Northern Strands
Northern Strands Latest News

Latest News

Big Announcement…Northern Strands Launches E-Commerce Website!

You can now shop online with Northern Strands! We are extremely excited to announce that Northern Strands has launched our very own E-Commerce Shopping Website, https://shop.northernstrands.com/. How and why did this come about? Last year, our Outside Sales Team brought forward customer requests asking if they can buy our products online. They thought it more convenient and time-saving to shop online through an E-Commerce Website. We agree that online purchasing is beginning to eclipse traditional purchasing methods. Northern Strands recognized that it was time to take on the challenge of creating a website where customers could purchase directly from Northern Strands online.

Northern Strands put together a team of employees to head up the project and started down the path of creating the E-Commerce Shopping Website. We researched what it would take to create, launch, and manage an E-Commerce site. We partnered with Big Commerce as their platform was one of the best and it also fits our business model. After several months of working on our new Northern Strands E-Commerce Website we are proud to say our hard work paid off. We have a great clean- looking, functional, and easy-to-use website! https://shop.northernstrands.com/    

During the initial stages of the Northern Strands Shopping Website, not all products will be available for online purchase. As the saying goes, “All great things have small beginnings.”

We currently have the following products available for online purchase: Load Binders, Ratchet Straps, Grade 100 Connecting Links & Hooks, Round Slings, Web Slings, Tow Straps, and ATV Winch Lines.

New products are being added weekly until Northern Strands’ thousands of industrial rigging, equipment, and supplies are available for online purchase.  

Northern Strands wants to make sure that we have the lowest prices in the industry on our listed products. We went online and compared our product pricing to the competition and discovered that NORTHERN STRANDS HAS THE LOWEST PRICES ON HIGH-QUALITY RIGGING, TOWING, AND LOAD SECUREMENT PRODUCTS IN WESTERN CANADA!

Enjoy the savings and shop now at https://shop.northernstrands.com/

Or contact us at

Phone: 306-242-7073 or Toll-free at 1-800-242-7073

Email: sales@northernstrands.com

Northern Strands is Saskatchewan owned and operated. 

Northern Strands designs ground-breaking Grain Spout Winch System for AG Terminals

Northern Strands AG Terminal Division was contacted by Grain Terminal asking if we could provide a solution for what had become a consistent issue. The telescopic grain spout that loads railcars consistently fails after a period of time and the customer wanted to know if there was potential for a better design. 

Our Project Manager was sent to the terminal to investigate and see if there was potential for a better design. The cause of failure was the grain spout going up and down repeatedly, causing the cable to wear in the same spot as it travels back and forth past the guide pulleys. Eventually, the cable breaks, and the spout ends up in the rail car. Resulting in an emergency repair and unplanned downtime
.
Northern Strands designed a system to address this problem for what is considered a critical asset.
The new design included:  
  • Upgraded to a single grooved drum winch with special end devices to monitor even cable distribution.
  • Larger high-quality snatch blocks were installed for a better D/d ratio.
  • Improved fleet angles.
The customer was very satisfied with the end result. They now have an improved system that will last indefinitely, is safer, and now has a system in place that will not require frequent emergency grain spout repairs. 

Northern Strands can create similar custom grain spout systems like this for any AG Terminal or industry that uses similar systems.

Northern Strands AG Terminal Equipment and Services Division 
Email: cprogresssioner@northernstrands.com
Phone: 306-242-7073

Northern Strands, a company built on safety leads by example in 2020

Safety was at the top of mind for everyone in 2020. Like the rest of the world, we were faced with developing protocols focused on reducing the transmission of Covid-19 while continuing to manage work-place safety. At Northern Strands in 2020 we managed to successfully handled implementing Covid-19 best practices and had our best year in workplace safety. We followed all government Covid regulations and recommendations. Our Health and Safety team worked around the clock to implement internal policies, react quickly to announced changes and communicate these changes to staff. They continually stressed the importance of following current regulations in the workplace. Employees physically distanced, washed hands, used hand sanitizer, and wore masks. Northern Strands implemented enhanced cleaning, put up physical barriers, modified showrooms, staggered lunches, and the list goes on.

 Although great effort and time was devoted to Covid safety, Workplace safety remained a priority. Regular employee virtual safety meetings replaced the standard in-person meetings. With an emphasis on preventative safety measures and maintaining a safe work environment, Northern Strands Management, our Covid Pandemic Committee, and employees put a year-around focus on workplace safety and the result was a serious injury-free year. We are proud to say Northern Strands had a TRIF(total recordable incident frequency), score of zero in 2020. This means we had zero recordable injuries in 2020! This is a huge accomplishment for Northern Strands and its employees. It shows that our company and employees value a safe working environment.

One of the reasons our employees understand the importance of safety is because many of them work in the "Safety" industry. Three of Northern Strands Divisions offer safety services and equipment: our Engineered Fall Protection, Safety Training, and our Industrial Rigging, Equipment & Supplies Division. Furthermore, Northern Strands has employees working in industries that put extreme importance on safety. The Canadian mining industry has strict safety requirements and requires contractors to have a low TRIF score to work on site. Northern Strands excellent TRIF rating allows us the privilege of working with Canadian Mining Companies. Northern Strands is literally a company built on safety. 

