Pure Safety Group (PSG) leaders take on roles with standards organizations. These standards organizations for fall safety will be completely voluntary with regard to compliance. PSG appointed two of their leaders to handle this new role, Mathew Moreau and Warren Faber.
Mathew Moreau
Mathew Moreau, product manager of dropped tools and FME at PSG, has been named chairperson of the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) Standards Committee for Dropped Objects Solutions. The committee is the first ever to focus exclusively on preventing dropped object hazards in general industry, construction and other sectors that involve work at height. In 2018, the committee set the first U.S. standard to establish design, testing and performance criteria for active systems used to prevent dropped objects in the workplace. Dropped objects cause 278 deaths and 52,700 injuries a year in the U.S. alone, according to the latest statistics, making it the third-leading occupational safety hazard.
Warren Faber
Warren Faber, engineering manager, is the new vice chair of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) committee that sets safety standards for anchorage connectors for active fall protection systems. The committee’s work includes standardizing definitions and establishing requirements for design, performance, testing, labeling, instructions, inspection, maintenance and storage of anchor connectors. The committee chair for the position chose Faber for this position. He has been an active contributor on the committee for six years and sits on several sub-committees for standards, including Z359.13 and Z359.14. He is also involved with CSA Z259, the fall protection committee in Canada, where he is an associate member and chair of CSA Z259.11: standards for personal energy absorbers and lanyards.
“Even though they are voluntary, anchorage standards should be seriously considered in the manufacture and use of these products,” says Faber. “The committee is made up of experienced engineers and government experts. These experts follow a strict and transparent process with the ultimate goal of keeping workers safe while working at height.”
Moreau served on the ISEA committee during its early work on the first dropped objects standard. This standard came out in 2018. Moreau was with Ty-Flot, now a PSG company, maker of dropped prevention products such as tool tethers, tool carriers and its most recent invention, the Stronghold Quick-Switch system, had a long history of involvement with the standard. The patented Quick-Switch design allows tools to pass between workers while they stay 100% tied off to avoid a drop.
“I’m honored to serve as chair. I’ve dedicated my career to finding ways to save lives and prevent injuries caused by dropped tools,” says Moreau. Moreau will have the role through 2021. “Most people aren’t aware of the damage drops cause. Subsequently, those drops cost companies more than $5 billion a year in workers comp claims. ISEA raises awareness of this hazard and then provides solutions, through standards, on how to reduce or eliminate the issue.”
The ISEA dropped objects committee has a current membership that represents eight companies. It revises or introduces new dropped objects standards every five years. In between, it seeks to promote current standards, so that more companies and workers comply.
“Awareness, acceptance and compliance are the stages of giving teeth to the standards. Doing this, so that they can make a difference across industries,” added Moreau. Moreau will focus on adding more user-focused guidance to the standards to make them easily understandable and useful. “Right now, the standard is focuses heavily on manufacturers, who can voluntarily make complaint products.”
Once ISEA writes the standards and it establishes consensus, ANSI publishes them. Compliance is then voluntary. Equipment that complies with the standards get a proper label. So, this means that companies can identify and integrate it into a comprehensive, overall fall protection system. As a result, they will protect their workers, and others, from dropped objects.
About Pure Safety Group
Pure Safety Group (PSG) is the largest dedicated fall protection company in the world. They provide high-performance and professional height safety equipment, tool tethering products, textile lifting and lashing products. Additionally, they offer services such as training, engineering and onsite consultation. Its more than 350 employees serve customers in the construction, oil and gas, energy, utilities, telecom, mining and transportation industries. PSG began with a team of industry veterans with a family of companies and brands. These include industry-leading height safety brands Guardian Fall Protection, Checkmate and Stronghold by PSG. Houston, Texas, is home to PSG global headquarters and training center with a second training center located in the U.K. For more information, visit www.puresafetygroup.com
