| Horizontal lifelines have long been used in | | | | industrial plants. They are also valuable for any job |
| construction and industrial workplaces to insure | | | | where the work requires bending or stretching |
| safety on the job. Though, some companies opt | | | | out over a height, or just standing above a work |
| for fall prevention platforms instead. These two | | | | surface. The falls stop before there become |
| types of fall protection systems are quite | | | | injuries. |
| different; yet each has its advantages. | | | | Fall prevention platforms are primarily used for |
| Basic Differences | | | | loading and can be designed in many different |
| Horizontal lifelines are lines that are attached to | | | | ways. They can be set up for loading cement |
| buildings or industrial equipment to serve as a | | | | onto cement trucks, loading liquids into tanker |
| base for fall protection systems. The harnesses | | | | trucks, and many other elevated work situations. |
| that attach to them arrest a fall by tightening up | | | | However, once they have been installed, they |
| in much the same way as a seat belt tightens. | | | | have very little use except the ones they were |
| Fall prevention platforms are structures which | | | | designed for. |
| have stable work areas for employees to do their | | | | Cost |
| jobs without personal safety equipment. They | | | | It is important to buy well-made horizontal lifelines. |
| stand up beside or above a work area so that | | | | It is dangerous or even deadly to skimp on this |
| workers may accomplish their tasks without falling | | | | aspect of your work environment. Horizontal |
| as opposed to horizontal lifelines which allow a fall, | | | | lifelines use fewer materials so they tend to be |
| but stop it short. | | | | less expensive than some other fall protection |
| Permanence | | | | systems. Fall prevention platforms are more |
| The lifelines can be set up on a temporary basis | | | | costly due to their rigorous and complex design |
| quite easily. Of course, all OSHA fall protection | | | | process as well as the physical size and weight of |
| rules must be considered, but once those are | | | | the platforms. If you are in the business of |
| learned, setup is fast. There are also horizontal | | | | loading, you should definitely consider the use of |
| lifelines systems which are set up permanently in | | | | platforms. |
| industrial settings. The fall prevention platforms | | | | There is no right answer as far as which fall |
| are more difficult to set them up and are usually | | | | protection systems are the best to use. The best |
| designed and fitted to the work environment in | | | | advice is to consider your own situation, what you |
| which they are used. | | | | are trying to accomplish, and the design of your |
| Versatility | | | | workplace. Choose horizontal lifelines or fall |
| The horizontal lifelines are often used in | | | | prevention platforms based on which will keep |
| construction for everything from homes to | | | | your workers the safest. |