CONEXPO Safety Zone Stresses Harnesses in Boom Lifts
There will be plenty to see inside the Safety Zone at this year's CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2008 show in Las Vegas (March 11-15) for tens of thousands of U.S. and international visitors drawn by the mammoth construction show. MSHA and NIOSH are exhibiting in the zone, which will be set up in the West Blue Lot, and the International Powered Access Federation and its North American subsidiary, Aerial Work Platform Training, will present a 15-minute show as part of IPAF's Click It! campaign, which demonstrates proper techniques for wearing full-body harnesses in boom aerial work platforms.
The show at the IPAF Safety Zone (Booth SZ1000) will run at 10 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. and will give practical advice on the correct way to use a harness, IPAF officials say. The IPAF Safety Zone covers nearly 8,000 square feet and is made possible with support from the CONEXPO organizers.
"We much appreciate the support of the organizers in making this happen," said Tim Whiteman, AWPT president and IPAF managing director. "It is frustrating when people are unnecessarily killed or injured while using boom-type platforms because they don't wear harnesses. The demonstration will show in a vivid way the dangers of being thrown or catapulted from the platform if it is hit by another piece of equipment or is affected by ground subsidence."
The Click It! campaign asks users of boom-type platforms to wear a full-body harness with a short lanyard that is attached to a suitable anchor point. The advice is outlined in Technical Guidance Note AWPT H1, which explains when and how to wear harnesses and lanyards on different types of aerial platforms (available at www.awpt.org).
Also taking place during the show are the AWPT instructors' meeting and the AWPT Advisory Council meeting on March 11 and the IPAF Manufacturers' Technical Committee meeting March 12. Visit www.conexpoconagg.com/index.asp for more information about the show.