The A,B,C,D/R" of Fall Protection

Patrick Harel
3M Fall Protection Specialist
MCSM 9/27/2018

32017© 3M #3MScienceofSafety | 32017© 3M #3MScienceofSafety |
Anatomy
of a Fall
.33sec./2 feet
.67sec./7 feet
10ft – 17MPH
1 sec./16 feet
20ft – 24MPH
30ft - 30MPH
40ft – 35MPH
2 sec./64 feet
• It takes most people about 1/3
of a second to become aware.
• It takes another 1/3 of a second
for the body to react.
• A body can fall up to 7 feet in
2/3 of a second.

Do I really need Fall Protection?
•You've carefully thought out all the angles.
•Nothing could possibly go wrong and it wouldn’t
happen to me anyway.
•You've done it a thousand times.
•You know what you're doing, its what you've been
trained to do your whole life.

Think Again!

Statistics
2015 OSHA Violations
1. Fall Protection = 6,721
2. Hazard Communication = 5,192
3. Scaffolding = 4,295
4. Respiratory Protection = 3,305
5. Lockout/Tagout = 3,002
5. Powered Indus. Truck = 3,147
9. Fall Protection Training = 1,523 (NEW)

Standards
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) 29 CFR 1910 and 1926
– Governing Body
– Sets and enforces laws
• American National Standard Institute (ANSI)
Z359 series various dates
– Voluntary compliance board
– Sets guidelines for the manufacture of equipment

OSHA Definitions
Authorized Person
A person approved or assigned by the employer to perform a specific type of duty
or duties or to be at a specific location or locations at the jobsite.
Competent Person
One who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the
surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to
employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to
eliminate them.
Qualified Person
One who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing,
or who by extensive knowledge, training and experience, has successfully
demonstrated his ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter,
the work, or the project.

Fall Protection is needed when…
OSHA Says…
• Working at 4 ft. or higher (General Industry 1920)
• Working at 6 ft. or higher (Construction 1926)
• If there is a hazard below you

Hierarchy of Fall Protection
1. Eliminate the Hazard
2. Passive Systems (Guardrails/Netting)
3. Fall Restraint/ Work Positioning
4. Fall Arrest
5. Administrative Controls

Fall Arrest Considerations/Concerns
Site
• Clearance
• Freefall
• Rescue
• Energy Absorption
• Obstructions
• Total Weight ( person + equipment)
• Understanding the Equipment and it’s Limitations

Components of a Fall Arrest System
COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE “ABCD” OF FALL PROTECTION
ANCHORS
BODY SUPPORT
CONNECTORS
DESCENT/RESCUE

ABCD
Anchorages

Anchorage Classes
Certified (Engineered)
2 to 1 safety factor
As low as 1800 lbs. for OSHA & ANSI
Non-Certified (Improvised)
Requires 5000 lbs

Anchorage Connectors
Anchorage Connectors DO NOT CHANGE LOAD RATINGS

ABCD
Body Support

Belt vs. Harness
OSHA 1926.502 (d):
“Effective Jan. 1, 1998, body belts are not acceptable as
part of a personal fall arrest system...”
Belt Harness

Proper Use of Belts
OSHA 1926.502
(d):
…The
Proper
Use of
Belts
use of a body belt in
a positioning device
system is
acceptable…
Work Positioning Fall Restraint

Full Body Harness
Fall Arrest
(always must have back “D” Ring)
Personal fall arrest
systems shall limit the
maximum arresting force
on an employee to 1,800
pounds (8 kN) when
used with a body harness.

ABCD
Connectors
Connectors include lanyards, snap-hooks,
carabineers, deceleration devices such as
SRD’s, ladder climbing systems, vertical &
horizontal lifelines and rope grabs
OSHA says…“ : Connecting assemblies shall
have a minimum tensile strength of 5,000 lbs.
(22 kN)."

TWO MAIN TYPES of Connectors
Lanyards SRD/SRLs
SRL
SRL-LE
SRLSRL-R

Hardware
Snaphooks Carabineers
(OSHA)-
1910-Must be double acting, auto-locking, have 3600
rated gate,
1926-Must be double acting, Front Load 220lbs, Side
Load 330lbs .(However, 1926 follows ANSI A10 who now
also mandates 3600lbs. On gates.
(ANSI)-Must be double acting, auto-locking,
have 3600 rated gate, rated for 5000 lbs.
AND REMEMBER, you cannot connect a
SNAPHOOK to a CARABINER!!

Lanyards
• Many different types of
lanyards
• Needs to be able to
reduce energy from 5000
lbs force to…
• 1800 lbs for OSHA and
• 900 lbs for ANSI
• less is very common with
shock absorber

Fall Clearance
Lanyards
• Measure from anchor point
• Formula – LL + DD + HH + C =
RD
• LL= Lanyard Length
• DD= Deceleration Distance
• HH= Height of Suspended
Worker (Including Harness
Stretch)
• C= Safety Factor
• RD= Required fall clearance
• Some competitors measure
from working surface
• Conservative calculation
Measurement
uses anchorage
point as the
starting point
D ring slide and
harness stretch
included in Height
of worker
Deceleration
is maximum
amount per
lanyard
LL+DD+HH+C=RD
6’+4’+6’+1.5’= 17.5

Self Retracting Devices

Fall Considerations
Swing Fall
Obstructions
Foot level Tie-off and Sharp Edges

SRD/SRLs
SRL - Self Retracting Lanyard SRD - Self Retracting Device
Classes
• Class A: A class A SRD will stop the fall within 24” and ensure the forces are below 1800 lbs.
• Class B: a class B SRD will stop the fall within 54” and ensure that the forces are below 1350
lbs.
Types
• SRL-R: An SRD with some sort of rescue capability, this could be an incorporated winch or
automatic descent capability.
• SRL-LE: An SRD that has been designed for a worker falling over an edge.
• Will have an integral external shock absorber.
• Will have a cable that can withstand a sharp edge.

