ITAC Fall Protection FAQ

Question: Do fall arrest anchorage points really need to be designed for 5,000 pounds?
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Question: How often does fall protection equipment need to be inspected and by whom?
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Question: What are the strength requirements for a fall restraint anchorage?
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Question: OSHA regulations stipulate that the maximum free fall in a fall arrest system shall not exceed 6 feet yet I see workers constantly in the field anchored at foot level, with a free fall of 12' or better. What gives?
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Question: What specifically is wrong with choking a standard 6' shock absorbing lanyard onto itself around the top rail of a guard rail system?
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Question: What are the benefits of keep your anchorage elevated in a fall arrest situation?
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Question: Isn't the service life of a full body harness or lanyard 5 years at which time it must be destroyed and discarded?
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Question: Exactly how high does my anchorage point need to be if I'm using a standard 6' shock absorbing lanyard in a fall arrest situation to keep me from "bottoming out"?
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Question: Does a portable ladder serve as viable fall protection provided I maintain 3 points of control at all times?
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Question: Why is a rescue plan so important?
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Question: Do fall arrest anchorage points really need to be designed for 5,000 pounds?

Answer: The short answer is - not necessarily. The OSHA 1910 General Industry and 1926 Construction standards are pretty consistent as to what the strength design requirement for fall arrest anchorage points are...

*Anchorages to which personal fall arrest equipment is attached shall be capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds per employee attached, or shall be designed, installed, and used as part of a complete personal fall arrest system which maintains a safety factor of at least two, under the supervision of a qualified person.*

The standard seems to imply the following in terms of anchorage strength:

5,000 pounds per person attached OR
2 to 1 safety factor against failure

In addition to this strength criterion, OSHA also mandates that the maximum arrest force that may be delivered at one's full body harness D-Ring during fall arrest to be 1,800 pounds, however, most manufacturers' fall arrest equipment are labeled to produce a 900 pound maximum arrest force if the equipment is used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and or user instructions. Under these circumstances a 2 to 1 safety factor against anticipated peak dynamic load during a fall arrest event would yield 3,600 pounds (2 times 1,800 pounds) or 1,800 pounds (2 times 900 pounds) respectively - assuming a single person fall arrest anchorage. Both these figures are clearly well below the 5,000 pound requirement outlined above.

The situation is different however when a 12' free fall condition exists, i.e., the worker is tied off at foot level. Manufacturers do produce lanyards specifically made for this purpose and they produce maximum arrest forces above 900 pounds but below the OSHA mandated threshold limit of 1,800 pounds.

If horizontal lifelines are utilized as part of a fall arrest system, it's quite possible that anchorage forces above and beyond 5000 pounds will be required to sustain fall arrest depending upon system length, number of users, initial tension, lack of inline shock absorption, etc. Horizontal lifelines are highly complex fall protection systems and should be addressed by a qualified person on a case by case basis.

Question: How often does fall protection equipment need to be inspected and by whom?

Answer: Fall protection equipment should be inspected prior to each use and on a periodic basis by a competent person. Periodic inspection is generally understood to be annually but consult manufacturer's instructions for clarification.

Question: What are the strength requirements for a fall restraint anchorage?

Answer: Strength requirements for fall restraint anchorages are not specified in the OSHA regulations proper but have been conveyed via the use of interpretation letters that state that as a minimum, fall restraint systems should have the capacity to withstand at least twice the maximum expected force that is needed to restrain the person from exposure to the fall hazard. Our recommendation would be to design fall restraint anchorages to the same criteria as fall arrest. This takes the guess work out of the equation as to whether or not ample strength exists in a system for loadings that cannot be adequately quantified.

Answer: OSHA does give a caveat that allows free falls of greater than 6' provided that the worker does not collide with any lower obstructions and the maximum arrest force delivered at the full body harness D-Ring does not exceed the threshold limit of 1,800 pounds. You should always ensure that a worker who is anchored below the D-Ring height utilizes lanyards designed/manufactured for that purpose. The standard 6' lanyard does not cut it in a 12' free fall situation.

Question: What specifically is wrong with choking a standard 6' shock absorbing lanyard onto itself around the top rail of a guard rail system?

Answer: Plenty. For one, guard rails in most cases don't meet muster in terms of anchorage strength requirements. Secondly, choking a lanyard onto itself reduces it strength considerably - you are compromising both the lanyard material as well as its terminations, i.e., snap hooks. There are lanyards made for tie back - make sure you're using one secured to a certified anchorage.

Question: What are the benefits of keep your anchorage elevated in a fall arrest situation?

Answer: I can think of three major areas of concern with fall arrest that are addressed with an elevated anchorage.

You minimize free fall which in turn
Lowers the arresting forces to the body and
It also helps minimize pendulum/swing fall effects

Question: Isn't the service life of a full body harness or lanyard 5 years at which time it must be destroyed and discarded?

Answer: No. Most if not all manufacturers of personal fall protection equipment will tell you that the determining factor for whether or not equipment needs to be put out of service is condition not age. Provided the equipment passes inspection as outlined by the manufacturer it has no service life limitation.

Question: Exactly how high does my anchorage point need to be if I'm using a standard 6' shock absorbing lanyard in a fall arrest situation to keep me from "bottoming out"?

Answer: The concept you are describing is known as fall clearance required. This distance is the summation of lanyard length, deceleration distance, D-ring slide, worker height and a safety margin. Given a lanyard length of 6', deceleration distance of 3.5', D-ring slide of 1', worker height of 5' (from feet to D-Ring, not worker overall height) and a safety margin of at least 2' - you are looking at a minimum of 17.5' from the highest obstruction to the anchorage point.

Question: Does a portable ladder serve as viable fall protection provided I maintain 3 points of control at all times?

Answer: A portable ladder provides no fall protection at all. It is to be used as a means of access only. If at any time you stop and use your hands for any form of work (lose 3 point control) above the 4-6 foot level, the ladder changes from an access means to a work platform. At that time the rules of the game change and a fall arrest system needs to be provided.

Question: Why is a rescue plan so important?

Answer: Rescue plans are often the most overlooked part of a fall protection plan. OSHA states that rescue should take place in a timely manner. This is an understatement. Timely rescue is crucial. If you take a fall the personal protective equipment you are in (even if worn properly) will not be very comfortable and some what restrictive. At some point orthostatic intolerance or suspension trauma may set in and if it does it's consequences could be far more severe if not deadly. Rescue is serious business and needs to be adequately planned for.