Welcome to this training session about personal fall protection systems in general industry workplaces. If you are exposed to potential fall hazards from unprotected sides or edges 4 feet or more above a lower level, this training session will help you identify these hazards and know how to properly use personal fall protection systems when needed.

Session Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Recognize fall hazards and identify when fall protection is needed in your work area;
• Describe and choose the correct fall hazard controls for each situation;
• Inspect, install, disassemble, and maintain personal fall protection systems;
• Correctly use all personal fall protection systems, or PFPS, including guardrails, travel restraint systems, or TRS, and positioning systems;
• Understand the importance of a prompt rescue after a fall; and
• Prevent objects from falling.

How Much Do You Already Know?

Before we begin the session, let’s take a few minutes to see how much you already know about fall hazards and fall protection equipment.

Decide which of these statements are True or False.

True or False. Falls are among the top causes of fatalities and serious injuries in general industry.

This is True.

True or False. The use of fall protection equipment is only required for people working in the construction industry.

This is False.

True or False. An anchorage point is required to support 5,000 pounds or to provide a safety factor of at least “2.”

This is True.

True of False. The manufacturer is solely responsible for the inspection of all fall protection equipment. This is False.

Duty to Have Fall Protection

Falls kill many workers and cause serious injuries.

If you are exposed to falls of 4 feet or greater from a higher to a lower level, on to dangerous equipment at any height, and falling object hazards, you have to be provided with fall protection. Protective systems include:

• Guardrails;
• Safety nets; or
• Personal fall protection systems.

Examples of personal fall protection systems include:

• Personal fall arrest systems, or PFAS
• Travel restraint systems
• Positioning systems

Fall Hazard Recognition

Common fall hazards at work include:

• Falls from a higher level to a lower level;
• Working around unprotected sides and edges;
• Working in hoist areas;
• Working near holes and openings;
• Potential falls from dockboards in loading/unloading areas;
• Falls from runways and similar walkways; or
• Working around dangerous equipment and falling from or into that equipment. For example, falling after a shock from exposed electrical equipment is a secondary hazard of contact with the equipment.

Fall Prevention Systems

Once fall hazards are identified, measures have to be taken that will prevent the fall or stop you during a fall from striking lower objects or the ground or floor.

Fall prevention systems are designed to prevent you from falling in the first place. Fall prevention systems include:

• Guardrail systems;
• Travel restraint systems;
• Positioning systems; and
• Warning line systems.

Warning lines are used when workers are working in a designated area on low-slope roofs. They are not allowed to be used to protect you from any other fall hazard in general industry.

Fall Prevention – Guardrail Systems

Guardrail systems are a common protection used to restrain workers from falls.

• They are the most common protection used to block or restrain workers from falling off ramps, runways, walkways, unprotected sides and edges, and openings, as well as falls into holes and hazardous equipment.
• Top rails have to withstand a 200-pound force. Top rails also must be 39 to 45 inches above the walking-working surface. Steel or plastic banding is not acceptable for rails, but manila, plastic, or synthetic rope can be used so long as it is inspected regularly to make sure it remains strong and stable.
• Midrails have to withstand a 150-pound force. They are installed halfway between the top rail and the walking or working surface. If screens, mesh, or panels are used instead of midrails, these must extend all the way from the top rail to the surface.
• Toeboards have to be strong enough to withstand a 50-pound force applied in an outward or downward direction.
• Guardrails have to be smooth, with no projections. They should not present a danger of puncture wounds or lacerations or the possibility of snagging clothing. The ends of rails cannot hang out over the posts or project out into the walking or working surface.

Now let’s look at other types of fall prevention systems.

Fall Prevention – Travel Restraint Systems

A travel restraint system is designed to prevent you from traveling to the edge of a structure or work position from which you could fall. Travel restraint systems are meant to protect you before you fall and are not designed to arrest a fall. A basic personal travel restraint system consists of:

• A full-body harness;
• A lanyard that is short enough to prevent you from reaching an edge that you could fall from; and
• An anchor or anchorage.

Fall Prevention – Positioning Systems

Positioning device systems—or work-positioning equipment—are not to be confused with travel restraint. They are different and serve a very specific purpose.

Positioning systems with a body harness or body belt allow a worker to be supported on a vertical surface such as a wall, window sill, tower, or a pole. They make it easier for you to work with both hands free.

