Masonry Magazine August 2004 Page. 20
Personal SAFETY
Hard hats may be the most visible means of personal protection, but it's quite possible that respiratory protection deserves to be tied for first place in importance.
Drilling, cutting or breaking of masonry is the resulting dust that, if inhaled over extended periods of time or in excessive quantities, can cause long-term health problems, such as silicosis, chronic bronchitis, tuberculosis and pneumoconiosis (see the silica dust sidebar article on pg. 16).
Drilling, cutting or breaking of masonry can also project particles at high velocities, with the consequent risk of impact damage and/or injury to exposed body parts, especially the eyes. Without proper protection, these dusty environments can cause eye irritation and short-term vision problems. You also compound your safety problems when a crewmember operating power tools cannot see what they're doing or experiences hindered vision.
Exposure of the skin to aggregates for prolonged periods of time or repeated contact can cause dermatitis. Lifting and manual handling of large rocks, not to mention falling building materials and projectiles, can cause serious injury or even death.
SCAFFOLD NETTING
SAFENET
Our scaffold nets are one of a kind. This system can eliminate all fall hazards for construction workers.
This netting is ultra-durable, reusable, and user friendly.
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Eliminates the need to fully plank everywhere.
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www.safenetofnaples.com
CIRCLE 330 ON READER SERVICE CARD
August 2004
THE NET RESULT
When Jason Walls, Director of the Stucco Division for the Schear Corporation in Naples, Fla, needed to evaluate his business's safety issues four years ago, he left no stone unturned. Walls hired Safe Site, a local safety consultant, to complete a risk analysis of the company and provide his crews with training. What came to light out of the consultation was that his company was having everyday guardrail issues. After trying several products that just didn't do the job, Walls and co-inventor Johnny Davis decided to create their own solution: the Safenet™.
"We knew we needed something simple, cost-effective and reusable," says Walls, now President of Safenet of Naples, Inc. "So we thought about some sort of lightweight, flexible system, and of course it led us to netting."
Concerned with making a system that was strong enough, the duo tried several different types of materials and combinations, but discovered a two-inch netting system with a sewn rope border provided the best results.
"Before mason contractors get stuck putting guardrails up, this is a great alternative for them because they don't have to buy 2x45 and it's a lot more user-friendly," says Walls.
The Safenet scaffolding system offers several advantages over traditional guardrails:
Safenet takes up less room and is lighter.
Because they're lighter, crewmembers are less likely to get injured during moving and installation.
With verbal instructions, a new user can install a net within 60 seconds of unpacking.
The nets exceed OSHA regulations, withstanding over 600 pounds of downward or outward pressure.
If you don't need to fully plank an area of scaffolding you can attach the nets at center and only plank half the scaffold.
Safenet will outlast a plank up to five times.
The system uses a carabiner-type clip along with a loose strap, which allows the system to be tailored to almost any need.
"Nothing is sewn in, so everything can be taken off and things can be moved around," states Walls. "The straps are what is going to get worn. They're not sewn in so, if you need to replace the strap, you can do that without having to buy a whole new product or cutting it up to replace them."
Plus they're engineered to be tangle-free. Walls states that you can throw them in the back of the truck or stuff them in a duffel bag for hauling up ladders and they'll never get knotted up.