The PEAK division of Diversified Fall Protection offers suspended access systems that are vital to ensuring contractor safety during window washing and façade maintenance. All of our suspended access systems, including window washing anchors, davit systems, rigging sleeves, and monorail systems are designed and fabricated to meet and exceed OSHA fall protection regulations and ANSI standards.
Maintenance personnel performing tasks in underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, and silos typically enter the work area through long, narrow access points measuring less than 24’ in diameter. In the safety world, these working conditions are termed “confined space” applications. Confined space presents two basic challenges; providing a safe means of entrance and exit and providing for rescue if an employee succumbs to hazardous atmospheric conditions or sustains an injury. Davit arms solve both problems by allowing topside workers to assist with the controlled descent and ascent of a co-worker from a confined work space.
Davit arms fall into two main categories: fixed and portable systems. As the name suggests, fixed davit arms are permanently mounted in confined space areas requiring frequent maintenance. Access is a simple matter of tying off, removing the cover protecting the hole, and lowering the worker into position. Portable systems are ideal for work areas requiring infrequent access or in instances when a permanent installation will cause congestion. Until recently, workers had to choose between the secure connection and larger physical footprint of a permanent system versus the convenience of a portable or temporary davit arm.
Davit systems are commonly used to raise, lower, and suspend personnel performing routine maintenance inside confined spaces such as vaults, manholes, and pump stations. Davits take two main forms: portable davit arm systems, which feature wheels, and permanent davit arm systems, which attach to the floor. Diversified Fall Protection has engineered a new product called the Portable Davit Base which offers the portability found in portable systems combined with a secure connection associated with permanent davit installations.
