ANSI Approves Publication of Dropped Objects Standard
ANSI/ISEA 121-2018: American National Standard for Dropped Object Prevention Solutions aims to reduce workplace accidents, injuries, and deaths related to falling objects.
The American National Standards Institute approved Monday the publication of a new standard to address the need for dropped object prevention and tool tethering. ANSI/ISEA 121-2018: American National Standard for Dropped Object Prevention Solutions aims to reduce workplace accidents, injuries, and deaths related to falling objects.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 52,000 “struck by falling object” OSHA recordable incidents occur each year in the U.S., with 5 percent of all workplace fatalities in 2015 due to strikes by a falling object. Objects dropped from height can strike with a great deal of force, and the only way to reduce the chance of injury or harm from dropped objects is to prevent these accidental drops.
ANSI/ISEA 121-2018 is groundbreaking in that it requires dropped object prevention (DOP) solutions to go through dynamic drop testing to be considered fit for use. Dynamic drop testing involves dropping an object of known weight multiple times. If the DOP device being tested prevents a drop, it passes, and if the device breaks and the object drops, it fails.