Introduction to Fall Protection
The University of Tennessee
Office of Environmental Health & Safety
What is Fall Protection?
Fall prot ect ion is t he backup syst em planned
for a worker who could loose his or her
balance at height , in order t o cont rol or
elim inat e inj ury pot ent ial.
Fall Protection from an
Historical Perspective
For t housands of years m an has used ropes
and various knot s t o help or secure obj ect s
against t he forces of gravit y.
“When one falls, it is not one’s foot that is to blame.”
- Chinese proverb
From an Historical Perspective
Som e of t he earlier users could be found on
sailing ships, in church st eeple const ruct ion
and m aint enance, and in t ree- t rim m ing t rades.
From an Historical Perspective
The use of ropes and som e t ype of body belt for
rest raint or work posit ioning support found
part icular int erest during st orm y seas and
above t he decks of ships
Slips, Trips and Falls on same
Level
Most com m on of all
report ed falls
.
Slips, Trips and Falls from
Elevation
St air and elevat ed falls occur from one level t o
anot her.
Quiz Time! Circle the correct answer below.
1. Fall Protection is a backup system designed to protect
a worker from a fall from height.
a. True b. False
2. Historically, the use of ropes and some type of body
belt were used for restraint or body positioning aboard
ships especially during heavy seas.
a. True b. False
Quiz Time! Circle the correct answer below.
1. Falls from heights are the most commonly reported of
all falls.
a. True b. False
2. Church steeple construction, maintenance and tree
trimming workers are some of the earlier users of fall
protection.
a. True b. False
Fall Protection Systems
Fall prot ect ion syst em s can consist of devices
t hat arrest a free fall or devices t hat rest rain
a worker in a posit ion t o prevent a fall from
occurring.
A Fall Arrest System
A fall arrest syst em is em ployed when a worker
is a risk of falling from an elevat ed posit ion.
Fall Arrest System
1. Tie- off Point
2. Lifeline
3. Rope Grab
4. Shock- Absorbing Lanyard
5. Cross- Arm St rap
6. Ret ract able Lifeline
7. Full- Body Harness
8. Rest raining Belt
9. Rest raining Lanyard
10.Carabiner
Figure A
Fall Arrest System
1. Tie- off Point
2. Lifeline
3. Rope Grab
4. Shock- Absorbing Lanyard
5. Cross- Arm St rap
6. Ret ract able Lifeline
7. Full- Body Harness
8. Rest raining Belt
9. Rest raining Lanyard
10.Carabiner
Figure B
Fall Arrest System
1. Tie- off Point
2. Lifeline
3. Rope Grab
4. Shock- Absorbing Lanyard
5. Cross- Arm St rap
6. Ret ract able Lifeline
7. Full- Body Harness
8. Rest raining Belt
9. Rest raining Lanyard
10.Carabiner
Figure C
A positioning System
A posit ioning syst em rest rains t he elevat ed
worker, prevent ing him from get t ing int o a
hazardous posit ion where a fall could occur,
and also allows hands- free work. Bot h syst em s
have t hree com ponent s: harnesses or belt s,
connect ion devices and t ie- off point s.
Positioning System
1. Tie- off Point
2. Lifeline
3. Rope Grab
4. Shock- Absorbing Lanyard
5. Cross- Arm St rap
6. Ret ract able Lifeline
7. Full- Body Harness
8. Rest raining Belt
9. Rest raining Lanyard
10.Carabiner
Figure A
Quiz Time! Circle the correct answer below.
1. Falls from heights are the most commonly reported of
all falls.
a. True b. False
2. Church steeple construction, maintenance and tree
trimming workers are some of the earlier users of fall
protection.
a. True b. False
Quiz Time! Circle the correct answer below.
1. Fall protection consists of two systems, fall-arrest and
positioning.
a. True b. False
2. A fall-arrest system is used when a worker is at risk
of falling from an elevated position. A positioning
system restrains the elevated worker, preventing him
from getting into a position where a fall could occur.
a. True b. False
Full-body Harnesses and Belts
Full- body harnesses wrap around t he waist ,
shoulders and legs. A D- ring locat ed in t he
cent er of t he back provides a connect ing point
for lanyards or ot her fall arrest connect ion
devices.
Belt s are used in posit ioning syst em
applicat ions. These belt s have t wo side D- rings,
and are used only for rest raining a worker in
posit ion. This t ype of belt is not used for any
vert ical free fall prot ect ion.
Attachment Location
The at t achm ent of t he
body harness m ust be
locat ed in t he cent er of
t he wearer's back, near
t he shoulder level, or
above t he head.
