When it comes to fall protection, we immediately think of harnesses, lanyards and scaffolding. But what if your employees fall or trip from a limited height, such as a ladder, stairs or elevated work platform?
The WorkAir Airbag Vest protects employees while carrying out their work at limited height. This includes truck drivers loading and unloading, colleagues performing tasks on a (stairway) ladder, etc.
The WorkAir vest has been inspired by extreme sports such as motorcycling, skiing and snowboarding. That technology, designed to protect athletes in extreme situations, is now being used to make the workplace safer.
Airbag protection for work at (low) heights
The WorkAir Airbag Vest is the first Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be certified for use in the workplace for the protection of workers against falling from a limited height. The vest is designed for situations where there is no possibility or obligation to work with fall protection. For example, drivers loading and unloading, carrying out work on a (stairway) ladder, etc.
How it works
A drop of 1.2 metres or more will cause the airbag to inflate in only 40 milliseconds, greatly reducing the impact on the back, chest and vital organs. Fast response time and effective protection allow employees to work with confidence, knowing that their back and vital organs are suitably protected in the event of a fall. It is important that the vest fits snugly across the body by adjusting the side elastics. This ensures that the sensors accurately detect the occurrence of a fall, and deploy the airbag almost instantaneously for optimal protection. The core of WorkAir is an advanced activation algorithm that continuously analyses the accelerometer and gyroscope data to detect a fall and transmit a signal to the airbag.
The vest can also be worn under a fall protection harness. If, during a fall from a greater height, the worker swings and collides with structures while wearing a fall protection harness, the WorkAir airbag vest will then protect the wearer against injury from structures around the work area (e.g. scaffolding or walls).
Comfort and ease of use
The WorkAir vest is designed with comfort in mind. Ventilation channels and spacer pads mean that the vest is comfortable to wear, even for a full day's work. The cushioning provides a space between the body and the airbag, giving the airbag 20% higher inflation capacity. This means that the airbag takes up less space when worn, but protects a wider area when deployed. The vest can be easily worn over workwear without restricting freedom of movement.
The design is that of a structural bag so there is no extra padding around the airbag, as the vest itself is the actual airbag. This makes the vest very light and comfortable to wear.
The built-in lithium-ion battery provides 20 hours of continuous use. In addition, the vest is equipped with a water-resistant IP54 connector and an LED light to indicate the system status.
WorkAir airbag vests are available in blue, (fluorescent) yellow and (fluorescent) orange, with the fluorescent options providing additional visibility in low light or in poor weather conditions. This not only makes them a safety measure against falls from a limited height, but also an essential component for increasing visibility in high-risk environments. The vests are available in sizes M and L.
Certification
WorkAir is an innovative certified Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), for which a special certification specification has been developed in collaboration with Dolomiti Cert and the University of Padua. The certification test demonstrated that WorkAir passed with residual transmitted force values that were 60% lower than the certification specification requires. Once a fall is detected, the WorkAir vest inflates the airbag in only 40 milliseconds. The vest provides effective protection for the back, chest and vital organs, and successfully passed 286 tests.
Want to know more about the WorkAir vest or other safety solutions? Contact our experts.
