workers find themselves pressed up against the opposite side of the turbine or lean back against it for relief. This repetitive motion causes undue stress on critical elements of the harness causing them to wear out and dramatically shorten its lifespan.
Features of the wind energy harness include:
- The wind energy harness features a replaceable dorsal webbing protector and lumbar shell to prevent wear associated from this repetitive motion
- Extra built-in tool/gear loops are included on the wind energy harness to provide more convenient places to hang vital equipment during the climb
- comfort guarantee is added when purchasing the harness
- Quick-connect buckles are fitted onto the harness
- The harness features a front D-ring for ladder climbing or rescue
- Side D-rings for positioning
- A dorsal D-ring for fall arrest
- Suspension trauma straps are also included on each model of the harness, in case of a fall, the suspended worker simply connects the straps and steps into them to relieve pressure and improve circulation in the legs while suspended and waiting for rescue
A compliment to the wind energy harness is the Force2 wind energy rescue lanyard incorporating specialised components ideal for wind turbine construction and maintenance. Features of the lanyard include:
- Rescue D-rings that provide an accessible connection point on the lanyard to retrieve a worker who has fallen of the roof of a nacelle
- Large scaffold hooks are included on the lanyard that are perfect for large rails or other oversized anchor points
- The lanyard includes a shock pack cover to mitigate abrasion
- Integral wear sleeves are included on each lanyard tail to provide additional protection when working over structures or leading edges
Each Force2 lanyard is rated to 160kg, designed for workers who need to access areas with a risk of fall arrest and have a combined body weight with tools and equipment up to 160kg. Additionally each hook is rated to 16kN providing added security by removing the risk of forced roll-out caused by excessive gate loading.
“Fall protection equipment is subjected to a unique set of conditions within the wind energy industry,” says Emmett McGregor, Training & Technical Support Manager for Capital Safety, Australia and New Zealand. “It has to withstand repetitive movements, extreme environments and allow for quick and effective rescue should it be required.”
DBI-SALA’s i-Safe intelligent safety system is built into every Wind Energy Harness and Lanyard to track inspections, control inventory and manage information. i-Safe utilises RFID technology which is equipped on most DBI-SALA products, together with web-enabled information management, to take fall protection to a new level of performance and safety.