The positioning device system consists of the following components:

• Anchorage.
• Connectors, such as snap hooks and D-rings.
• Body support—A body belt is acceptable as part of a positioning device system. A full-body harness is also acceptable.
• All positioning systems, except window cleaners’ positioning systems, must be capable of withstanding, without failure, a drop test consisting of a 4-foot drop of a 250-pound weight.

Fall Prevention – Warning Lines (Designated Areas)

• For workers on low-slope roofs, warning lines can be used. But warning lines cannot be used to prevent or stop falls. They simply serve to alert you to potential dangers beyond the barriers.
• Stay within the designated area—inside the warning line—while working. You’ll need additional fall protection if you need to leave the designated area.
• Warning lines can be made of a rope, wire, tape, or chain.
• They must be clearly visible from a distance of 25 feet away.
• The warning lines need to be not less than 6 feet from the roof edge.

Safety Net Systems

It is always best to prevent a fall. But when a fall occurs, there are fall protection systems that will protect you from hitting a surface or objects below. Certain fall protection systems do not prevent someone from falling but are intended to stop a free fall.

One type of system that stops a free fall is a safety net system.

• These are nets intended to catch falling workers.
• They are installed under the working surface, as close to the surface as possible.
• The net should never be more than 30 feet below the working surface.
• Safety nets should be inspected regularly—at least once a week and after any occurrence that could affect the integrity of the system. Look for signs of wear, damage, and other deterioration. Openings in the net should never be more than 6 inches across.
• There should be enough room underneath to prevent you from contacting the surface or structure below if you should fall into the net.
• Remove items that have fallen into the net, including tools, scraps, and other materials. This is to prevent a worker who falls into the net from being injured. Objects should be removed as quickly as possible or at least before the next work shift begins.

Personal Fall Arrest System – PFAS

A personal fall arrest system is different than a safety net in that it consists of a body harness, anchorage, and connector, and may include a lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or a suitable combination.

• Personal fall arrest systems actually arrest or stop the employee’s fall during the fall.
• These systems limit a free fall to no more than 6 feet.
• The stopping distance the worker travels after the deceleration device begins to operate is no more than 3.5 feet.
• The PFAS is designed to prevent injury by the fall arrest force put on your body. It limits the pressure on your body to no more than 1,800 pounds of force.
• Body belts are not allowed to be used as part of a PFAS. They are known to cause arresting force injuries by putting too much concentrated pressure on a part of the body.

PFAS – Harness

A personal fall arrest system with a harness is the most effective fall arrest system to protect you from injury.

• The harness distributes the arresting forces among the structural components of your skeletal system, including your thighs, pelvis, waist, chest, and shoulders. The harness is rated for a maximum of 1,800 pounds of arresting forces.
• A harness can also be used for positioning a worker or suspending a worker if necessary for specialized types of work.
• A body belt is never allowed for use as a part of a personal fall arrest system. Belts can cause damage to the spine or internal organs when used to arrest a fall. However, body belts can be used as a positioning device.
• The D-ring on the upper back, shown on the photo, is important for fall arrest. Make sure your anchor point is always above this location to limit the height of the fall. If your anchor point is below the D-ring, use a shorter lanyard to limit your fall distance.

PFAS – Connectors

Connectors are a critical component of any personal fall arrest system.

• Connectors, including snap hooks and rings, are used to attach the lanyard to the anchor and the harness.
• Ensure that the snap hooks properly lock into place by inspecting them regularly.
• Nonlocking snap hooks are prohibited for fall protection.

Note that proper snap hooks are frequently self-locking; they will automatically lock shut after they have been hooked, and they must be manually unlocked in order to be released.

Snap Hook Don’ts

Here are some things you don’t do with snap hooks.

• Don’t attach them directly to webbing or rope.
• Don’t attach them to another snap hook.
• Don’t attach them to a D-ring that has another snap hook or connector attached to it.
• Don’t attach them to horizontal lifelines.
• Finally, don’t attach them to an object that is not compatible in shape or dimension. Doing so might cause the connected object to depress the snap hook keeper and release it accidentally.

PFAS – Lanyards

A lanyard, of course, is a key component of a fall arrest system.

