The National Safety Council deemed overexertion and falls the top two most significant safety issues for all workers. Due to the nature of their work, at-height workers are at considerable risk of developing injury from either of these injury types.
Most personal protective equipment mandated for climbers is designed as reactive equipment; it has little preventative value in protecting the worker from an occurrence related to overexertion or a fall. At-height work is physically demanding, and fatigue leads to overexertion or a mistake that can lead to a severe fall. Powered ascenders such as Ronin are essential in preventing excess fatigue on our climbers. Powered ascenders are also one of the few tools available for at-height workers to lower their risk occurrence for both overexertion and fall injury types.
| Injury Rate |
|---|
28.2 per 10,000 full-time workers |
| Age group most at risk |
|---|
45 to 64 |
| Industry most at risk |
|---|
Transportation and Warehousing |
| Typical days lost |
|---|
12 |
| Most frequent part of body hurt |
|---|
Back |
| Injury Rate |
|---|
23.9 per 10,000 full-time workers |
| Age group most at risk |
|---|
55 and over |
| Industry most at risk |
|---|
Transportation, Warehousing & Agriculture |
| Typical days lost |
|---|
12 |
| Most frequent part of body hurt |
|---|
Sprains, Strains, Tears |
| Injury Rate |
|---|
23.5 per 10,000 full-time workers |
| Age group most at risk |
|---|
16 to 24 |
| Industry most at risk |
|---|
Transportation, Warehousing, Agriculture & Construction |
| Typical days lost |
|---|
5 |
| Most frequent part of body hurt |
|---|
Cuts, Lacerations, Punctures |
Powered rope ascenders have a huge, positive impact on the at-height workforce. As humans, we typically like to build up, and the maintenance required for infrastructure continues to grow. This will continue to increase the demand for workers. As businesses, we must provide our workers with the best technology to keep them healthy and working within their chosen careers. The Ronin Lift supports this initiative by providing a solution priced at a level so it can be effectively rolled out across an organization’s workforce. By taking a worker-first approach, we are committed to getting the technology into the hands of the people who matter.
Fatigue is the most serious safety issue in the workplace today. Everyone works harder and longer hours as businesses strive for better efficiency and cost-controlling measures. Data has repeatedly shown that as people tire, they are more prone to mistakes. These mistakes can lead to safety injuries or even fatalities. Fatigue injuries are the leading cause of missed days for the at-height workforce. At-height climbers will be under increased pressure due to limited resources and the demand to maintain and operate infrastructure. With the ongoing 5G installations and a push for greater wind energy in the US alone, our demands on the at-height workforce will only grow over the next decade. Businesses are already feeling the effects of fatigue based on their responses from a recent National Safety Council survey. Powered ascenders like the Ronin not only reduce fatigue but they will increase the efficiency of your workforce. Isn’t it time to invest in workers by providing technology that supports their health and our growth plans?
| INDUSTRY | Feel the impact of fatigue | Experience productivity decrease | Experience Safety Incidents |
|---|---|---|---|
| INDUSTRY | Feel the impact of fatigue | Experience productivity decrease | Experience Safety Incidents |
| Construction | 94% | 71% | 45% |
| Manufacturing | 89% | 73% | 44% |
| Transportation | 97% | 66% | 45% |
| Utilities | 91% | 64% | 41% |
| All Industries | 90% | 67% | 32% |
This telecommunications industry consensus document is intended to address the use of Powered Ascenders in conjunction with a fixed synthetic rope for personnel ascending, descending and work positioning on telecommunications structures. There is not a recognized standard in the United States applicable for the use of Powered Ascenders utilizing synthetic rope; the only relevant reference material available is the European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. As a proactive approach to the safe use of Powered Ascenders in the industry, this document was created to provide guidance for the use of Powered Ascenders on telecom structures regardless of Powered Ascender manufacturer or design type.
Recent advances in technology have made Powered Ascenders a more prevalent and viable tool for access to work at height. These devices benefit the industry by reducing worker fatigue, increasing efficiency, productivity, and reducing injury potential from repetitive motion injuries, thus increasing worker longevity.
This document is intended to address Powered Ascenders on a fixed synthetic rope, where the Powered Ascender moves along the rope. It will not address the configurations of the Powered Ascender being anchored and the rope moving, or the use of a Powered Ascender to hoist materials. This consensus document is only intended to apply to antenna supporting structures that are governed by the ANSI/TIA222 standard, as adopted by the International Building Code (IBC) and other jurisdictional building codes.