Northern Strands also supplies the construction, mining, and agriculture industries with safety gear and equipment. We sell Fall Protection Harnesses, Lanyards, SRLs, Roofer Kits, Dog Leashes, Grain Bin Fall Protection, and more.

Another safety accolade Northern Strands received this year was the Silver Safety Award from the AWRF(Associated Wire Rope Fabricators), for having a green rating. This is awarded to companies that have a low LTIR(total lost time incident report), and TRIR(Total Recordable Incident Rate).

We are confident that Northern Strands and its employees will have another exemplary safety record in 2021. We will remain educated, diligent, and remember that a company that provides Safety Training, Engineered Fall Protection, and Safety Products should and will lead by example! We wish everyone a safe and happy New Year.

 To learn more about: 

Safety Training Courses visit https://www.northernstrands.com/training.aspx :

  • Below the Hook Rigging
  • Fall Arrest
  • Air Winch Safety
  • Wirelock® Socketing
  • Crosby® Rigging
  • Suspended Access Equipment
  • Overhead Traveling Crane Operator

  • Engineered Fall Protection services visit https://www.northernstrands.com/fall-protection.aspx

    Industrial Rigging, Equipment & Supplies visit https://www.northernstrands.com/wire-rope-rigging.aspx

    or contact us by:
    Phone 306-242-7073
    Email info@northernstrands.com 


    Suspended Access Division completes first job in Ontario

    Recently Evolution Mining purchased the Red Lake Gold Corp mine in Northern Ontario. Northern Strands was contracted to replace the Gold Corp logo on the headframe. Recladding over the existing cladding. North West Industries set up all the cladding before the job and had it logo’d. We had to provide access to hang the sheets. Headframe was about 200’ tall. They couldn’t launch the system off the ground due to the location of hoist ropes and crane location. We had to install the system with the use of the crane. Northern Strands developed a rescue plan as well.

    Our Suspended Access Division can rent out our swing stage equipment or we can quote a job with manpower provided. We also provide Suspended Access Training. 

    Contact us today for a quote:

    Phone: 306-242-7073

    Email: staging@northernstrands.com: 

    Website: https://www.northernstrands.com/suspended-access-systems.aspx

    Suspended Access Brochure: https://www.northernstrands.com/pdf/suspendedaccessbrochure.pdf





    How are Self-Retracting Lifelines rated in Canada, and when you need to recertify them

    At Northern Strands, we are often asked questions regarding Fall Protection regulations and equipment recertification. One of the most common questions we receive is, "How are Self-Retracting Lifelines rated in Canada, and when do we need to recertify them?"

    Here is how the governing body classes and rates SRL’s in Canada. Most of what you will find online is written in the US and the standards they use for fall protection are the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z359 series, in Canada, we go by a different standard, CSA Z259.

    Where SRLs are concerned, the specific volume of the CSA Standards that pertains to them is the CSA Z259.2.2-17 standard. The “-17” part means that it was last updated in 2017, but did not come into force until 2019. 

    This iteration of the standard also introduced a new “revalidation schedule”:

    Type of useApplication ExamplesExample Conditions of UseUser Inspection FrequencyCompetent Person Inspection Frequency Revalidation Frequency
    Infrequent to lightRescue/confined space, factory maintenanceGood storage conditions, indoor use, room temperature, clean environmentsBefore each useAnnuallyAt least every 5 years but not more than the intervals required by the manufacturer
    Moderate to heavyTransportation, residential construction, utilities, warehouseFair storage conditions, indoor & extended outdoor use, various temperatures, clean & dusty environmentsBefore each useSemi-annually to annuallyAt least every 2 years but not more than intervals required by the manufacturer
    Severe to continuousCommercial construction, oil and gas, mining, foundryHarsh storage conditions, prolonged or continuous use, all temperatures, dirty environmentsBefore each useQuarterly to semi-annuallyAt least annually but not more than the intervals required by the manufacturer


    This standard’s predecessor, the Z259.2.2-14, classified SRLs into one of three types:

    Type 1 – SRL length is 3m or less

    Type 2 – SRL Length is greater than 3m, must be recertified 2 years after date of manufacturer and annually thereafter

    Type 3 – SRL is designed with a retrieval system, every manufacturer is different, but it is usually some version of a hand crank on the SRL case. These also were required to be recertified 2 years after the date of manufacturer and annually thereafter


    However, with the publication of the Z259.2.2-17 standard came a new classification system:

    SRL:  Self Retracting Lifelines

    SRL-LE: Self Retracting Lifeline, Leading Edge (where the lifeline might come in contact with a sharp edge or abrasive surface during a fall)

    SRL – R: Self Retracting Lifeline, Rescue (retrieval system on the SRL)

    SRL – LE – R: Self Retracting Lifeline, Leading Edge Rescue (combines the benefits of leading-edge protection and retrieval SRL)

    The confusing part for everyone is that manufacturers are still producing and selling units that meet the specifications of both versions of the standard, but it’s important to know that ultimately either version of the standard is acceptable under provincial legislation. The most important thing is to find an SRL that suits your needs and keeps its users safe. An added benefit of seeking out an SRL that complies with the newer, “-17” version of the standard is that it may not have to be sent in for recertification as frequently depending on the conditions you are using them in.

    Bring your companies SRL's to Northern Strands to have them revalidated / recertified. Or alternatively, you can purchase a new 3M SLR from Northern Strands. 

    Phone: 306-242-7073
    email: sales@northernstrands.com


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