# Damn Harness's



## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

I guess it's for when you fall but the lift doesn't. That would be my first guess.


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## Mike Guile (Jan 14, 2010)

*Sorry*

Sorry, but who the hell is going to fall over a 3 ft rail, unless your doing something really stupid, like standing on it?


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Drop a wheel in a hole and get thrown over the rail? I don't agree but I follow the rules.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

The harness keeps you from falling over the side if the lift tips to one side or you hit something


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## paul d. (Jul 13, 2008)

last job i was on ( new jail, $12 mil elec ) the GC had a policy of anybody on a lift had to have a harness on. they actually had guys removed from the job just for moving a lift out of the way and not having a harness on. the GC was Turner Construction. its not about safety. its about LIABILITY.


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## Mike Guile (Jan 14, 2010)

*oh*

oh. Well, I've driven lifts for 8 yrs with no harness basically. I've never driven over any bumps and never had any problems whatsoever. I watch were I drive as well. I've never seen a hole. It's always smooth concrete. I just don't like it I guess. I'm out of that business now anyhow.


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

I've never had a problem putting on a harness, you get used to them pretty quickly.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Mike Guile said:


> oh. Well, I've driven lifts for 8 yrs with no harness basically. I've never driven over any bumps and never had any problems whatsoever. I watch were I drive as well. I've never seen a hole. It's always smooth concrete. I just don't like it I guess. I'm out of that business now anyhow.


There are brain dead drivers on the road and they don't change brains when they start driving a lift, so a harness is a good idea :thumbsup:


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## Mike Guile (Jan 14, 2010)

*2*

I was forced to wear them twice. Both times it felt like I was in a psychiatric suit. I usually ran 600-800 ft of conduit and pulled the conductors in a day. That day I ran 250ft.


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## paul d. (Jul 13, 2008)

Mike Guile said:


> I was forced to wear them twice. Both times it felt like I was in a psychiatric suit. I usually ran 600-800 ft of conduit and pulled the conductors in a day. That day I ran 250ft.[/quote getting a harness that fits is the most important thing to being comfortable and being able to forget you have it on. then its not so bad.


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

When I'm stepping over this crap all day long I don't mind having a harness:


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

Your too messy. Clean that lift up a little.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

The handrail is just too tempting to stand on, Keep the harness on.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

I dont think osha requires folks to wear harnesses on lifts. Its considered a mobile scaffold. Ditto on cleaning up the lift. You need to keep stuff off the deck and in buckets on the side or something. Or maybe keep it all the small stuff in a box. I cant stand working on a messy lift.


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

Yea, it was pretty packed with material at the time, it was taken about three years ago.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Grimlock said:


> When I'm stepping over this crap all day long I don't mind having a harness:


Put your brain bucket back on.


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

i wear this all day... could be worse


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## rlc3854 (Dec 30, 2007)

Mike Guile said:


> I was forced to wear them twice. Both times it felt like I was in a psychiatric suit. *I usually ran 600-800 ft of conduit and pulled the conductors in a day. *That day I ran 250ft.


Bro, are you serious? What are the runs like? Straight parallel runs, no drops into cans, what type of fasteners, one holes, cowboys, strut? Rigid, emt?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

mikeh32 said:


> i wear this all day... could be worse


 




Beats wearing one of these..........










.........*forever*!


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

im not complaining. i got to pick out what harness i got. from rock climbing ive always proffered petzel. trust me, when the wind starts going and im 200 feet up... i want more then that harness


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## GoodLookingUglyGuy (Feb 3, 2010)

My shop doesn't require a harness but I do. My apprentice hates me. oh and I lower the lift prior to moving any distance believe it or not if the lift is set to fast you loose no time


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## JayH (Nov 13, 2009)

Grimlock said:


> When I'm stepping over this crap all day long I don't mind having a harness:


Put a 12" to 18" plywood shelf on the middle rail at the front of the lift underneath the controller so you won't be stepping over all that material and you won't be bending over to pick up your cordless.