• A lanyard is a flexible line of rope or strap with a connector that connects the harness to an anchor point. It can also be connected to a lifeline or a deceleration device.
• A lanyard often contains its own deceleration device that is intended to greatly reduce arresting forces. Different lanyards use different means, such as tearing or stretching, to absorb the shock of a sudden stop. Think about what might happen if the lanyard was made of steel cable—it would not give or stretch to absorb any of the forces, so all the forces would be absorbed by the worker. By contrast, the deceleration device on the lanyard reduces arresting forces by “giving” and by preventing you from bouncing.
• Use connectors rather than knots whenever possible. If knots are used as tie-offs, note that knots can reduce the strength of a lanyard by up to 50 percent, so a stronger lanyard must be used to compensate for the weakening effect of the knot. Lanyards should never be wrapped around sharp objects.

PFAS – Lifelines

A lifeline can be part of a fall arrest system, but it is not the same as a lanyard.

• Lifelines connect the personal fall arrest system—that is, the harness and the lanyard—to an anchor point if the anchor cannot be reached by a short lanyard. In a sense, the connection between the lanyard and the lifeline becomes the anchor point. The lifeline is not intended to stretch to add to the length of a fall. A lifeline should be designed, installed, and used under the supervision of a competent or qualified person, and it should not be used as a substitute for a lanyard.
• The lifeline can hang vertically from one anchor point. The lanyard is connected at the end of the vertical lifeline.
• The lifeline also can be connected horizontally between two anchor points.
• Lifelines are generally ropes or straps made of synthetic fiber. They must be able to withstand 5,000 pounds of force.
• Lifelines should be protected against being cut or abraded, so they should be kept away from sharp edges.

PFAS – Deceleration Device

A deceleration device is used with a fall arrest system to reduce the forces on your body as the result of a fall.

• It dissipates a substantial amount of energy in arresting the fall.
• Rip-stitch, tearing, or stretching lanyards are the most common types of lanyards. The maximum deceleration distance is 3.5 feet. Remember to account for this distance when checking if your fall location is clear.
• A rope grab device travels on a lifeline and automatically, by friction, engages the lifeline and locks to arrest the person’s fall. This type of device might be used as part of a fall protection system for climbing high ladders.
• Retracting lanyards or lifelines include devices that allow the line to be slowly extracted from or retracted into a drum that is under slight tension when the worker is moving about normally. Fall arrest systems with rope grab devices or retracting devices can be more than 6 feet long, so these types of devices give workers more flexibility.
• A lanyard is required between these types of devices and the harness if there is no other deceleration device that is part of the system.

PFAS – Anchors

The anchors of a fall arrest system are critically important. A fall arrest system is only as good as its anchor.

• An anchor is a secure point of attachment for a lanyard, lifeline, or deceleration device.
• An anchor should be designed to support at least 5,000 pounds per person that is attached to it.
• Ideally, the anchor point should be located above you. If it is shoulder height or higher, this will reduce the length of the fall and reduce the possibility of swinging and hitting something. Remember, the maximum allowable distance for a free fall is 6 feet. The further the fall, the greater the arresting forces on you.
• Keep in mind that you should not anchor to electrical conduits, water lines, or guardrails. There is no point in trying to anchor at all if it is not strong enough to withstand the arresting forces of a fall.
• Ask a supervisor if you are unsure about proper anchor points.

Quick Quiz

Now, it’s time for a quick quiz. You won’t be graded, it’s just to see how much you are learning. Read each sentence and choose the best answer to complete the statement.

A personal fall arrest system limits a worker’s free fall to ______________ 6 feet/4 feet).

– A personal fall arrest system limits a worker’s free fall to 6 feet.

A _______________ (warning line/travel restraint system) prevents you from reaching the edge of a structure.

– A travel restraint system prevents you from reaching the edge of a structure.

________________ (Body belts/D-rings) are not allowed to be used as part of a personal fall arrest system.

– Body belts are not allowed to be used as part of a personal fall arrest system.

A ________________________ (positioning system/safety net) makes it easier for you to work safely with both hands on a vertical surface like a wall or window sill.

How did you do? Did you get all the correct answers?

– A positioning system makes it easier for you to work safely with both hands on a vertical surface like a wall or window sill.

Fall Prevention – Safe Work Practices

Falls can also be prevented by following certain safe work practices and using equipment that prevents falls. Here are some safe work practices to follow when working near potential fall hazards:

• Keep the work area clean, neat, and orderly. A work area cluttered with materials, tools, and equipment could result (*) in a worker tripping and falling to a lower level.
• Look around you and be aware of your surroundings. Know where the nearby fall hazards are located.
• Listen to verbal warnings—you may be approaching a fall hazard without knowing it. Pay attention when a coworker warns you of a hazard.
• Use fall protection for every fall hazard, and don’t go near a hazard unless some form of fall prevention system is in place.
• Avoid dropping objects such as tools and materials to the level below you. Someone below you could be killed or seriously injured.
• Finally, never run when working at a high elevation. Running makes it easier for you to trip or lose your balance.