Fall Clearance
• Self Retracting Devices (SRD’s)
(Class B)
• Measured from working surface
• Most SRD’s use 6 ft. as the
required fall clearance distance
however new technology has
allowed some SRD’s to reduce fall
clearance to 4’.

ABCD
Decent/Rescue Plan?
Some Days all
you can do is
smile and wait
for some kind
soul to come
pull your butt
out of the bind
you ’ve gotten
yourself into!

Rescue Systems

Suspension Trauma Straps
•1910.151 – Medical Aid
suggested in a letter of
interpretation
•4 to 15 minutes
•“if it is potentially life
threatening” – 4
minutes
DOES NOT REPLACE RESCUE!!

Suspension Trauma Straps
DOES NOT REPLACE
RESCUE!!
•1910.151 – Medical Aid
suggested in a letter of
interpretation
•4 to 15 minutes
•“if it is potentially
life threatening” – 4
minutes

s
Regulatory Update
Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal
Protective Equipment
(Fall Protection Systems)
OSHA’s Final Rule

29 CFR 1910 General Industry Walking
Working Surfaces Rule
29 CFR 1910 General Industry
On November 17, 2016, OSHA published its final rule on Walking and Working
Surfaces.
The 513 page copy from the Federal Register can be downloaded at:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/11/18/2016-24557/walking-
working-surfaces-and-personal-protective-equipment-fall-protection-systems

29 CFR 1910 General Industry WWSR
Who and what does the final rule cover?
The final rule applies to all general industry workplaces and covers all walking-working surfaces, which include
horizontal and vertical surfaces such as floors, stairs, roofs, ladders, ramps, scaffolds and elevated walkways. The final
rule also has provisions affecting fall protection systems.
The final rule covers a wide variety of general industry entities, including building management services, utilities,
warehousing, retail, window cleaning, chimney sweeping and outdoor advertising. It does not change construction or
agricultural standards.

Effective Date:
This final rule became effective on January 17, 2017.
Some requirements in the final rule have compliance dates established after the effective date. This allows time for
employers to implement the standard.

Compliance Dates:
The following table specifies the amount of additional time OSHA is giving employers to certify
anchorages, equip fixed ladders with fall protection, and train workers:

• Fall Protection Snap Hooks, D-Rings and Carabiners. The final
rule requires that D-rings, snaphooks, and carabiners be proof tested to a
minimum tensile load of 3,600 pounds without cracking, breaking, or
incurring permanent deformation. OSHA also added a new requirement to
final paragraph (c)(8) specifying that the gate strength of snaphooks and
carabiners also must be proof tested to 3,600 pounds in all directions. This
direction aligns with ANSI/ASSE Z359.12 standard for Connection Components
for personal fall arrest systems.

Standards with significant industry impact to product performance and certification.
ANSI/ASSE Z359.12-2009 - Connecting Components for Personal Fall Arrest System
When published in 2007, this standard implemented a significant increase to gate design strength used in snap hooks and
carabiners for personal fall arrest systems.
Before November 2007 Current
5000 pounds ultimate tensile strength 5000 pounds ultimate tensile strength
Gate Face 220 pounds Gate Face 3600 pounds
Gate Side 350 pounds Gate Side 3600 pounds
100% proof load at 3600 pounds 100% proof load at 3600 pounds

CarabineersSnap hooks
(OSHA)-
1910-Must be double acting, auto-locking, have 3600
rated gate,
1926-Must be double acting, Front Load 220lbs, Side
Load 330lbs .(However, 1926 follows ANSI A10 who now
also mandates 3600lbs. On gates.

Training (§1910.30).

• Training – Key Points (§1910.30).
• Deadline for Training is May 17, 2017
• The final rule adds requirements that employers ensure workers who use personal fall protection and work in other specified high
hazard situations are trained, and retrained as necessary, about fall and equipment hazards, including fall protection
systems. Employers must provide information and training to each worker in a manner the worker understands.
• Trainer must be a qualified person and train workers to correctly:
• Identify and minimize fall hazards
• Use personal fall protection systems, safety nets, designated areas, dockboards, fixed, portable and mobile ladders and rope descent
systems
• Use, maintain, inspect and store equipment or systems used for fall protection
• Qualified Person Definition
• Qualified describes a person who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge,
training, and experience has successfullydemonstratedthe ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter, the work, or the
project.
• Whenever there is a change in the workplace operations or equipment, or employer believes employee would benefit from additional
training based on lack of knowledge or skill, worker must be retrained.

We have now added an “E” to the ABCD of Fall
Protection
Fall Protection for “EQUIPMENT/Tools”

Additional information on OSHA’s rule on walking-working surfaces and personal fall protection systems can be
found at www.osha.gov/walking-working-surfaces and https://www.osha.gov/walking-working-surfaces/faq.html
or 3M whitepaper at http://api.capitalsafety.com/api/assets/download/1/48037554
Thank You
Questions?
3M

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