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## amptech (Sep 21, 2007)

I took a couple of milk crates and bolted hooks to them. One has a 10" piece of 3" aluminum conduit strapped to an inside corner that I can stick the cordless drill in chuck-first. Just hook a milk crate on the top rail and have tools, fittings, minis, tek screws, beam clamps and bolts waist high. Keeps the lift deck clear and makes it easier to load/unload the lift with the parts you need every day. I wear my harness and lanyard on the lift. I have had fork trucks hit my lift on a few occasions. Never been thrown off but have come close.


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## Mike Guile (Jan 14, 2010)

*runs*



rlc3854 said:


> Bro, are you serious? What are the runs like? Straight parallel runs, no drops into cans, what type of fasteners, one holes, cowboys, strut? Rigid, emt?



mostly straight run days parallel 3/4 emt, mineralac, unistrut when needed

Just a basic day....now when were doing single 2" EMT, pull boxes, etc....
probably 200' or so

I didn't mean to brag. That was with a help to keep things flowing as well. Sometimes though he slows me down, but for the most part he had everything waiting when I pivoted down and needed it. We usually took up 20 sticks at a time or so. Also, lot's of coffee, mt. dew, red bull, amphetamines and very organized. At that time I got paid by the foot so I had a system.


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

amptech said:


> I took a couple of milk crates and bolted hooks to them. One has a 10" piece of 3" aluminum conduit strapped to an inside corner that I can stick the cordless drill in chuck-first. Just hook a milk crate on the top rail and have tools, fittings, minis, tek screws, beam clamps and bolts waist high. Keeps the lift deck clear and makes it easier to load/unload the lift with the parts you need every day. I wear my harness and lanyard on the lift. I have had fork trucks hit my lift on a few occasions. Never been thrown off but have come close.


I have a couple Klien bags on each side, held on by plastic hooks. 

They are the same ones that you clip on the bucket on a bucket truck.

For the thhn, I have 2, 3/4" conduits cut 6" longer than width of the lift. I drilled holes in the end for ty-wraps. I ty-wrap them to the top and middle support on the back of lift.


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

Those plastic hand held shopping baskets are great for strapping to the side of the lift with zip ties. Bending a couple pieces of EMT into S shapes and strapping them to the outside of the lift is good for keeping pipe bundles out of the way too.

For what it's worth, I believe in personal choice, for educated people of course. I mean, if you have had safety classes and seen the videos and heard the stats, and you still choose to not wear a harness, it should be up to you.


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

I like to use a piece of plywood about 12-16 wide and just a little longer than the width of the lifts rails. I then screw 2 pieces of wood on the underside close to the rails. It keeps the shelf from sliding around. Then drill 2" hole for the drill. Then take 2 cardboard fitting boxes and screw that to the plywood and put all the material in there and place it on top infront of the controls. Works great either leave it on the lift or put it on the bottom of my cart till the next day.


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## AFOREMA1 (Nov 23, 2009)

OSHA has no requirement to wear a harness in a scissor lift they are required in basket/boom lifts not scisssors.

Now if you are working in Canada then Yes a harness is required to be used in a Scissor lift. 

So ask to see the regs that say you need a harness in a scissor or show them the OSHA regs that say you do not and stop wearing it.:thumbsup:


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

AFOREMA1 said:


> OSHA has no requirement to wear a harness in a scissor lift they are required in basket/boom lifts not scisssors.
> 
> Now if you are working in Canada then Yes a harness is required to be used in a Scissor lift.
> 
> So ask to see the regs that say you need a harness in a scissor or show them the OSHA regs that say you do not and stop wearing it.:thumbsup:


Many customers require it, OSHA is minimum standard. They can make tougher if they want. Any GM plant would have you pack your bags and get of their property.


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

Nice choice on fittings!:thumbsup:


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

FWIW OSHA does not require the use of harnesses on scissor lifts.

I do understand some jobs require the harness anyway.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

I like how you see a telephone lineman in a bucket truck, wearing a hardhat. Who is going to drop what on him?


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

I personally hate harnesses, I wear them because I have to but I don't have to like it. I can see wearing one in a boom lift, they can get pretty squirrely if you don't know how to run one. But in a scissor it just makes no sense to me. 

