Advanced Chain Technologies ReACTER Cap rebar safety cap

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The Advanced Chain Technologies ReACTER Cap rebar safety cap is designed to protect workers from impalement injuries on reinforcement starter bars should they be unfortunate to fall on them from a height of up to 5 m. 

The ReACTER Cap works in two different, but complementary ways. Firstly, the patented inner flutes reduce the speed at which the cap is pushed down the reinforcement. Secondly, the ribs and ridge underneath the head dissipate the impact force by flexing and directing the force over the sides of the cap.

These two features combine to provide the ‘VRZ’ or ‘velocity reduction zone’. The VRZ, in conjunction with the thermoplastic polymer, prevents the reinforcement from breaching the cap and prevents impalement.

There are three sizes available to fit reinforcement size 8–16, 16–32 and 40–50 mm. The head of the ReACTER Cap is flat and approximately 100 cm². Below the head of the cap there is a set of ribs to support the head and provide the VRZ.

At the moment there is no Australian standard for a rebar safety cap. However, due to the increase in the number of fall impalement accidents in the USA resulting in either serious injury or death, the California Occupational Safety and Health Regulations (CAL/OSHA) have formulated the Code of Regulation 1926.701(b) ‘Reinforcing steel’.

It states: “All protruding reinforcing steel, onto and into which employees could fall, shall be guarded to eliminate the hazard of impalement.” From this, they introduced the testing and specification standards California Regs (OSHA) – 344.90 Impalement protection specifications and testing criteria.

This specifies drop test specifications for an anti-impalement safety cap which can be approved for working at a height of 2.3 m. These specifications are the only ones used throughout the USA and also acknowledged as the only method of testing in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

The ReACTER Cap has been designed and tested to exceed these requirements, with the tests being witnessed by an independent UKAS and ANSI accredited testing laboratory.

The ReACTER Cap affords this protection without relying on a steel insert.

For more information: http://actaustralia.net/anti-impalement-caps-caps/.