DBI-SALA, a Capital Safety brand solely dedicated to the fall protection market, 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.
The ExoFit XP Wind Energy Harness features a replaceable dorsal webbing protector and lumbar shell to prevent wear associated from this repetitive motion, as well as extra built-in tool/gear loops to provide more convenient places to hang equipment during the climb.
Additional features include: comfort guarantee, quick-connect buckles, a front D-ring for ladder climbing or rescue, side D-rings for positioning, and a dorsal D-ring for fall arrest.
Suspension trauma straps are also included on each model. 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.
Complimenting the Wind Energy Harness is the Force2 Wind Energy Rescue Lanyard, which incorporates specialised components ideal for wind turbine construction and maintenance.
The Lanyard features 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 for large rails or other oversized anchor points, a shock pack cover to mitigate abrasion, as well as integral wear sleeves 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 further the level of fall protection performance and safety.
Capital Safety, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of height safety, confined space and industrial rescue equipment with 9 operating sites worldwide, is home of the DBI-SALA and PROTECTA brands.