It's getting to where more and more places require a harness in any kind of lift, I guess it's an insurance liability thing.

And for the record, if you have a lift big enough for you and all your stuff and wide open ceiling 600 to 800 feet a day on 1" or smaller is pretty easy to do. I like to shoot for 1000.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

*Harness*

In regards to not wearing a harness in a scissors lift, I don't see the reason for the fuss. Why would we fight to do just the bare minum for safety sake; especially if the boss is paying us to wear them?


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## electro916 (Jan 16, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> In regards to not wearing a harness in a scissors lift, I don't see the reason for the fuss. Why would we fight to do just the bare minum for safety sake; especially if the boss is paying us to wear them?



FWIW when you have 2 people in a scissor lift running pipe, your harness lanyards actually are more of a hazard than protection. There is actually no tie off point on scissor lifts, at least the ones I have used. So you end up tying off to anywhere on the railing. Then you and the helper end up constantly getting tangled in the lanyards. 

Boom Lifts are a different story.


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

electro916 said:


> FWIW when you have 2 people in a scissor lift running pipe, your harness lanyards actually are more of a hazard than protection. There is actually no tie off point on scissor lifts, at least the ones I have used. So you end up tying off to anywhere on the railing. Then you and the helper end up constantly getting tangled in the lanyards.
> 
> Boom Lifts are a different story.


 Take a closer look, nearly every one I've been on has a tie off point.


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## AFOREMA1 (Nov 23, 2009)

drsparky said:


> Many customers require it, OSHA is minimum standard. They can make tougher if they want. Any GM plant would have you pack your bags and get of their property.


That is true a company can go with a more aggressive policy. I worked for Ford and they never had that policy nor when I worked at a Chrysler or GM plant did we need a harness except on boom lifts. ANd in all my travels I have yet too have a U.S. Site that required me to use in a scissor lift. Only in Canada. They have more stringent rules on safety shoes over there also.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

The last three “big ones” I worked at; GM, Delphi, Louisiana Pacific all require harnesses in scissors lifts. They also have a four foot tie off for step ladders.


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

drsparky said:


> The last three “big ones” I worked at; GM, Delphi, Louisiana Pacific all require harnesses in scissors lifts. They also have a four foot tie off for step ladders.


Thats one I never understood. What the hell are you supposed to tie off to on a ladder?


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

*Harness*



mattsilkwood said:


> Thats one I never understood. What the hell are you supposed to tie off to on a ladder?


The particular work situation is always taken into account. If nothing is there to tie off to, then you don't tie off. I've been on two jobs where friends have fallen ...and died from six footers.


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## azsly1 (Nov 12, 2008)

RIVETER said:


> The particular work situation is always taken into account. If nothing is there to tie off to, then you don't tie off. I've been on two jobs where friends have fallen ...and died from six footers.


use a 6' D-ring strap and wrap it around steel or a large pipe... if there is a crane nearby you can see if they'll boom over to you and allow you to tie off to the hook.


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## AFOREMA1 (Nov 23, 2009)

drsparky said:


> The last three “big ones” I worked at; GM, Delphi, Louisiana Pacific all require harnesses in scissors lifts. They also have a four foot tie off for step ladders.


 
Must be something new I talked to my buddies at the Ford plant and it is not happening hear in the plants I have contact with. As for the ladder UAW and big 3 working at heights program have required protection on a ladder at 6 ft or more since 2003 and I believe OSHA requires it on ladders above 6 ft since you can die from a fall at this height.


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## AFOREMA1 (Nov 23, 2009)

mattsilkwood said:


> Thats one I never understood. What the hell are you supposed to tie off to on a ladder?


 
When working on a ladder you are supposed to 
1. have someone hold it while you secure it with rope or straps to prevent slip. Or have someone hold it the entire time you are working from it.
and
2. Generally for work from a latter you tie of to structural steel with straps and D rings and attach that to your retractable lanyard and harness, or weld a solid attachment point on for the work.

