American Society of Safety Engineers
For Immediate Release
DES PLAINES, IL ( October 27, 2004) – The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) today announced the appointment of Randall Wingfield of Bainbridge Island, WA, as Chair of the Z359 Accredited Standards Committee on Fall Protection and Related Systems. The Committee is currently revising the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z359.1 standard Safety Requirements for Personal Fall Arrest Systems , which provides workplace safety guidelines to prevent injuries and fatalities from falls.
During the Z359 Committee's October 22 meeting at ASSE headquarters in Des Plaines, Il, Wingfield was confirmed the new Chair, as the previous Chair Jack H. Dobson Jr., CSP, resigned due to prior commitments. A member of ASSE's Seattle-based Puget Sound Chapter, Wingfield is president of Gravitec Systems Inc., which provides practical solutions for fall protection and rescue training, engineering and equipment needs. Previously serving as a subcommittee Chair, Wingfield is actively involved with the Z359 Committee during this major revision of the fall protection standard.
The revised standard will include guidelines for a managed fall protection program, fall protection systems, rescue and work positioning. The managed fall protection program will cover fall protection policies and procedures, as well as training and responsibilities for workers, supervisors, engineers and trainers.
Wingfield said, “This revised draft standard has evolved into a family of fall protection standards all under Z359.1, and is essentially four new standards combined into one major document, to help reduce the number of workplace fall-related injuries and deaths. Once the standard is complete, the Z359 Committee plans to develop additional sections addressing new challenges in fall protection from rope access and anchorage points to upper/lower weight capacities in equipment.”
The revised Z359.1 standard is currently under review by the Committee. After the revised standard is committee-approved, the standard will go to public review. The final step in the standards process will be approval by ANSI, which may be completed by January 2006.
Founded in 1911, the Des Plaines, IL-based ASSE is the oldest and largest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment. Its 30,000 occupational safety, health and environmental professional members manage, supervise, research and consult on safety, health, transportation and environmental issues in all industries, government, labor and education. For more information check ASSE's website at www.asse.org.
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