OSHA St andard:
1926.502( d) ( 17)
Body Harness
Body harnesses are
designed t o m inim ize
st ress forces on an
em ployee's body in t he
event of a fall, while
providing sufficient
freedom of m ovem ent t o
allow work t o be
perform ed.
Do not use body
harnesses t o hoist
m at erials.
Body Harnesses
As of January 1,
1998, body belt s
are not accept able
as part of a
personal fall arrest
syst em , because
t hey im pose a
danger of int ernal
inj uries when
st opping a fall.
• OSHA St andard: 1926.502( d) ( 18)
Vertical Lifelines/ Lanyards
Vert ical lifelines or
lanyards m ust have a
m inim um breaking
st rengt h of 5,000 pounds,
and be prot ect ed against
being cut or abraded.
Self-retracting
Lifelines/ Lanyards
Self- ret ract ing vert ical lifelines
and lanyards t hat aut om at ically
lim it free fall dist ance t o 2 feet
or less m ust be capable of
sust aining a m inim um t ensile
load of 3,000 pounds when in
t he fully ext ended posit ion.
Horizontal Lifelines
Horizont al lifelines are t o be designed,
inst alled, and used under t he supervision
of a qualified person, and as part of a
com plet e personal fall arrest
syst em which m aint ains a
safet y fact or of at least t wo.
Webbing
Webbing are t he ropes and
st raps used in lifelines,
lanyards, and st rengt h
com ponent s of body
harnesses. The webbing m ust
be m ade from synt het ic
fibers.
OSHA St andard:
1926.502( d) ( 14)
Connectors
Con n e ct or s, including D-
rings and snaphooks, m ust
be m ade from drop-
forged, pressed or form ed
st eel, or equivalent
m at erials. They m ust have
a corrosion- resist ant
finish, wit h sm oot h
surfaces and edges t o prevent dam age t o
connect ing part s of t he syst em .
D-Rings
D - Rin gs m ust have a m inim um t ensile
st rengt h of 5,000 pounds, and be proof- t est ed
t o a m inim um t ensile load of
3,600 pounds wit hout
cracking, breaking, or
becom ing perm anent ly
deform ed.
Snaphooks
Sn a ph ook s m ust have a
m inim um t ensile st rengt h of
5,000 pounds, and be proof-
t est ed t o a m inim um t ensile
load of 3,600 pounds wit hout
cracking, breaking, or
becom ing perm anent ly
deform ed.
Anchorages
Anchorages used for at t achm ent of personal fall
arrest equipm ent m ust be independent of any
anchorage being used t o support or suspend
plat form s, and capable of support ing at least
5,000 pounds per em ployee at t ached, or m ust be
designed and used as follows:
• Under t he supervision of a
qualified person.
Anchorage
• As part of a com plet e personal
fall arrest syst em which
m aint ains a safet y fact or of at
least t wo.
OSHA St andard: 1926.502( d) ( 15)
Fall Arrest Equipment - ABCs
A is for t he Anchor Point . B is for t he Body Harness.
C is for t he Connect ing Device.
“Roll out” occurs when the snaphook
disengages from the Anchor Point.
Quiz Time! Circle the correct answer below.
1. The D-ring attachment for the body harness must be
located near the front center of the body directly over
the breast bone .
a. True b. False
2. Horizontal life lines can be employed at the users
discretion provided they are UL approved.
a. True b. False
Administrative Rules and Fall
Arrest Maintenance
When fall prot ect ion of any kind is provided, t he
proj ect ’s com pet ent person m ust t each workers
t he lim it at ions t o t hat syst em ’s effect iveness.
Guardrails
Guardrails are t he prim ary m eans of fall
prot ect ion in indust ry and const ruct ion.
Orthostatic Intolerance /
Suspension Trauma
Ort host at ic int olerance m ay
be experienced by workers
using fall arrest syst em s.
Prolonged suspension from a
fall arrest syst em s can cause
ort host at ic int olerance, which
in t urn can result in physical
inj ury, or pot ent ially, deat h.
Research indicat es t hat
suspension in a fall arrest device can result in
unconsciousness, followed by deat h, in less t han
30 m inut es.
Quiz Time! Circle the correct answer below.
1. The full-body harness is the primary means of fall
protection in general industry and construction.
a. True b. False
2. Orthostatic Intolerance is a condition associated only
with persons who work with high voltage.
a. True b. False
NIOSH ALERT!
Fat al falls m ay result from failure t o provide
appropriat e guarding and fall prot ect ion for
work around skylight s,
Skylight openings,
and ot her roof
openings.
Scene of a skylight accident where a worker fell to his death
That’s all folks