This still does not eliminate the 3 points of contact rule while working on a ladder so if using both hands you would also use a waist belt to strap yourself around the ladder for your third point of contact while working.:thumbup:
It is a pain in the butt like using a harness on a flat roof but in my time in the plant I saw 4 deaths and 2 were working at heights one a 8 ft fall onto a guard rail that killed a guy becuase they had no railings and no tie off. SO its not too much of a pain in the A** when you have seen what happens when you don't use it. And I have seen it save lives when I was on the technical rescue team as well. Just make your boss get you a decent harness or buy your own aproved harness that is comfortable.
and keep up on inspections so OSHA doesn't fine you.


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

About a month ago, one of my guys slipped and fell while climbing down a scaffold. Split his head open pretty good. He was only 4-5ft off the ground. Now whenever scaffold is erected, the scaffold builders are required to hang yo-yo's when they are done so you can tie off before climbing on the scaffold.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

sparky970 said:


> About a month ago, one of my guys slipped and fell while climbing down a scaffold. Split his head open pretty good. He was only 4-5ft off the ground. Now whenever scaffold is erected, the scaffold builders are required to hang yo-yo's when they are done so you can tie off before climbing on the scaffold.


How is he doing?


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

JohnJ0906 said:


> How is he doing?


Other than a bad headache for a few days, he's fine.


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## Wingnut (Jan 31, 2010)

At the sugar Factory near Boise we were required to wear a harness when we clocked in. that was in '95 they issued you one and don't show up witout it.

and it seems any big (company) factory wants you to at least wear one on a scissor lift.

I always seem to be on the rails for some reason, so I wear one anyways.


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

Now roof fall protection to replace an exhaust motor requires harnessing. Makes you feel like a streetcar.


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## hot wire (Feb 10, 2010)

airnt the tie offs on the lift so if something happens to the lift your tied off to the lift. doesnt make since. And the best one is tied off if your on a 6 ft ladder your lanuard stretches out more than that so your still hit the floor..


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

*Harness*



hot wire said:


> airnt the tie offs on the lift so if something happens to the lift your tied off to the lift. doesnt make since. And the best one is tied off if your on a 6 ft ladder your lanuard stretches out more than that so your still hit the floor..


It sometimes seems silly but you have to use common sense. It is presumed that if you are reaching up to something to do the work, chances are that whatever you are reaching up to is connected to something, and you could possibly tie off to it. If there is absolutely nothing to tie to I would talk to the boss,(a pre-task analysis) and see what he is good with. If you get injured you will be left holding the bag, because he WILL tell OSHA that you were trained.


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## AFOREMA1 (Nov 23, 2009)

hot wire said:


> airnt the tie offs on the lift so if something happens to the lift your tied off to the lift. doesnt make since. And the best one is tied off if your on a 6 ft ladder your lanuard stretches out more than that so your still hit the floor..


Hot wire that is not true if you have the right equipment. The best items to use are lifelines secured over head to OSHA approved anchorage points. examples are listed below for review if interested.

Miller Retractable Life-Line

http://www.websoft-solutions.net/Retractable_lanyard_Retractable_lanyard_p/21210.htm

http://simplifiedsafety.com/store/fall-protection/active/connectors/retractables.html

site showing shock absorbing lanyards which should not be used for ladders do to the fact they take up to 6 ft to stop you.

http://jobsitesupply.com/fall-protection.php


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## wishmaster68 (Aug 27, 2009)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *mikeh32*  
_i wear this all day... could be worse








_






Beats wearing one of these..........











Pretty much sums it up


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## adam4all (Sep 14, 2008)

Harnesses are a false sense of security.

If you fall - chances are you are screwed. Yes you may not be floor pizza, but you will be hanging for a while and that can be a death sentence.

Don't take chances and do not trust a bloody harness to save your life.


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

wishmaster68 said:


> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *mikeh32*
> _i wear this all day... could be worse
> 
> ...


i was not complaining. i got to pick out my harness. its comfortable.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

*Harness*

When the enforcement of harnesses finally occurred, it was a frame of mind that I had to get over. I definitely was not afraid to climb up or slide down columns when getting down. After a time, with a lot of films and safety instructions it is just "natural" for me to put it on before going up. I would feel very stupid if I fell and someone had to tell my family that I did it to myself. They are not that troublesome...and some say it looks good on me.


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