Portable vehicle-stabilized mast and fall protection system
Deployable fall protection systems and components are disclosed for protecting against worker falls in cargo handling operations. Workers wearing harnesses are attached to a lifeline supported from overhead, the support being attached to ground-standing mast assemblies stabilized by the weight of a vehicle parked on a foot portion of the mast assembly.
1. A vehicle stabilized portable fall protection system comprising:
first and second portable mast units, each of said portable mast units respectively having a base and a mast mounted on and extending vertically from the base to a distal point, each of said portable mast units configured to allow a vehicle to be driven upon said bases;
each of said bases respectively including at least one receiving area capable of allowing a lifting device to engage within each of said portable mast units respectively for allowing movement of each of said portable mast units respectively; each of said bases respectively having a first inclined ramp and a deck, said first inclined ramps configured for permitting a vehicle wheel to be rolled onto the deck of each of said bases respectively to stabilize the portable fall protection system; and
a cable removably disposed between and attached at the distal points of the first and second portable mast units, said cable having a personal harness slidably attached thereto; and
a first vehicle, said first vehicle capable of being disposed upon the decks of said portable mast units simultaneously so that the first vehicle stabilizes the fall protection system such that the fall protection system is configured to bear a load from a user falling while wearing a personal harness.
2. The vehicle stabilized portable fall protection system of claim 1 , further comprising a tensioner, said tensioner adapted for adjusting a tension of the cable.
3. The vehicle stabilized portable fall protection system of claim 2 , wherein the tensioner comprises a winch disposed on the first portable mast unit.
4. The vehicle stabilized portable fall protection system of claim 3 , wherein the winch is a hand-cranked winch disposed on the first portable mast unit so that the hand-cranked winch is operable by a person at a ground level.
5. The vehicle stabilized portable fall protection system of claim 3 , wherein the winch includes a braking feature configured to permit a controlled decrease in the tension of the cable.
6. The vehicle stabilized portable fall protection system of claim 1 , wherein said first vehicle includes a first wheelbase distance, and wherein the first and second portable mast units are configurable for a second vehicle with a second wheelbase distance to park respective first and second wheels of the second vehicle on said bases,
wherein the second wheelbase distance of the second vehicle is different from the first wheelbase distance of the first vehicle.
7. The vehicle stabilized portable fall protection system of claim 1 , further comprising a lifeline linkage slidably disposed on the cable.
8. The vehicle stabilized portable fall protection system of claim 1 , wherein each of said bases respectively comprise a second inclined ramp portion.