Personal Fall Protection Systems – Inspections

All personal fall protection systems need to be inspected before the systems are used during each work shift. When inspecting the equipment, look for:

• Damage such as mold, cuts, tears, abrasions, or if you notice undue stretching;
• Alterations or additions to the equipment that might affect its effectiveness;
• Damage because of deterioration, fire, acid, or other corrosive damage;
• Distorted or faulty hook springs; • Loose or damaged mountings; and
• Any nonfunctioning parts.

PFPS – Inspections

• A competent or qualified person needs to inspect each knot in a lanyard or vertical lifeline to make sure it meets the strength requirements.
• The manila or synthetic rope used for top rails or midrails in a guardrail system needs to be inspected as necessary to ensure that the rope continues to meet the strength requirements.
• Any damaged component of the PFPS needs to be removed from service immediately and should be tagged or marked as unusable or be destroyed.
• Finally, any PFPS, including components, involved in a fall, or similar impact, needs to be removed from service immediately and not used again until a competent person inspects it and determines that the system is not damaged and is safe to use for personal fall protection.

Rescue Plan

No one wants a fall to happen, but if one does happen, your employer, you, and your coworkers need to be prepared with a rescue plan.

• The purpose of the rescue plan is to safely, in the shortest time possible, rescue a worker who has fallen. If you are required to use a PFAS, your employer needs to provide rescue for you promptly should you fall.
• Your employer may provide you with equipment that has descent capabilities so you can rescue yourself.
• If you’re unable to self-rescue, or a coworker has fallen and is unconscious or seriously injured, your employer needs to ensure that a rescue team, ladders, or other rescue equipment are available immediately.

Next, let’s discuss why a prompt rescue is important.

Suspended After the Fall

Being suspended after a fall is very dangerous.

• It’s important to minimize the time being suspended after a fall because of something called “suspension trauma.”
• If suspended in an upright position, blood is pulled down into the lower legs by gravity. Eventually, the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain is reduced. If you were standing on the ground when these flows are reduced, you would faint and become horizontal, which would help get the blood to circulate out of your legs and back to your brain. However, if suspended in an upright position, you will faint and remain vertical, meaning recirculation cannot occur.

If you are suspended in a harness:

• Push your legs against an object because actively using leg muscles will help push blood out of your legs; and
• Raise your legs if possible.

Let’s talk about falling objects next.

Falling Object Protection

Another hazard when working above lower levels is a falling object such as a tool. There are a number of ways to prevent objects from falling and possibly serious injuring or, even, killing a coworker.

• Use screen or panels with guardrail systems to prevent tools or equipment from falling on workers below. Screens and panels should be installed so that they extend from the working surface to the top rail.
• Store materials away from the edge of open surfaces. Excess material and debris should be kept out of the work area and removed at regular intervals.
• Keep areas barricaded where objects are likely to fall; this prevents workers from walking through the area and subjecting themselves to danger.
• Use toeboards as another way to prevent objects from being accidentally kicked over the edge. They should be placed along the edge for a distance sufficient to protect anyone below. They need to be strong enough to withstand a force of at least 50 lb, and be at least 3½ inches high from the working surface. If tools, equipment, or materials are piled higher than the toeboard, install paneling or screening.
• Keep tools, materials, and debris picked up, so that they can’t be accidentally kicked over the edge.
• Never throw objects down to lower levels, even if you think there is no one below.
• Always wear a hard hat if you are working underneath workers on a higher level.

Key Points to Remember

Now we’ll summarize the key points to remember about this training session on fall protection.

• First, learn to recognize all of the potential fall hazards in your work area, such as working near an unprotected edge.
• Always remember to use and operate fall protection systems, such as fall restraints and fall arrest systems. These may include guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems with harnesses, lanyards, and lifelines.
• Implement safe work practices, such as keeping your work area clean and free from potential falling objects.
• Inspect your fall protection systems before each use. Make sure they are safe and will provide the protection you need.
• A rescue plan before any worker uses a PFAS is critical.
• Finally, protect others from falling objects by keeping your work area clean and keeping tools and equipment away from unprotected edges and openings.

This concludes this training session on personal fall protection systems in general industry.