Trade-specific tool tethering kits

Responding is Nate Bohmbach, product director, Ergodyne, St. Paul, MN, and chair of the Dropped Object Prevention Group, International Safety Equipment Association, Arlington, VA.

Tool tethering is a crucial part of workplace safety, particularly in sectors such as construction, manufacturing and energy.

However, it can often appear complex – with myriad options and considerations. Understanding this, industry innovators are constantly striving toward simplification to facilitate easy decision-making for safety managers and promote adoption on the worksite.

One of the primary solutions has been the introduction of trade-specific tool tethering kits. These all-inclusive kits are curated with each specific trade in mind, providing everything a worker needs to secure their tools effectively. This way, ordering tool tethering equipment is simplified – promoting adoption, as workers are equipped with precisely what they need to tie off their tools right out of the box.

This approach translates into a fast route from safety planning to tangible action. In essence, it’s a “tool tethering cheat code,” simplifying the process and accelerating implementation. It means businesses can start saving time, money and, most importantly, lives right now.

When it comes to saving time, these kits are designed to alleviate the headache of figuring out the complex specifics of tool tethering requirements. Instead of having to decipher who needs what, how many and for what purpose, trade-specific kits reduce the process to a single kit that covers all the tools a single worker needs to tether. The result is less time spent on pondering specifics and more time spent on direct safety action – tool tethering.

Moreover, this streamlined approach offers significant cost savings. By simplifying the spec process, you’re saving safety managers precious time, which, as they say, equates to money.

It also optimizes the tethering process for workers, reducing excess spending and sharpening inventory management. The kits ensure you only acquire what’s necessary, thereby eliminating waste and encouraging efficient use of resources.

Most importantly, this simplified tool tethering approach is designed to save lives. In 2021, falling objects led to 227 worker deaths – a stark reminder of the importance of tool tethering in preventing avoidable incidents. By providing workers with everything they need to secure their tools, including step-by-step directions, you’re empowering them to prevent such incidents from happening.

By simplifying the tool tethering process through the provision of trade-specific kits, you’re enabling a faster, more efficient and cost-effective route to improve workplace safety. This approach is designed to reduce complexity for safety managers, foster greater adoption among workers and, ultimately, prevent preventable incidents and save lives.

Editor's note: This article represents the independent views of the author and should not be considered a National Safety Council endorsement.