A Comprehensive Fall Protection Resource

When working at heights, safety should always be the top priority. Using a Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) without evaluating fall clearance can lead to severe injuries or fatalities. Before utilizing a PFAS, workers must have a foundational understanding of fall clearance.

Calculating Fall Clearance

To accurately calculate fall clearance, you need to consider several crucial factors:

  1. The length of the connector, including the deceleration distance.
  2. The length of the worker’s body.
  3. An adequate safety factor.

We cover the formula for calculating fall clearance in this blog post. We’ll review here as well.

Deceleration distance refers to the vertical distance a worker travels from the moment the fall arrest system activates until they come to a complete stop. This distance is critical to ensuring that workers do not hit the ground or any obstacles below. Typically, the deceleration distance cannot exceed 42 inches (3.5 feet).

Example Calculation

Consider a six-foot worker using a body harness attached to a six-foot connector equipped with a deceleration device and a three foot safety factor. The connector is linked to the harness’s dorsal D-ring and a suitable anchorage point. Based on this scenario, the worker must ensure that the anchorage point is at least 18.5 feet above the lower level, any obstruction, or dangerous machinery. If there isn’t sufficient clearance, the worker should either select a different anchor point or utilize equipment such as aerial lifts or scaffolding. Opting for a shorter connector can also help reduce the required clearance distance.

Understanding Orthostatic Intolerance and Suspension Trauma

Most employees are aware of fall hazards in their work environment and possess knowledge of fall protection strategies, required equipment, and inspection protocols. However, they often lack an understanding of orthostatic intolerance and suspension trauma.

Orthostatic intolerance occurs when a worker experiences symptoms like light-headedness, heart palpitations, fatigue, and even fainting while standing upright. This condition arises from blood pooling in the leg veins due to a lack of movement or the force of gravity.

When a worker hangs in a harness, the straps can compress leg veins, significantly reducing blood flow to the heart. If not addressed, this can lead to loss of consciousness, a situation known as suspension trauma. Research indicates that prolonged suspension in a harness can result in unconsciousness and potentially death within 30 minutes.

Preventing Suspension Trauma

Workers can mitigate the onset of suspension trauma by actively pumping their legs while suspended, which helps facilitate blood flow back to the heart. Additionally, suspension trauma straps can be employed; these attach to the harness and allow workers to maintain an upright position, further aiding blood circulation.

The Importance of Quick Rescue

To prevent suspension trauma, rapid rescue of a suspended worker is critical. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that employers ensure the prompt rescue of employees in the event of a fall. This may involve an in-house rescue team or the deployment of first responders equipped with necessary tools like ladders, ropes, and aerial lifts.

Rescuers must be cautious when handling an unconscious worker due to the risk of reflow syndrome, which can occur when blood surges back to the heart after the harness is removed. To minimize this risk, rescuers should keep the worker’s upper body elevated at a 30–40-degree angle.

The Importance of Inspections

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, it is essential for PFAS to be inspected before initial use and during each work shift. For general industry, OSHA 1910.140 states that “personal fall protection systems must be inspected…for mildew, wear, damage, and other deterioration, and defective components must be removed from service.” Similarly, for the construction industry, OSHA 1926.502 mandates that “personal fall arrest systems shall be inspected prior to each use for wear, damage and other deterioration, and defective components shall be removed from service.”

While OSHA does not require documentation of pre-use inspections, it’s wise for companies to document these inspections or incorporate them into daily hazard analysis processes. This ensures employees are aware of and comply with safety standards.

Annual inspections, required by ANSI standards, but considered voluntary are regarded as best practice. Document these inspections by having a competent person initial and date the equipment’s inspection tag or label. A more comprehensive option includes documenting the inspector’s name, date, equipment model and serial numbers, pass or fail grade, and any service or repair performed.

A common question regarding fall protection equipment, especially body harnesses and connectors, is about their service life. OSHA and ANSI do not specify a maximum service life for synthetic fiber products. However, both require that users remove equipment from service if it has been subjected to a fall. Many manufacturers provide an estimated or recommended service life, usually around five years, and many organizations follow this guideline.

Conclusion

Planning for fall-related emergencies is essential. Assess the activities that require fall protection equipment in your facility and ensure that a rescue plan is in place. Employees should be educated about the dangers associated with suspension trauma and never work alone when using fall arrest equipment. Remember, safety doesn’t have to be complex; simple steps, such as educating workers and adhering to inspection protocols, can prevent serious injuries and save lives.